Issue Of The Week IV: What Will It Take To Close The Racial Divide?

Maya Angelou's thoughts on the rich tapestry is beautifully said, you can not have a vibrant society unless each citizens culture, and beliefs are represented. To continue her imagery to have a tapestry all one color would be bland but with diversity in color it would be extraordinary. Each race is just as important in society as another, each race holds an important contribution to society. In my sociology class we discussed the idea of a salad bowl. Each race is represented but we do not blend instead we add our own special ingredient that makes the salad delicious. In todays society we do not realize the benefits that each race brings with their differing cultures. Instead of embracing our differences and growing we decide to force the dominant beliefs on minorities and that is why we have a melting pot instead of a salad bowl.

Out of all the people quoted above, John K's stood out to me most. His idea of everyone mingling to better understand one another is foolproof. If everyone mingles, they will begin to better understand each other's customs, beliefs, and ways of living. His quote seems to go hand-in-hand with Maya Angelou's. Each of us represent threads... if we all can come together to create harmony, we'll ultimately construct a beautiful tapestry called world peace.

I believe that in order for there to be unity within the US, people should not be force to blend or adapt to one race. As Sitting Bull said, if the "higher spirit had desired me to a white man he would had made me so in the first place." This means that each of us our here on earth for a reason, we need to keep our cultures alive so that we do not lose apart of the past. With this we could each learn some new things from other people so that our unity does not crack from separation.

I think that John K's words were right. As an asian I've gone through the stereotype of people thinking that I was smart, always asking me for help with their math and science homework and stuff like that, when in reality i'm not really all that great in those two subjects. And I think that the older generations usually do shy away from other races or ethnic groups because they dont understand their culture, like my parents they dont really try to grasp other races because they dont seem to care. i think that if we all cared and were more open minded about getting to know someone else's culture then we could actually move up from that discrimnate feelings and grow to accept one another as their own instead of trying to change them.

I see what Miss Amanda is talking about, when i was in highschool, the students all hung out with their groups. Although everyone was nice to each other, there weren't many fights or tension at my school but you can see that the Hispanics hung out in area together while the Asians hung out together, and the blacks mostly hung out together as well. You sometimes see those groups that have multiple ethnicities hanging together but it was mostly like that since my freshmen year of highschool and it stayed that was throughout until i graduated. I think it was because maybe they felt more comfortable with the people they hung out with, for me my group consist of mainly asian as I was but i had many friends outside of my cliq as well. So it's true what Amanda says about that there is a lot of separtion that needs to be healed.

All human beings have an innate worth to them regardless of their race. From a spiritual/religious perspective, people's lives are all worth the same in relation to one another. I feel that if we all take a spiritual standpoint when looking at races, we'll realize that race has nothing to do with the innate worth of a human being. My mother, being very spiritual/religious, explained this concept to me, and I thought it fit well with the idea of races. Maybe if we all took a spiritual perspective regarding races and human life the prevalent stereotypes and judgments towards other races would dissipate.

I like Sitting Bull's quote most. Society and the people in it have many ways of judging those of a different race, gender, etc. yet in reality that person is not at fault for who they are. As he argues, he is a "red man" and that is something that he cannot change even if he wanted to but to think about it, if the "Great Spirit" wanted him to come out a white man then they would've done so. It is not something that a person can choose before they are born, it is something that we as a person have no control over. But a person does have control over themselves and stop themselves from judging others and using prejudice towards other people in society.

I think slowly but surely this country is coming together and becoming more homogeneous. It is just a comfort level problem. Part of this stems from people growing up in a group of people who are the same race as them. Although they might not dislike or discriminate, they may feel most comfortable with their own race. This is not hateful but is easier for them. The barriers need to be broken down because they are arbitrary. The more time one group spends with another, the more they realize just how similar they are.

The United States still has a lot of growing up to do regarding race/ethnic tolerance, religious tolerance, sexual tolerance etc. Even though this country has a vast amount of ethnic diversity, it doesn’t seem that everyone in this country appreciates it. Especially those who still want to keep the country dominantly a “White” country.

I think that all the quotes about race past and present are still very real today. A lot of people these days should take a good look at themselves and ask why do we still have this racial divide?
I liked the quote that the Dalai Lama said about everyone being people that are good and bad and that we need to keep both sides in case. I guess I like it because that is the way I think about our society. I don't see people as race I see them as just people. We should all see people as just people because everything would be so much better. There wouldn't be hate between people of different races or color. And until we do that most people will still see race and not the person behind their race or color.

There is no way that anyone can say that racism is completely eliminated from this country. However, I do believe that the United States as a whole has made alot of huge steps towards improving the divide. There is no denying that the election of President Obama was a huge mile stone for this courty, many people credit his election as the "end of racism" and that America is now "post-racial". Though I do hope for a "post-racial" America, I do not think that it has arrived quite yet. There is still alot of ignorance amounngst the American public, especially in areas where there is less diversity. Though I am not willing to say that racism is completely purged from the American public, I do believe that we are making improvements and are on our way to being a "post-racial" America.

Race has always been an issue in our country. We have come a long way from the way things used to be but we still have a long way to go before race is no longer an issue. Racism has tainted our history and has showed the ugly side of many human beings. In order to work towards getting rid of racism today we must remember the past and educate ourselves and those around us. Like what the Dalai Lama said we need to learn from our enemies and realize the negative. In my life I have never looked at race as an issue. I have always been surrounded by diversity and greatly appreciate it. I was taught and raised to look at a human being for who they are and not what they look like. I came out of my comfort zone when I realized just how much racism still exists today. I never wanted to think that people could have such hatred and ignorance in them. Prejudices are formed so easily in our society which breeds racism. Putting an end to the racial divide starts with each one of us. We have to take a stand in our lives and speak out against racism. When people make racial jokes or use derogatory language don't just laugh and turn away. We have to stand up for what is right and appreciate every human life. We need to view each other as a human race and not define others by their appearance.

Growing up in New York City I was exposed to all different people, especially when dealing with race. The city is so diverse and different, it is the city of dreams people all over the world move to the City in hopes for a better life. Dew to the cities diversity I was able to see how different races interact with each other on a daily bases. My observation led me to a conclusion on racisms existence today and how to close the racial divide. Just by walking around the City it is apparent that racism is still around in the world today. I see acts of racism on the news every day, ranging from violent acts to racial slurs. Don’t take this the wrong way; racism only plays a minor role in every day life of the City. More commonly I see friendly interaction between different races. I have a lot of friends of different races, and it’s a common occurrence to see a diverse group of kids walking and laughing together in the City streets. New York City with its diverse population showed me that racism still plays a role in today’s society but friendly and respectable interaction between different races plays the largest role in New York’s society. The city showed me that the only way to close the racial divide is to have diverse communities. Diverse communities like the City show that friendship can be established between races, only if diversity is present in the community. Communities that are not diverse are not open to change; in result these communities are actually building the racial divide. Diversity is the key to end the racial divide

The idea that our country and temporary society has many problems that encourage racism and the notion of minorities being viewed as bad, is a subject that I believe is as important as the Civil Rights Era. The way this article started I couldn’t help but feeling ethnocentric toward American culture but then the article went into the idea that America was founded on diversity. I really enjoyed reading Amanda O.’s excerpt from the article. I feel that on my campus as well as others throughout the country, students segregate themselves and associate within groups of their own race and ethnicity. I believe that sports and organizations such as clubs and events help the students interact with individuals outside their group. This process should start in elementary school so young students need to know and learn that diversity is a wonderful thing.

Our nation is divided by race. I agree with Melissa Ethridge's statement that diversity is one of our nation's greatest strengths. The problem is that many people to don't recognize this to be true. Like some comments before me, I too have witnessed the racial divide in my high school. I think that people are afraid to breaks these lines because this would break their comfort zone. People are afraid to step out because there is a fear that they might face ridicule, disrespect, and hate. We need to walk these lines, shake things up a bit. I think that students should take that risk, step out of their comfort zone, and hangout with a new crew for a change. When we break these racial divides we will realize that we really are not that different from each other. Similarly to what the Dalai Lama said, we are all human beings and we all have emotions and feelings. We all experience happiness, sadness, fear, and excitement. These emotions unite us. We need not fear change because change is what our nation needs. We need to recognize the beauty of diversity.

I agree with the Dalai Lama's point about the revelation behind hate. Behind our enemies eyes is our own worst perspective. Everyone can teach each other our own faults and weaknesses. I have noticed that the things I get most frustrated at in people are the things that I struggle with the most. The Dalai Lama is asking us to examine the hate. We must first acknowledge that hate exists, and then, examine where it stems from and why. I think this is a healthy way to break down the barriers that race creates. The reality is hate resides in all of us, but it does not have to define us. It does not have to classify our generations. We can acknowledge evil while focusing on good. We can learn from our hatred. The exhaustion and terror that derives from hate can be what attracts us to love. History wearily travels forward with a longing for goodness. I think we all desire equality. We just cannot be deceived in thinking it’s going to be an easy, overnight, over the counter prescription. We cannot be ignorant to our potential evils. I think we need to consciously strive for goodness, and not be surprised when it gets hard.

The teacher, Amanda O's statement about people sticking with their own ethnicities could be looked at as self segregation or maybe it is just human nature to be around people we share things in common with. I don't agree with her view that they are self segregating. I don't believe that people want to be segregated...in fact isn't that what everyone is trying NOT to do? She also says she was surprised at the amount of racial tension but then calls it self-segregation. First of all, she is white, I hardly doubt she anticipated any racial tension. Probably never crossed her mind. I realize I am stereotyping but I'm just saying that in general I really don't believe white people anticipate racial tension unless confronted with a question about it. Maybe it is true that different ethnicities hang out together but for purposes of self segregation...I don't think so. Comfort is more like it.

I feel as though I can relate to Eleanor Roosevelt's perspective well. Not only do people cause an obvious racial divide and inequality when looking down at people of a different race, sex, or ethnicity, but the consequences from this can be seen on a very large scale. As Eleanor Roosevelt states, "the real hardship and the real wrong is done to democracy and to our nation as a whole." I believe what she meant by this was that, in causing these racial divides, we also create feelings in people that can affect our entire country. For example, if a Black man feels oppressed by the dominant white group, aka our government, then they may feel resentment towards them and the democratic system as a whole, which effectively mutes a voice that could have been heard had it not been for racial tendencies that take place in our country to leave people out.

I believe that racial divide is slowly but surely getting smaller however there still is gap. WE have this gap because people are still sticking to their own race when it comes to social circles in society. I think it is comfort issues with people. I feel that people that stick to their own race because they can relate to them better, or they know where they are coming form on a certain perspective. In addition, I see where Amanda's point of view is coming form. Speaking from my personal experience, while attending high school I noticed that the Hispanics kids ate lunch then other Hispanic students, or Asians students sat with other Asian students. You tend to cling to what you feel comfortable with and this why there is racial divide. If society just knocked down this walls that we have placed ourself behind maybe we would not have as much racism and hatred towards a certain group.

Most of the quotes that were said were related to each other in the way that they all thought the United States can be a single, whole, with no judging and racism towards each other, but can it really? Sitting Bull said we are given our certain race because that is the way we were supposed to see life. If we were meant to be a different race, we would have been born that race. In my eyes, I can never see the United States as a whole nation with no racism. I personally do not judge people by the color of their skin, but not everyone is like me. There will always be racists, there will always be hate crimes, and there will always be organizations where these people will come together and plot terrible things to do to each other. Like the old saying goes “One bad apple ruins the bunch”. If there is one person who still feels hatred towards another, he will find more people who feel the same and from there it is a domino effect.

While, I agree that judging a person by any of their physical characteristics is wrong, is it possible for the United States to overcome racial and ethnic division? I think no. The United States is still a place of hope for many living in impoverished countries. Immigrants bring to the United States their own culture and ethnic backgrounds. As Maya Angelou said, these cultures make for a rich tapestry. In a perfect world, we would all have the ability to appreciate and respect each others backgrounds and differences. But we know that is not the case any where. Yes, we must try and increase the positive, as the Dalai Lama said, but we can only do so much. Furthering the divide, is also the simple fact that, socially, human beings are attracted to people similar to themselves. So while Jimmy from California may respect Kai from Japan, if they have nothing in common, they are unlikely to become great friends.

I believe that if we truly want to rid our country of racial divisions, the United States must encourage the idea of assimilation, or a melting pot. However, if we want diversity there will still be division, what we must encourage is respect of different values and norms.

I believe that each and everyone of these quotes conveys a clear and precise point which is that what we all want is peace and harmony through out our beloved country. We should look at our nation as a whole and ask ourselves why is this happening in todays time. This is an issue that has been going on for centuries and is still happening today. Melissa Ethridge has a great perspective when it comes to seeing the problem that we as americans have. It is very relevant to my perspective and I understand what she is saying when she says that we are getting ripped apart by our greatest strength. Diversity is something that makes America who it is and its also a major reason why we have racial problems as well. I feel as though racial problems have slowed down within the years but it is something that will never go away.

Honestly, I really don’t think we are on a path of closing the racial divide, based on society today; it will take longer than the next 50 years. Looking at Arizona for example, that’s just a big step backwards not forward. How can we expect racial divide to end when we don’t learn but one type of history all the way until college? But in Arizona colleges they want to take out Ethnic Studies, so will the next generation know anything? We say we are getting closer to closing this divide but in reality on my campus at least, we thought we were moving forward and then hate crimes happened and still nothing has changed. As a society we also can’t live in colorblindness either, even though at the end of the day we are all human beings and we all bleed the same color, based on the race someone is their experiences in life are going to be different from the person of a different race sitting across the room. To close the gap we have to be able to also communicate how we feel to everyone but that won’t happen if people don’t feel they’re in safe spaces. Seeing people of the same race hanging out on my campus shows that they can only go to their racial groups because that group understands what they’re going through but yet will not judge. We find that different when sharing our opinions with different races. So more safe spaces need to be made but people need to be willing to listen and understand the struggles of someone of the other races. When we can complete that step, then I believe we will be on the right track to fixing the overall society and the racial divide.

With all the controversy currently going around in the world today I believe that there is no possible way that the path of racial division is closing. I honestly believe that it will never cease to exist. Reason being, the people that are raciest today will teach their children to be racists in the future; and so on. It is sad to say that even in schools one can obviously see some form or racism. Whether it’s the groups you eat with or the people that one associates oneself with. I just wish that at some point in everyone’s life he/she will realize that we all have something to offer to this world. God put us here for a reason and we should embrace all who live on this earth. People need to be open minded and willing to listen to a difference of opinion rather than shutting it down because it is not the “norm.” This gap has potential to close, slightly, but one person has to take a stand; like Martin Luther King, and fight for the rights of all people.

I think it is first important for us to realize that we do have a lot of racism in our country today. We sometimes think that we have come so far, which we have, but we still have a lot of issues at hand. It is going to take us realizing that we are all people, that there is not one race that is superior to another. I believe that we do desire to treat everyone equally and that we do not necessarily want racism, but I do not think we have arrived there yet and think we still have a long way to go.

Stratifications in society have always been apart of society. Not only racial but also ethnic, socio-economic, and religious. The way that you close divides is to promote tolerance among the younger generations. Our generation can see the evolution of race relations since the early 1960's. Our grandparents came from generations of abuse of minorities, when most hate crimes went ignored. To our parents, who saw the civil rights movement and the first real move towards equality. To our generation, where there are no more "hate" crimes except those we allow to be committed, and any racial tensions there are, we can no longer blame on our parents but our own perceptions of people. So to close the gaps, we must strive for another evolution of equality where all American's are viewed through color blind eyes.

When walking around my campus, I notice a variety of racial and ethnic groups. All of these groups tend to stick together, but there is no outward discrimination from one group to the other. It's almost like a member of one group is afraid to branch out and talk to another group. I have studied the contact theory and believe it can work. If we take the time to be around different groups and get to know them and learn about their culture we will begin to see similarities and become more comfortable with them. I think this is something that we should all do, as uncomfortable as it may seem at first.

I think that sometimes people have a sense of ethnocentrism. We see differences and make comparisons to ourselves and whatever we are used to. We must learn to see diversity in a different light. We must challenge stereotypes. We must have humility, empathy, and compassion towards others. I try to remember that people of a different race and ethnicity are just that--people. I try to remember that race is socially constructed.

Racism is a problem in our country currently and has been in the past. America is a melting pot and that is what makes this country great. People from different cultures and ethnicities make up our country and everyone can grow from seeing the cultures of different people. However, we seem to look past the chance to meet new people and learn new things and just hate on one another. This is such a major problem in society that it will eventually destroy the nation if it does not stop. I like how the article said that the diversity that made our nation great at the time of its founding can either make us greater or lesser depending on our actions in the future. This is such a true statement and we must make an effort as a whole to close the racial divide and avoid the demise of our country by pushing towards greatness. The opinions from the people that the article listed were quite interesting. The one that I liked the best was from Sitting Bull. He puts in perspective through simple words that the Great Spirit made him a red man and if he was supposed to be a white man than the Great Spirit would have made him that way. He said that there is no need for an eagle to be a crow. I like his views the best because it shows that people do not choose to be a certain race or color and they cannot control that. They are who they are and there is no need for them to change. The only need is for people to recognize this and respect people for who they are.

I can relate to Amanda's O experience. The high school that i attended to was predominantely hispanic and white. There were other minority groups but they accounted for a small percentage of the populationn at school. The hispanics would hang out down stairs and the whites would hang in the quad. I didnt really realize this segregation until after i graduated. To me racism hasnt really affected me that in know off but im sure that colorblind racism has influenced social forces that has directed my life to certain directions. Educating each other about racism is the only way we will be able to see the opression that is happening world wide. We have to work as a nation to stop racism, the people have to want it for it to actually work. Are the whites willing to give up their white privileges to create a more level playing field for the minority groups? We can organize social movements towards this cause, but its up to the citizens to decide, how badly do they want equality?