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Recommended: Racial economic inequality in America
It has been stated that barring immigration, we would lack multiculturalism. Without the “inner struggle” of how to become an American would have changed on how the United States has evolved. A book titled A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki exemplifies how the American country was built via search at human beings based on their race, gender, and power. Takaki’s makes use of many themes and key phrases, however race stands out in his book due to the fact it forms how America was shaped that is nonetheless being affected today. The appreciation is that race in America is no longer described by using color, however by means of white superiority possessing something or all people that threatened them to overpower them. Examples in the book of Takaki exhibit how this took place as many immigrants got here in the New World. Otherwise even when indigenous people …show more content…
African American’s are an unforgotten story need to constantly be told surely except sugarcoating what absolutely happened. Slavery, the way that leads to a capitalistic inhumane way of dwelling that ended with a war and bloodshed to show that equality has continually been a war to achieve. Eventually they get their emancipation and civil rights movement. Takaki indicates examples of how race is evident to why it it’s important for America to form. As well as the African American’s, Takaki focuses on the Mexican race as well. He shows how Mexicans have eventually become accepted and incorporated, however with problems that are still portrayed. With sure similarities, Takaki illustrates immigrants and race they are used interchangeable. They are used for their work ethics, low incomes, and a wish for a location to name home. Once they are used or have nothing to factor out of them, then America appears at another race to put under the microscope and bully
Since they lacked certain physical and/or cultural characteristics needed to belong in the American nation, they were not considered worthy enough to receive the same rights and privileges they deserve. Therefore, Takaki hopes that with his book, people would acknowledge how America developed a society centered to benefit only white people with the creation of laws hindering these racial groups from receiving the same and equal rights they deserve.
1. What is the argument of Ronald Takaki’s A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America? How does Takaki make that argument?
the prejudice, hate and violence that seem to be so deeply entrenched in America's multiracial culture and history of imperialism, Takaki does offer us hope. Just as literature has the power to construct racial systems, so it also has the power to refute and transcend them… The pen is in our hands.
In the first Chapter of the book ‘A Different Mirror’ by (Takaki, 1993) the author embarks on a descriptive narrative that tries to elaborate the concept of a multiracial America. The chapter begins with the author taking a taxi ride in which he is subjected to racial discrimination. The taxi driver questions the author’s origin owing to the fact that his English is perfect and eloquent. This incident prompts a discussion that transpires throughout the chapter as the author tries to explain to his audience that America is a multiracial country with different ethnic groups that moved from their homelands to settle in the United States. The chapter discusses the settlement of various racial groups such as; English immigrants, African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanos and the Irish.
The Tortilla Curtain and Black Boy are two of the many books which illustrate the discriminations going on in our unjust societies. Through the words of T.C. Boyle and Richard Wright, the difficulties illegal Mexican immigrants and African Americans had and still have to face are portrayed. Though their experiences in poverty were terrifying, the minorities’ desire for a better future was what helped them through their lives.
Immigration is a large aspect of American history. In the book Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez, we are able to see the struggles of one Hispanic boy immigrating to the United States from Mexico. Many of the people in the community that Francisco lived in didn’t really accept Hispanic people. It was really depressing that he would make friends, go over to their house and their parents wouldn’t let him come over again, simply because he was Hispanic. In Diversity Matters the text states, “Unique stresses created by the process of immigration to another country and discrimination faced in the new country can create psychological distress for many immigrants” (Spradlin 126). During this time in America, there was still a lot of discrimination going on not only with Hispanics, but other minority races like African Americans. This really goes to show how far our country has come over the years. There is still a long way to go, but I think that if people are more educated and aware of the discrimination people face on a daily basis they will be more open-minded. The United States is becoming more open to diversity, but first we will look at the struggles of one Hispanic boy growing up here illegally in Breaking Through.
In reading chapter 1, of the “Ethnic Myth”, by Stephen Steinberg, explains how the U.S. has a dominant society. In the U.S. class structures, unequal distributions of wealth, and political power vary between certain racial and ethnic groups. A main idea in this reading is ethnic pluralism which is defined as a particularly diverse racial or ethnic group that maintains their traditional culture within a broader more common civilization. Throughout history, race and ethnicity have caused conflict and the struggle of dominance over land. In reading chapter 2, of Drawing the Color Line, by Howard Zinn, explains how early in history inferior statuses of races which lead to mistreatment lead to racism. The very start of slavery began when african american slaves were brought to the north american colony called Jamestown.
Within the course of two decades these three novels deal with racism, diversity of people and similar economic status. The writers raise awareness of the oppression of the African American communities and the long lasting struggles that these folks had to endure to survive.
Much of America’s history has been saturated with situations dealing with race and the people associated with them. It is impossible to talk about the founding of America without looking at the invention of race. This is because race was intricately embedded in the foundation of America through the two part process of racialization. Through this a dichotomous race structure was developed and implemented. This was carried out mainly by the U.S. government, which used policies, social arrangements, and institutional patterns (class notes 10-6-10) to further embed race into American society. The government helped to increase white’s superiority. When the government could not do it all publicly they brought in the private sector. The public and private sector then joined forces to maintain the superiority of whites.
4. Wachtel, Paul L. Race in the Mind of America: Breaking the Vicious Circle between Blacks and Whites. New York: Routledge, 1999.
With their new theory of racial formation within the United States, Omi and Winant encourage society to stray away from thinking of race on a purely biological or purely sociological scale and view it more on perpetually shifting spectrum that will forever change as society changes. Race and racism, while progressively getting better, is still prevalent in the United States today. With this new model of race relations, Omi and Winant present a progressive way of viewing the role of race within America that may lead to the elimination of oppression and the advancement of minority groups and Americans as a whole.
Through the selected readings it becomes clear that race is not only a social construct but also a value that changes depending on the region in which one inhabits. Despite the lack of scientific support for race as a biological phenomenon, race still results in misfortune for many minorities. This present throughout everyday life in terms of job opportunities, education, and life experiences.
A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki provides an insight of America’s multicultural nation. He shares the history of the non-European minorities who have settled and contributed to the growth in America. However, many do not view them as Americans today because they still follow the Master Narrative. This teaching only focuses on the European settlement and their history in America, therefore, causing no acknowledgement to the minorities. Takaki challenges the Master Narrative as an incorrect teaching because it does not reflect America’s full history. America has always been racially and ethnically diverse. Thus, he hopes to move them away from the Master Narrative and learn from his teachings that non-Europeans are Americans despite their
Brown (2003) argues how whiteness is a dominant race (pg.37). The dominant race was white while excluding non-whites from certain class privileges such as the right to have better health care similar to someone of a white ethnic background. It led to emergence of racial formation aim at dividing the white from the black’s base on their racial identity .A person of non-white racial identity is sometimes referred to as “others” meaning he or she does not belong, but of a different racial category {grouping of people base on racial identity and ethnicity}. The grouping of people into different racial categories is reinforcing racism in relation to keeping the white race dominant and powerful over
The beauty is that we even share cultures day to day and speak different languages. There is an enormous variety amongst ourselves and there has to be a place here in the states for anyone to enjoy. Immigration policies can utterly destroy all of this and ruin the authentic mixture of cultures the states are known for. “The ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity brought by immigrants in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has shaped American history and politics.”