The social constriction of race - Essay Example

Response to Question The phrase social constriction of race by Schaefer, basically meant that society get to decides how ethnicity and race is defined, which is to do with Socialization. Response to 2. Episode two is entitled The "Story We Tell" because it was constructed to help explain how the deep rooted social inequalities were adopted as social practices and public policies thereby benefiting whites, who were labeled as the superior race. The idea race was used to reconcile the ideology “All men were created equal but sanctioned slavery” because, at the time, most of the American slaves were African who supplied labor to the superior whites. In this case, the word race was constructed to explain why one group (African) labeled the inferior group was destined to slavery against one group (whites) labeled the superior group (California Newsreel, episode2). Response to Question 3 The distinction between the races was initially created by the European when they conquered the new world and the American slave system. Thomas Jefferson (the man known to be the apostle of freedom) who was a slaveholder was famously known for being the first ever American public figure to justify between races through articulating the theory that supported the natural Africans’ inferiority (California Newsreel, episode3). Following the establishment of racial hierarchy in the American society the ethnics of the Jews, Italians, and other Europeans immensely benefited from the Federal policies and funding. It is noted that the real estate practices, as well as the regulations of the Federal government, gave directions that so white homeowners benefit from government-guaranteed loans. This made them increase in equity and wealth following increased wealth in their homes. Additionally, the white race enjoyed the services of the black slaves who worked on their coffee firms as laborious and home guards. The white race, as well enjoyed all the freedom, liberty, freedom, and democracy at the expense of the slaves who were predominantly of other inferior race. The distinction between races brought about both individual and institutional discrimination. In this respect, the unmarked race “white race” had accrued benefits not necessarily because of their merit or hard work, but because the laws, customs, courts and housing were all racial based. The Congress came up with laws that discriminated persons of an inferior race. For instance, the 1790 Naturalization Act, which made naturalization of citizenship mean free white heavily, discriminated against other groups destined not to be whites. Additionally, the Courts being institutions of justice were also discriminative. For instance, the Supreme Court discriminated against the Japanese when they acted against the naturalization act when it ruled that the Japanese was not white basing their ruling on science that classified the Japanese as Mongoloid but not Caucasian. It was the very court that had contradicted itself the year before, by ruling that the Asian Indians were not whites, even when according to science they were in the Caucasian category. There are various notable instances where individual discrimination was practiced. The first instance happened when Cherokee families were evicted from their own homes in Georgia which is to the west of Mississippi. This made one person out of the four evictees to die a long way. This showed clearly showed that president Andrew Jackson as a representative of the executive discriminates against individuals since he defended the move claiming that it not the white settler’s greed that brought about the policy but the fate of the inferior race that was established midst the superior race. The ruling made by the Supreme Court in 1922 in Takawa Ozawa against the Japanese immigrant was also a clear demonstration of individual discrimination. There were various racial policies that were created to perpetuate white supremacy. One such dominant is the 1790 Naturalization Act which in its definition limited naturalized citizenship to mean "free, white persons. This act prevented many new arrivals from gaining citizenship forcing them to partition the courts so that they are legally designated as whites for them to gain citizenship. The theory of the "natural" inferiority of Africans also supported such policies. In essence, it meant that Africans were not allowed to occupy areas where white settlers occupied. It was upon this policy that the Cherokee families were evicted from their own homes in Georgia which is to the west of Mississippi. Response to Question 4. Prejudice and discrimination have always prevailed in the society, and it has become common day today practice. Discrimination has to do with behaviors that are directed against some other group, while prejudice refers to the irrational and inflexible opinions and attitudes that are held by a group against another. Possessing preconceived beliefs concerning cultural practices or a group people also constitute prejudice. More often than not, negative forms of prejudice amounts to discrimination. At the societal level discrimination, as well as prejudice are practiced at almost at all levels. Before the era of Civil Rights, both prejudice and discrimination were legally enforced and practiced openly. Studies show that racial discrimination was most supported by the whites who held strong stereotypes concerning those who were not whites. However, during the error of Civil Rights, most countries have supported the move to wipe out the demise. This has significantly reduced blatant discriminatory practices, with whites supporting overt forms of prejudice. Although such forms of prejudice and discrimination have gone down, there has been noted uneven progress in cutting down racial inequalities. This has left large racial gaps especially in housing, criminal justice, employment, health and in wealth. These discrepancies in racial inequalities have aroused many questions concerning how genuine changes introduced during Civil Right era are with many scholars suggesting becoming of the opinion that discrimination and prejudice might have taken, a different subtle forms. Those that try to understand the extent of prejudice and discrimination during the post-Civil Rights era are faced with many difficult questions. During this post-Civil Rights era, discrimination has been witnessed against Lesbians and the Gays and such allegation are quite compelling. It was reported by an Asylum law (organization that helps the asylum-seeking people) that it is distressing in the manner in which gay men in Arab world are treated. Research shows that punishment for those practicing homosexuality varies in these countries. Capital punishment beheading is applied in Saudi Arabia to such acts, while in Seria persons that practice homosexuality had taken through three years of imprisonment. The groups of people who practice sodomy are discriminated upon in Iran. The practice of sodomy is prohibited and those found practicing it face excursion. For the adult group, death punishment applies. Gender discrimination is also one of the most current forms of discrimination. In the Arab world, wife beating, genital mutilation, honor killing practiced against women is supported by the religious and the legal circle. It has planted in institutions and in cultural habits. Wife beating is had its legitimacy and justification in the Surra. In this case, men have been have been labeled as maintainers of women and women are forced to be obedient in fear of desertion and beating. According to the 2005 UNICEF report, the overwhelming number of women underwent genital mutilation with other sources reporting that about 60% of women in Iraqi and Kuwait have undergone this process. In Seria and Jordan, female genital mutilation is a common practice with most rural population impressing it with claims that it is religiously mandated. Response to Question 5 It is true that race has an effect in my life, as well as those who live by my side. For those who are identified as not being within the group of the white race can attest to this. Whether legal or not, whether documented or not, like Peggy de noted in his article, those who are in the white race do not intent to enjoy some privileges but it appears like race privileges have become part and parcel of rooted everyday practices injustices established long before. This can clearly been seen all over, whether on streets, in homes, in schools, at recreational sites, and anywhere else. Just like Peggy noted being born of white race comes with bountiful privileges. The non-whites, on the other hand, are always prejudiced, discriminated upon under all odds. According to Peggy, unlike his African American coworkers, being of a white race has a range of privileges. It is noted that being a white gives one the freedom to intermingle freely with all races and in particular mingling with the fellow whites without being discriminated upon. The whites are born with implanted misconception that the other race cannot be trusted. The whites enjoy the full freedom of association, and they have the privilege of purchasing houses, or renting houses in all areas so long as they can afford but still be sure of not being discriminated upon by the neighbors. They enjoy the freedom of doing shopping everywhere at any time without any sort of mistreatment. The newspapers favor them, and on many occasions, they dominate the media. They are always informed that they are of the superior race and often they are proud of their culture, color and they constitute the national heritage. Notably, their children enjoy the freedom of their culture and their culture, as well as their history dominates the curricular. They always enjoy freedom of speech, press and always feel free in any arena. They can intentionally decide to look down upon the other race but yet nothing happens to them. Their music dominate everywhere i.e. sold in music shops and the foods that fits their culture dominate supermarkets and those not deemed whites are thus forced to adopt the food culture of the whites since their stable foods are not easily found. The whites enjoy getting services without being discriminated upon as opposed to other race that finds it difficult to find those willing to provide such services like cutting their hair. They fully benefit from financial services and have their children enjoy the privileges of being protected all the time. Their children grow up without worries of being discriminated upon because of their race. The employers or teachers of their children would always tolerate them irrespective of their weaknesses and they stand not to be discriminated upon in terms of knowledge on ground of their race. Peggy notes that children born of white families are always provided with reading materials tailored towards their family units and are never prejudiced on such grounds as family backgrounds and they always appreciated by everyone in the society in which they leave. Whenever they make up for the journey along with their spouses, they are always sure that they would not be embarrassed by the racial groups. Their language dominates everywhere in favor of their race and most of the academic courses, as well as institutions favor the test of their race. They can never feel inferior on grounds of their race, in case, they want leadership positions. They are never discriminated upon, in case, legal or medical help and when choosing public accommodation, they are always sure they would not be mistreated. In their work place they are all favored by their mangers and they can never be booked for lateness. They would always find people to talk to or those that can offer pieces of advices to concerning their profession with easy because of manifestation of the racial superiority. Their ability to perform well does not come are never seen as a manifestation of some advantage to their race. These and many more incidences show how we are all prone to racial discrimination. Response to Question 6. In my first encounter with the episodes, I became curious about what stands out between us and the explanation that accompany those differences. I was keen to identify what explains the racial differences if it ever existed. As I roll down the episodes, my curiosity rose and in episode II, I more anxious about that story that is to be told. Through the process of watching, I am taken through a scenario that leads me to understanding what underlie origin of racial prejudice and discrimination. Finally, I discover why racism does exist in the society. After watching the movie, I have one major thing that I learned that helped me understand the state our current racial and ethnic relation today is that it is clear that the racial discrimination is traced back to the legacy o f past discrimination. This implies that unless we address past discrimination and address, as well the historical meaning of the race, what we have always dreamed of as pertain equality would always remain out of reach. However, what I learned is most disturbing is that past institutional prejudice upon race advantaged some group at the expense of another group. All this is subject to white people. The radicalized laws, courts, housing and perhaps customs are to blame for the differences in wealth among the whites and the Africans. Response to Question 7 After taking the quiz, one thing I learned about the perception of the race is that race does not exist biologically. It all happens because of inclined beliefs and misconceptions. Finally from episode II, the oppressed were the African slaves in America, American Indians, the Japanese and the Jews. They were singled out basing on their skin color i.e. they had skin colors that did not resemble the unmarked race. They were enslaved because of the feeling among the whites that they were of inferior race. This was justified by Thomas who was an American public figure who said that it was because of the theory of the inferior African race that made them that way. Their oppression was also justified by saying that it was not slavery but maybe freedom -. Work Cited.  California Newsreel. Race the power of illusion.2003. Retrieve on 30th July 2012 from http://newsreal.org.ttranscript. Read More