Race and ethnicity are
culturally created by the dominant (white in the U.S) group and it is not a biological
facts. Race and ethnicity also change over time and the U.S can be an example. So
the majority group which I not base on numbers but power determine and decide
about race and ethnicity but not the minority group which is the a collection
of people who suffer disadvantages and have less power because of identifiable
physical or cultural characteristics. The minority is usually discriminated and
criticize as lazy, criminal.
In this article “Racial
Stratification and Education in the United States: Why Inequality Persists”, JOHN
U. OGBU points out that “underclass” structure or phenomenon is the cause many problems
that blacks community encounter such as education, housing, lack of job… The
author explains that before, they used race (slavery a way to make money) to
build the economics of this country. Now, they switch it to class to just make
those who make through to blame the one who doesn’t. He claims that “. For
middle-class blacks it gives a sense of achievement and reinforces their
eagerness to distance themselves from those who have not made it or cannot make
it. In the past the problem was “racism” and was blamed on whites; today the
problem is “poverty” and is blamed on the underclass.” We understand that in correlational
(Marx) analysis, socioeconomic status determines social class and our academic
success depends on our family background. However study shows that black people
on every class level do less well than white.
Going to the chapter, we
understand that the problem is the enduring gap between black and white, the prejudice,
discrimination and stereotypes that have persisted on black people since
slavery. Black people are seen to be gangster, selling drugs and they tend to
make them believe them that they won’t make. Most of them are desperate and don’t
know which way to go. Race stratification still exists and a both black and Spanish
are the one who suffer from it.
I like how you point out that race and ethnicity also change over time and it is seen here in the US.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you wrote it can be understood you really grasp the concept we are studying and your writing better helped me understand aspects that I had not seen the way you do. That is one of the reasons that I like this blog project because something that I write projects some ideas and summarizes the concepts one way and when I read someone else’s blog I can see through their eyes how they understood the subject and how they feel and relate to it making me understand it even more.
I did not read the article you wrote about and your summary really gives me a sense of what was discussed.
I am going to make time to read all the articles we have had in this class, because they are all very interesting. I like the way you summarize the plight of black people, slavery ended but the legacy of racism continues to this day. Blacks and other minorities start at the bottom of every ladder because they have not been afforded the same opportunities as the white people.
ReplyDeleteAmerica can never be an example because we are to damn Colorblind. we don't want to acknowledge what's really going on in our society we concocted this idea that whites are better but all we whole heartily believe that this way of life is right and in do time everything will even it self out. this is what i call madness this class has left me wide open i see thing's that i haven't had before and i must say that i'm very sad of the world we live in.
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