Talking points #1

While I was reading the article about bias still persisting in America, towards the end, "Those who assert we've arrived at a colorblind society are blinding themselves to reality." In a way, I sort to have to disagree, I mean I understand that it has been proven, but still I don't think it because we are blinding ourselves to reality, I think it because we don't see it or it hasn't happen to us personally. Like Dr. Bogad said she has never been stop- coming from a white, middle-class background. However, someone like my god-brother, he used to get stopped all the time when Asian gangs fights were becoming fatal. He would get stopped at least once a week or so and he would get interrogated about the other gang members and then when the cops reached the conclusion that my brother was not a part of any gang the cop moved on to talking about weed. Where in the world would my brother get marijuana from?! Also, I had a thought... although the black people that feel that they are being ignored, they should not. This whole black and white controversy are making black people very popular. Like for example, the n word, it has changed over the years and now has become a "more acceptable" word. However, words such as chink, chino (which by the way, I think means orange in spanish.,..but that's me) still exist and it seems to cease existence. Like people still use it to insult Asians. I never thought that society will actually put a color on Asians, but they did, I have heard people call Asians yellow- skin people before. I was annoyed but then again I was like if that is my skin color I am not going to deny it, just please don't use it to describe us. When I was younger, I was taught that people with disabilities rather be called that guy that is blind in place of the blind guy.
Secondly, as I was reading the seventh article written by Pat Parker, the whole time I was laughing and agreeing. She's right, "If you want to be my friend- don't make labor of it." Its OK to disagree with someone and still call him or her a friend. My friends, we have nothing in common, but we are still good friends that do everything together. The one stanza I especially liked was the one when Parker said don't go apologizing to her when someone of the same race does something wrong. It's true. In a show I saw one lady was uncomfortable talking to a guy on a wheelchair. She tried to relate to him by saying she knows someone else on a wheelchair and by accident she insulted him by saying maybe this guy might happen to know this other friend of hers. His response wasn't friendly, but wasn't insulting. He only tried to show her how silly she sounded so he responds something like the lady that bags his groceries is not on a wheelchair and maybe by chance she would know this lady. I think if someone is uncomfortable about saying something then don't bother saying it altogether unless it is absolutely, completely necessary.
I feel melancholic about Goldberg's quote of Gelernter, "What will become of a country whose youngest citizens have been taught to have so little affection for it?"I want to say he... they are right on one point. "Children are the future" is the phrase I grew up with, but if children aren't taught at an early age or even taught at all about patriotism then how are they going to learn it? At the same time tho, I think to myself, I learned to love Cambodia without the help of my parents or anyone at all. I learned everything I know about tradition by looking on and watching the elders sit and talk about how glad they are to be here in America. Then I start to hate America. Hate how som many cultures and traditions are being lost because so many countries are trying to become more American- like. Children today learn to love the American traditon such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they aren't being taught how to love America. So this leaves me wondering... what about America shall we be all in love with? America is contaminated with rascism, prejudice and at times corruption. Yes! I know Cambodia and Laos and China has alot of corruption also, but at least they aren't judgemental and hate a person just because of their skin color or sexual preferences. That goes other countries too not jus the ones I desended from. ---->>> Did I use that word correctly? lol I am trying to improve my English as you can see...<<<---- The last article I read, Kozol Amazing Grace, I came to the conclusion that I am a very sensitive person. Reading the death rates and reasons of deaths I fought so hard not to cry. I always thought I saw the evils in life, when I saw that there are worser evils, it hurted me to the bone. Especially the last page Cliffie saying that his mom might pass too... For some odd reason I felt connected to Cliffie. While reading the article I kept asking myself, "How come the narrator isn't doing anything about it? Why don't he offer some money?" Then I realized, I have been in the position when all these sufferings were happening in my face and all I can do about it is listen to them and watch them suffer. There is only so much that one person can do to help. The one paragraph about the nine year old that was raped by her mother's boyfriend, that hit me the worse. How can the guy, knowing he has a contagious and an incurable disease, why would he go and infect such an innoccent child?! Why would he need a child to satisfy his sexual needs in the first place... disease-ridden or not! Why?
Of all the articles we had to read for class, I found Kozol more satisfying to read. I actually was disappointed to reach the end of the story. I found it funny though... how does this story have any relevance to the class and culture of power... I don't see it... sorry.