“The Change” the Media Needs
People may depict “The Change” by Tony Hoagland as a racist poem due to the authors’ choice of words he used to describe Serena Williams. Words like “big black girl” (line 10), and calling Serena “Vondella Aphrodite” as if “black” people have ridiculous or “outrageous” names as Tony Hoagland puts it (line 12). This poem has nothing to do with racism and every to do with culture, human nature, and the media. As humans of different backgrounds and cultures, we tend to root for our own kind. A great example would be the Olympics where people living in the United States of America like rooting for their nationality or race even if they are nowhere near their country. For instance, a European in the United States would
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The media’s depiction of this poem could have affected what people think of it. Many people possible think this poem was racist due to its lack of “political correctness”. The media makes every descriptive word into a racial issue. Tony Hoagland uses words like “big” and “black” simply to describe the characters of this poem. Sure, the descriptive language he chose could have been more subtle but what better way to describe a person than by not sugar coating their appearance. He also describes the European tennis player as having “pale eyes and thin lips” (line 27), not using words to as describe a beautiful “white” European and describing Serena Williams in a way as to make her seem like an ogre. But as readers, we tend to only mind when the word “black” comes into context because we are taught from an early age to dismiss words that can hurt one 's feeling or cause an uproar due to its “racist” nature and not being “politically correct”. Tony Hoagland chose not to follow the rules of everyday human morality but instead chose to write an amazing poem using his freedom of speech and disregarding all the emotional people that we are taught to be. “The Change” by tony Hoagland is not racist if readers stop letting their emotions get in the way of enjoying the poem. Descriptive language is simply just that, language to describe someone or something and we need to stop making it about …show more content…
Many people have experienced racism in one way or another. From Caucasians being racist to African Americans, or African Americans being racist to Caucasians, and everything in between. But whose fault is it? Is the media making the public subconsciously portray African American race as corrupt? I believe so.
From a very young age, we are taught to be color and racially blind and to be “politically correct”. We are no longer able to have our own view and opinions without having someone bash one with the word “racist”
Personally, I have never experienced any form of racism so far in my life; possibly because it is looked down upon. Though this is true, there are African Americans claims to experience racism in their everyday life. When taking leisurely walks to clear their minds or just for good exercise people complains that during these walks and in other instances throughout the day, they notice that people act differently around them. Specifically, people would cross the street to switch sidewalks and women would cling a little tighter to their purses. Even go so far as to wait for the next elevator. Some might feel like it is easier just to avoid eye contact. Over time the population has tried harder to pretend that they treat everyone equally but the way the media brings up racism is
Poems and other readings with strong racial undertones such as Strange Fruit allow me to reflect back on the role race plays in my life as a black young woman and analysis if much has changed in terms of racism in the American society today.
One story that the Author told that really struck a chord with me was when she went to the diner and was yelled at for just standing in front of the diner. You hear stories from like this from the past often, but it gives it a different perspective when it’s a young girl. If I was put in this situation, I would personally have a breakdown. I would want to lash out in anger and frustration, but the consequences of lashing out against a white person during this time period were very large. I have lived in predominantly white areas for most of my life, and I have not experienced any overt racism like the author
Through the study of life and literature, one can tell that racism continues to be truly pervasive. In Nikky Finney’s “Dancing with Strom”, the reader can witness the tension that exists between the races in society today. Although the poem shows how as times progress, mentalites seem to change as well, it is evident that many African Americans, such as Nikky Finney, still live in fear of the racism that hides and lurks in the corners.
The poem with the same title as the collection ’’I am not a racist but…’’ she uses satire to show how easy racism is not recognised or played down. She was hurt at a very young age by racist attitude and words as she wrote about her school years in the poem ‘’Making...
We have a long history of racism in America that has been structured to favor White people. Structural racism can be defined as, “a system in which public policies, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity. It identifies the dimensions of our history and culture that have allowed privileges associated with “whiteness” and disadvantages associated with “color” to endure and adapt over time”(Structural Racism, 2004,p. 11). Overt racism became illegal during The Civil Rights Movement that took place between 1954-1968 (Tuck, 2015). Although society seemed to be heading toward a more socially acceptable society, the movement enabled white people to blame the struggles black face as a character flaw. White people will believe that black people have a lot of problems because their culture is bad or they have bad values. The message they are reinforcing is that being black is inferior, and this is an example of structural racism operates. Structural racism is a system of forces that keeps people of color in a permanent second-class status, and it is the foundation of racism in our society. Society is structured in a way where the hierarchy of white people oppresses Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, etc and has
Despite all these accepted images of successful black people "selling" the idea that the color of a person's skin is irrelevant, racism still exists and will forever exist in America. It is a never-ending phenomenon that is ingrained in American life. Racism is America, just as America is built around the idea of racism. As the civil rights activist and scholar Derrick Bell would say, "Racism is an integral, permanent, and indestructible component of this society." He proclaims that no matter what blacks do to better their status, they are doomed to fail as long as the majority of whites do not see t...
...ites a short 33-line poem that simply shows the barriers between races in the time period when racism was still openly practiced through segregation and discrimination. The poem captures the African American tenant’s frustrations towards the landlord as well as the racism shown by the landlord. The poem is a great illustration of the time period, and it shows how relevant discrimination was in everyday life in the nineteen-forties. It is important for the author to use the selected literary devices to help better illustrate his point. Each literary device in the poem helps exemplify the author’s intent: to increase awareness of the racism in the society in the time period.
Comments on her physique relate to her race and insinuate “that black women are hyper masculine and unattractive” (Rankine). It can be a difficult moment to endure when people in the same business attack her with comments such as being manly, for example the crude words that president of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpischev, had to say about her. Fortunately, Serena was brought up learning techniques on how to handle these vulgar statements. The article describes her childhood, as she practices tennis and how her father would recruit children to “‘call them every curse word in the English language, including ‘Nigger’” (Rankine). It’s safe to say that children who are not black did not have to endure these degrading moments. Although the technique Serena’s father employed to train his children was harsh, it molded her to have a strong character and not let comments like these have a negative effect on
This poem is written from the perspective of an African-American from a foreign country, who has come to America for the promise of equality, only to find out that at this time equality for blacks does not exist. It is written for fellow black men, in an effort to make them understand that the American dream is not something to abandon hope in, but something to fight for. The struggle of putting up with the racist mistreatment is evident even in the first four lines:
Racism comes in many forms ad can be expressed in many different societies in various ways. 1 The dictionary defines racism as the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. This definition of racism makes it clear that it is a perceived point of view that implies prejudice towards people or a person based solely on their race. Racism has been an issue in many societies for many years and still is an issue in modern society. 2 Recently in the U.S. many cases of racism towards African Americans have been shown in the media. However racism is not just a U.S. culture based issue but also a cross-cultural issue
Racism is the mistreatment of a group of people on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, place of origin, or ancestry. The term racism may also denote a blind and unreasoning hatred, envy, or prejudice (Dimensions of Racism). Racism has had a strong effect on society. Despite the many efforts made to alleviate racism, what is the future of African Americans' Racism's long history, important leaders, current status, and future outlook will be the main factors in determining how to combat racism. Racism is still present in many societies, although many people are doing their best to put an end to racism and its somewhat tragic ordeals.
This essay is about a girl who sees the different ways “Negroes” are perceived in a small town. She states that white people constantly remind her that she comes from grandparents who were slaves. It does not bother her, because it happened years ago and slavery was a price they paid for civilization that had nothing to do with her. The only time she feels like her identity is seen as something dangerous is when she 's in a white neighborhood. She feels that she sometimes is not a race but she 's her own self; she identifies herself as a human and not someone who people should be afraid of. The narrator feels discriminated against, but doesn 't feel angry about it. This essay shows that the narrator felt different when it came to skin beautiful dark skin and people with lighter skin than her, like people would discriminate against her for her skin color. Her racial identity was represented as someone was dangerous and someone whose background was from the times when there was slavery and thats how the whites see her; that is how she is identified but she says that it really doesn 't bother
My perception of our world is that racism exists everywhere, even in the land of liberty, America. I am aware of the fact that there is racism against not only blacks, but also whites, Asians, along with people from all other ethnicities. I believe racism is deplorable in any form. Therefore I do my best not to be racist in any way.
Unlike the earlier era, in which they had received freedom but it was so new to them, and they truly didn’t understand what it meant to be a free group, they began to move into a time period where they were finding their voice, and “finding their freedom”. Instead of writing about becoming free, and wanting freedom, they begin to act free. They begin to prove they were free by giving off confident in their culture and in their work. In her writing she has many different subsections where she rebuttals the ideas pushed onto the African American race. She proves the stereotypes wrong using the truth. The first example is, under the section titled “originality” she wrote, “it has been said so often that the negro is lacking in originality that has almost become a gospel. Outward signs seem to bear this out. But if one looks closely its falsity is immediately evident.” and , “So if we look at it squarely, the Negro is a very original being. While he lives and moves in the midst of a white civilian, everything that he touches is re-interpreted for his own use. He has modified the language, mode of food preparation, practice of medicine, and most certainly the religion of his new country, just as he adapted to suit himself the sheik haircut made famous by Rudolph Valentino.” this passage shows how much she believes in her race. She isn’t asking for anything from anyone. She doesn’t beg for respect, acceptance, or freedom, she is telling them to treat them like they are free. This passage really exemplifies the theme of accepting themselves and their culture during this time period. The African Americans were able to begin to stand up for themselves and up against the falsely acclaimed stereotypes that have been made against them. During this time period they were recreating the culture that had been taken away from them. They were finding their voice through
...ey for African-Americans. 12 Million Black Voices could not have depicted it better. Their unhappiness, shown on their faces in the photo, their weariness, fear, hopes, and highlights talked of in the text worked together to give us a look into the African-American life then. Today, our lives are better. African-Americans’ lives are better. We have more opportunity and more equality. What we do not have, we fight for. Yet we still see the traces of the past sufferings of our people’s lives today. We still see those traces of racism they were subjected to being repeated in our kin’s lives. And so the struggle continues, but with time it gets better. And this is the new hope. That one day racism will not exist and that no other will suffer like they did.