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Impact of discrimination on individuals
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In “Blaxicans” by Richard Rodriguez, the author has convinced the readers that people should classify themselves by the surrounded culture because the assimilation actually happens. He uses verbal irony and anecdote for emphasizing his argument. In the text, he uses verbal irony for telling the readers that he assimilated another culture; for example, “I answered that I am Chinese, and that is because I lived in a Chinese city and because I want to be Chinese” (Rodriguez 163-165). He is influenced by Chinese culture because he lived a place where expands Chinese culture and his neighbors also affect him to assimilate with Chinese culture; therefore, he recognizes himself as Chinese although he is not actually Chinese. He expresses his feeling about the assimilation as shown in the verbal irony for convincing his argument because it clearly reveals that people are assimilated by the surrounded culture, and they might start identifying themselves by the …show more content…
Further evidence is shown when the author states, “When I was in college: to call myself a Hispanic” (Rodriguez 72-73). In the early 1970s, the President Nixon established the responsibility to identify Americans by race: black, white, Asian, Indian, and Hispanic. Then, he realized that he was classified as Hispanic by the government when he was in college. This evidence is significance for convincing Rodriguez’s argument because it demonstrates that he doesn’t identify himself by race, and he doesn’t believe that he is Hispanic, even if someone defines him as Hispanic; moreover, he opposes classifying people by race. In “Blaxican”, there are some persuasive writing skills that are used to convince the idea that people shouldn’t classify themselves by race, and they have their own identity to classify themselves based on the assimilated
She describes it as “subtractive schooling,” a process in which students are left vulnerable to academic failure due to structural forces that impose on their ethnic identities and cultural backgrounds. The author explains that immigrants go through a dis-identification process, which seeks to Americanize them inadvertently forces minority status upon them. The division comes when their own ethnic identity of what it means to be Mexican to them is compromised. A prime example of this the use of linguistics and cultural practices. In the subtractive schooling process, all things Mexican or tied to the students’ identity is purposely diluted as is the use of the Spanish language. The concept of Mexicanidad becomes blurry as many Mexican/Mexican-American’s consider speaking Spanish as synonymous to what being Mexican is. In the subtractive schooling process, students are expected to know and speak English fluency, on the other hand in order to be considered truly Mexican they must also speak Spanish fluently. Many 2nd generational immigrants don’t fair as well as 1st generation because of the lack of bilingualism and biculturalism, skills that make the 1st generation more successful than the
In an article written by a Senior student they discuss a monumental moment in Mexican American history concerning equality in the South. The student’s paper revolves around the Pete Hernandez V. Texas case in which Hernandez receives a life in prison sentence by an all white jury. The essay further discusses how Mexican Americans are technically “white” americans because they do not fall into the Indian (Native American), or black categories and because of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848. The student’s paper proceeds to discuss the goals connecting the Hernandez V. Texas case which was to secure Mexican American’s right within the fourteenth amendment [1].
As Rodriguez is looking back at the rise of his “public identity”, he realizes that “the loss implies the gain” (Rodriguez 35). He believes that losing a part of who you (such as your “mother tongue” is permitted since
Although our society is slowly developing a more accepting attitude toward differences, several minority groups continue to suffer from cultural oppression. In her essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldúa explores the challenges encountered by these groups. She especially focuses on her people, the Chicanos, and describes the difficulties she faced because of her cultural background. She argues that for many years, the dominant American culture has silenced their language. By forcing them to speak English and attempting to get rid of their accents, the Americans have robbed the Chicanos of their identity. She also addresses the issue of low self-esteem that arises from this process of acculturation. Growing up in the United States,
Social science teaches that a person’s self identity is a reflection of that which other people put on the individual, in other words a person’s behavior steams more from what they see of themselves from someone else’s perspective and less from how they see themselves. In the case of the Mexicans, this concept holds true. From that, which has been studied thus far this semester, Mexicans/ Mexican Americans are good examples of this concept. Their sorted past has resulted in a new kind of Mexican American and perhaps a new kind of Mexican. Certainly the Mexicans American’s experience in this country has brought about some changes from the first generation of Mexicans who were born in this country to those who are born here now with native Mexican ancestry. Luis Valdez’z play Los Vendidos is a satirical commentary on not only the sociological concept of self-identity, but also the change that has taken place in the Mexican/Mexican American over the years. What is of particular interest is the meaning of the title of the play. The literal translation is the sold out ones, however a group known as Somos Raza, who are a part of Unión del Barrio (Liberación Exige Organaización), have a somewhat different interpretation of the word. As part of their ten point platform Somos Raza defined the word vendidos as the following: "We recognize Hispanic vendidos as those people who unite with the government and tell us to assimilate with the system - the very same people and system that is oppressing us."
Chicanx is an idea that emphasizes self-determination; it is essentially a new way of thinking, which in turn reveals a higher sense of “ pride” and “confidence” to pursue a better quality of life. Menchaca’s discusses in “Recovering History, Constructing Race”, how race created a hierarchy among groups based upon skin color and culture. Which relates to what Du Bois mentions about ‘contradiction of double aims’, African Americans as well as Mexican Americans have been labeled as underrepresented groups that are faced with an impossible decision to choose between sticking to their culture or be accepted by American society. However, in the reading, “El Plan de Santa Barbara’s Manifesto” concentrates on the new identity in which Chicanx utilize praxis to ultimately abandon the objectionable image created by Anglo-Americans and create a positive imagine that will ultimately result in success of the Chicanx community. This reading examines an attempt to mend Du Bois’ ‘contradiction’ by highlighting the importance of higher education, social equity, and the ability to stay true to themselves while staying close to their respective communities.
In her essay, Mukherjee uses several rhetorical devices such as figurative language and exemplification in order to lead the audience to believe her argument. She believes in assimilation of culture, but it should not be forced upon any one. Throughout the essay, she goes through a logical thought process that leads the audience to realize this argument and even feel guilty of forced conformity.
...iscuous, violent, and irrational category of race and gender. Traditional Mexican families highly valued their daughters’ virgin statuses over racial “purity”, while Anglos followed the typical model of reproductive segregation—but with the façade of integration that was inadvertently cultural assimilation, or, bigotry.
In the article of “A New Understanding of the Macho Male Image: Exploration of the Mexican-American Man” by Joseph M. Cervantes, this part will investigate the idea of machismo with a case depiction and examination of a Mexican-American grown-up male, and interlace this written work with verifiable/anecdotal perceptions from the writer. As a Mexican American man with solid social and indigenous mindfulness, I have had the chance to watch the extraordinary difficulties of experiencing childhood in the 1950's post war period where obvious partiality also, separation was as yet a characterizing trademark for the country. This was a period that originated before the now casual macho state of mind yet by and by was an expected trademark towards Latino guys, therefore the Mexican-American or Chicano male was suspect. While the term Chicano can be a mark that has contrasting sociopolitical undertones in different parts of the Southwest, it will be exchanged with the distinguishing proof of Mexican
Montoya, Margret E. "Masks and Identify," and "Masks and Resistance," in The Latino/a Condition: A Critical Reader New York: New York University Press, 1998.
Thesis: Through Valdez’s conscientious usage of racial stereotypes and satirical social criticism, he targets the American government as a result of its enmity and prejudice towards Mexican-Americans. Valdez utilizes the stereotypes to highlight on the social conflict between the brutal American powers and the poverty stricken Mexican-Americans; thus, he satirizes how in truth, the American government is a ludicrous robot that does not fathom the gravity for equal rights. Valdez utilizes a satirical tone, understatement, and hyperbole to depict the corruption of power of the American regime against Latinos. Thus, he exemplifies how Mexican-Americans are equal human beings; they are not slaves nor animals, and the Mexican-American
The los gringos, school and the English language are associated with the pubic society. Several other kinds of separation emerge from this separation of public and private society. There are separations of sound and word, female and male, and reason and affection. Richard believes it is natural to move from one separation into another. He needs to do this in order to move from the private to the public society. This movement is voluntary by Richard and forced by his parents. It is done to help Richard’s education. It will give him better opportunities in the United States. Speaking only English at home initiates the movement, instead of speaking Spanish. Ultimately, Richard can have a sense of belonging to the pu...
By the end of the Mexican American war of 1848, the United States was able to gain possession of Mexican territory. Many whom were living in the new seized land of the U.S. were offered legal citizenship as an agreement to ending the war. However granted legal citizenship for the Mexican Americans would not mean that they gained equal treatment. The problem with the racial caste system was that Mexican American was mixed with Spanish and Indian ancestry and did not fit with the white and black racial categories. They were in fact to be considered white by law but their status, as citizens did not stop the unequal treatment. In the film “A Class Apart” and Juan Gonzalez’s Chapter five depicts the struggles that Mexican Americans had faced with discrimination.
Minorities in America have always been seen as different and not even necessarily Americans. But as American society has progressed since WWII, acceptance of Mexican-Americans or any other minority has not altered. Armando Rendón wrote a manifesto determining just how difficult it was to be a Chicano in America. In his manifesto, he talks of his life growing up and how he changed to fit in with his surroundings and how when his surrounds changed, he realized he had completely lost himself. Rendón discusses the fact that his whole adolescent life, people always told him Spanish speaking, Mexican culture would never benefit him in life, and it would never be important to his life (Rendón. Chicano Manifesto. p. 369). Finally, when he graduated college, he realized that he had no idea what he was. He determines that he had no real particular allegiance to his Spanish culture, nor did he feel he was an Anglo-American either (Rendón. Chicano Manifesto. p. 369). It was not until his career brought him to Sacramento to an area completely populated by Mexican-Americans, that he realized that he was no longer part of that culture; he realized that he needed to reemerge himself in this culture. Rendón uses the word Chicano many times throughout his work. Before this it was seen as a derogatory word, until he and the other Mexican-Americans decide they will no longer
Racialization is not a one-way highway that directs racism toward minorities. Instead, we should make a more detailed microscopic analysis on multiple factors that demonstrate complicated relationships between minority groups and outer influences from the public. After diving into the understanding toward different layers of racialization, various factors that define identities can be observed. In the game of hegemony, race is not the sole identifier dividing groups of people apart as other characteristics like gender, sexuality and class all contribute to enrich an individual’s background. “Intersectionality,” in this case, is an umbrella term on the subject of analyzing how different minority groups with mixed identities influence and, at the same time, are influenced by social, economic and political forces in a given social construction. Examining closely on “intersectionality” helps to recognize social issues in a more acute manner as the observer no longer lingers at one spot on a spectrum without detecting the entire scope of the problem. From Sojourner Truth’s essay, she asserted that black women were “minority within a minority” in civil right movements since they were powerless against a mix of racial and gender discrimination. Giving the condition that the entire black community was being treated as the “other,” the black women community received a more disadvantaged social place when women became the “other” section within the black population. Another similar example that is closely related to the complexity of “intersectionality” is demonstrated in the text “La Femenista” as the author introduced the Chicanas. These minority women experienced extreme prejudice from racism, sexism, and sexual racism for being members of a “Spanish speaking, culturally different, non-Anglo group” (Gomez 191). Unlike the black women community discussed