America’s Worldview

The society has taught me that it first identifies with my race before appreciating my personality.  A person can judge me easily just after looking at me despite my real character. Likewise, I admit that I may have misjudged people based on race without interacting with them first. However, after much deliberation, I resolved to appreciate and respect people from all ethnicities despite our differences.

Based on the video what are the stories that multiracial or multiethnic people share in America? Give specific examples.

Multiracial people claim that society does not accept them fully. They assert that racial classification is either black or white; therefore, they feel excluded because they do not identify with a particular side (Smedley 24). As a result, the mixed-race community has faced rejection and harassment from the rest of the public. For example, the woman at 0:10 insists that black girls bullied her because she was not dark enough.  Another one at 27:30 said she does not fit into the black community because she is interracial. Additionally, the woman at 0:22 emphasizes that society insulted her parents for marrying each other.

Please share your experiences or the experiences of a relative or friend who is or is perceived as being multiethnic or multiracial. Be specific.

The police once arrested my friend’s mother while they were taking a walk in a park. According to the police report, they thought it was suspicious to see a black woman holding a light-skinned child. The authorities released her later when the husband brought a marriage and birth certificate to corroborate her story. Even today, some people still find it hard to believe that she is my friend’s mother.

Analyze the following statement using at least two of the major theories (structural functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionism). A racial worldview obscures the fact that the perceived differences are products of historical and contemporary social, economic, educational, and political circumstances rather than biological factors.

A racial worldview thrives because of the cultures within the society. A community that degrades others plays a significant role in ethnic conflicts because it breeds a generation that follows its footsteps. As a result, people start socializing according to race and skin color (Smedley 68). Likewise, they tend to classify most issues that affect them as racial ones rather than getting to the real cause.

Who benefits and how from the current racial worldview?

Politicians benefit the most from racial segregation because they use the divide and concur rule. Furthermore, they blame racism for any failed projects rather than accepting the responsibility.

What steps can each of us take to change America’s worldview?

Each of us should learn to accept the race that we come from and respect each other despite the differences. Equally, we should learn more about different cultures and associate with new friends from other backgrounds as well.

 

 

Work Cited

Smedley, Audrey. “Race in North America: Origin and Evolution of a Worldview.” Routledge, 2018.