Quiz 6

The Web page www.dixienet.org, was a homepage for the League of the South. This group is one of people who are Southern Nationalists. This group has a main goal of being known as a free and independent Southern republic. To reach that goal, they are going to create a climate for a free South among their people by 1) de-legitimating the American Empire at every opportunity; 2) by proving our willingness to be servant-leaders to the Southern people; and 3) by making The League of the South a strong, viable organization that will lead us to Southern independence. They want to encourage and make sure that their members stay away from the post-Christian America. They are saying that the people in the group are all Anglo Saxon because they were the real founders of the American land, and they didn't want to sabatage the "image" of the United States by introducing “aliens” to the country. Most people think of bad things in the south when it has to deal with blacks and whites. This group is a little different. They asked the President of the group this question “What are your views of blacks in the south?” his response was one of a surprise, “The League of the South disavows a spirit of malice and extends an offer of good will and cooperation to Southern blacks in areas where we can work together as Christians to make life better for all people in the South. We affirm that, while historically the interests of Southern blacks and whites have been in part antagonistic, true Constitutional government would provide protection to all law-abiding citizens — not just to government-sponsored victim groups.”
This website was a surprise to me. At first glance I would have thought it was a group that was a whites only group that was very closed minded and like most of the groups that came from the south. I was completely wrong. The group is not only open minded towards other races but they are a Bible based organization. Learning more about what the group is and what thet stand for made me excited to keep reading and knowing more. It made me look at the south just a little bit different. Maybe things are changing in the south between some people.

McPherson(Unfinished)

In the article "I'll Take My Stand in Dixie-Net" by Tara McPherson it starts off by explaining how McPherson went on a journey to find out more about Tara. When she did she discovered alot of things about the Confederate Embassy in Washington. She than wondered what she herself would have to go to the Embassy for. Basically what the purpose was for the building itself being there. Even though she lived in D.C. she had no clue that the building existed. Going further in the reading it seems to be that Tara is explaining how the websites are being used to support racism and keep it going. Tara says that most of the websites are against racism and they try very hard to prove it. The south is becoming in a way it's own section apart from the north and every other area. Many times the racist views come from families and how they think. Tara again talks alot about the Confederate Embassy and her times living near there.

McBride

In the article “Why I Hate Abercrombie and Fitch” by Dwight McBride, he states that the Ambercrombe and Fitch name is geared towards a certain group of people including their age, color, and social class. The name is influencing the way the youth and the young adults look at clothes themselves and what they represent. He says the clothes are made to target the young middle and upper class kids. McBride argues that Ambercrombie and Fitch are doing more than just selling clothes to people they are in a way showing them a way of life. He says that this is bad because young people will try to measure up to the clothes and what they stand for, and in the end they won't be accepted in society, or looked at as having money. He says on page 71 “Ambercrombie and Fitch codes for race and class without actually having to name it.” On the website, there's alot of pictures of young people that represent many different backgrounds. There are blacks, whites, asians, hispanics, etc that appear on the website. If you look at the way they advertise it's made to look like they are appealing to everybody but that really isn't true. The mass majority of the employees that work in the store are white. The employees that are not white nine times out of ten are working in the back stocking or doing some over night work. They are rarely on the front lines helping customers. The website makes an outsider think that the store is diverse and gives all races a fair chance but in person it's clear that's not true. Most stores if you really look at have an un spoken policy like Ambercrombie and Fitch does. Discrimination is something that has been a problem in alot of stores.

I agree and disagree with McBride. I see kids going in and out of Ambercrombie and Fitch trying to capture the latest styles and looks. Even in school the kids mostly white would go out and buy up the store just to look like the models that came out in the newest magazine. They feel like if they dont look like them in some way they aren't as cool or rich. The one's who aren't wearing the clothes are viewed as uncool or "lame", which is one of the things McBride was talking about. If you ask me it's all over rated. The clothes are nice but it's not as serious as they make it to be.

Challenge to Democracy

This was a video based on the Japanese Relocation Camps. People were taken from their homes due to the war and relocated to different areas. They housed between 7-18,000 people. It was 12-14 people to a block. Most of the people were from California. They were put in 300 room buildings where there was one family per room. They would do a regular routine in the morning meet and eat in the "mess hall", the kids would go to school, and the parents would go to work. The kids were in schools where the teachers were either caucasion or have some type of Chinese background. They were taught a typical "american" education. The parents worked as farmers. People who were doctors, teachers, or other professionals where they came from were now farmers. The wages that were paid were $12 for regular workers, $16 for more skilled workers, and $19 for those professional workers. Some people were able to continue with their fields like doctors so they could help the people who were in the relocation camps. People 18 and older were allowed to vote, and they had court proceedings like regular life. When they left the relocation camps most people moved to areas like Chicago, Colorado, and different areas in the Mid-West. They have adapted really well to life after the relocation centers. Volunteers began to train to go and fight for the Japanese culture that was affected by the relocation caused by the American War.

comic post

In this comic it pretty much is the same as the majority of the comic's but mainly the last set of comic's the Japanese or "asians" are being portrayed as the bad guys. First their appearance is horrible. Their eyes are slanted and small, along with their nose. They are also very very yellow showing an obvious difference between them and the "american". The American again is saving the day and the typical white damsel in distress and the Asian is the one attacking her. This in some way relates to the reading by Frank Wu.He stated how Asian's are seen as less than American's because they don't look exactly how a typical American is supposed to look. In the picture the Asian is the bad guy the "yellow" one is the bad guy and the so called American is the hero the "white" one is the normal savior. This comic has sneaky discrimination but never the less it has discrimination.

WU

In this short article Wu talks about being an Asian American. He expresses that being an Asian American in a sense is harder than being black or white because Asian's don't fit in with either group. He says tha people look at being an American as being white and being a minority means being black. Just because they are "yellow" as he says doesn't mean that they aren't American. People treat as if they are less than human at times whether it be on purpose on my mistake but they act as if they don't exist. Asian's are Americans even though they don't like what a typical American is supposed to look like. American's are all different colors and kinds of people.

Kindred

The book Kindred was a great story of a woman who traveled back in time on many different occasions to the very plantation where her ancestors were born. She is called back by a young white boy who in more ways than one needs her help. He calls her at times when he is doing something that could endager his life and the lives of others in his house. She risks her life time and time again in this book by just being near the boy. The time is set in slavery days and she is obviously out of place which may cost her, her life. The book takes many twists and turns and is very interesting. Dana which is the name of the woman who is called back to the plantation time and time again gets to experience these visits with her husband. They journey there together and live as master and slave owner. She is treated just like a slave by every person in the town. They adapted to the life of being a slave and a slave owner. Kevin which is Dana's husband tries desperately to keep her out of harm's way. They make the plantation owner (Weylin) think that they were having a relationship between slave and owner which was normal in those days. They were both waiting to leave and because it comes so suddenly they never know what to expect. One of the last times of traveling Dana left without Kevin and that created a lot of problems. It was only 8 days for Dana but for Kevin 5 years had passed. He wrote letters to the plantation for when she returned and tried his hardest to be reunited with her. On Dana's last trip to the plantation she was treated horribly. Rufus which is the white boy who calls her to the plantation has become an angry owner. His lover committed suicide and in turn made him very angry. His father died and his mom became very sick. When Dana made the last trip back Rufus wanted her to act as his mistriss that died and Dana wouldn't do it. Before she knew it she had grabbed and knife and was stabbing him repeatedly. She was immediatly transported back to her time but without an arm. She really didnt travel back after that.

This was a great novel. For the most part I would have never wanted to read a novel but this changed my views on novels. Octavia Butler which is the author of the novel did an outstanding job. It made me think about what I would do if I were placed in a situation like that. I honestly couldn't come up with what I would do if I were placed in the situation. All in all it was a great novel.

Welcome to Cleveland

On the website that Welcome to Cleveland was posted on the first thing you see is a display of the Cleveland Indians mascot. Next are multiple demonstrations of other backgrounds just on the Indian face. This to me seems extremely wrong. Even if it wasn't meant to offend any race or ethnicity it does. It categorizes different people and put them into stereotypes. For example the model that was supposed to be the African model had horribly stereotypical features. Everyting about the demnstrations of different backgrounds sent off the wrong message.

Johnson Ch.6

In this chapter Johnson starts off by explaining that inorder for us to do something about power and priviledge we would have to talk about it and that's to risky even for those who actually have priviledge. He says that we live in a world that allows us to think that the social world begins and ends with individuals. It's like it's a collection of people and everthing that happens begins with what those people think, and feel. He explains that everything bad in the world is seen as someone's fault, that's why talking about priviledge steps on so many people's toes. We think in an individualistic way. Priviledge has nothing to do with the individual it has to do with the society. Johnson says in order to the "paralysis" we have to realize that the individualistic way is wrong and that the social world has alot more to deal with than just individuals. He says that social life happens only when people participate in social systems. The only way to understand it is to understand the relation between people and social systems. We develope a sense of personal identities and through those we see how they position us in relation to other people and in terms of inequality of power. The main goal is to encourage dominant groups to feel like they have entitlement in relation to the subordinate groups. Although people know they have other options they stick to certain things because they are afraid to try something new. Johnson says that we have to pay attention to the relationship between humans and the social life. People change from one social situation to the next. It's not enough to look at the person's thoughts, and feelings, intentions, and personalities for the very reason that people act different in different social situations. Most people participate in social systems and think they aren't apart of the consequences. As long as we all participate in the social systems we are all apart of the consequences good or bad. We can choose though how we are involved. We can choose to be part of the problem or we can choose to be part of the solution.

In this chapter I agree with most of the points that Johnson touches on. We do avoid talking about priviledge for fear of what it will bring up. Without knowing we change form social situation to social situation. And we definitely have an option to be apart of the problem or the solution.

Johnson Ch.3

In this passage Johnson's main point was that Capitalism is the main cause of racism.
He explains that the main goal of Capitalism and Capitalists is to turn money into more money. Capitalists buy everything needed to produce services and goods all to make more and more money. He says that Capitalists hire workers and pay them in exchange for their work. Because capitalists don't actually produce anything themselves in order to make a living they charge more for the product than they pay the workers so they can come out on top. Johnson basically explains that the workers really have no other choice than to work for less than the amount they produce. The factories and places they are working are owned by capitalists so either way it goes they would be working for one capitalist or another. They can work for the capitalists or not work at all. Capitalists are always trying to find ways for workers to produce more goods for less or the same price so they can again make more money. This is why now more and more technology is being used. Capitalism produces high levels of inequality for the households in America. He says this is happening because of the class system that focuses on gaps in the income and the power between the households on top and the households on the bottom. Johnson let us know that after the Civil War and blacks were free they were still held in bondage in a new way that kept them in debt. Even the Chinese were in bondage building the railroads in extremely harsh conditions. Capitalists went so far as to go to Africa, Asia, and the Americas to get workers that would work for cheap labor. To justify this, whites came up with an idea of "whiteness" that defined thier priviledge and how it elevated over all that wasnt included in it. Capitalists have not only used low wages to control black employee's but white employee's also. They also create the scenario that controls a worker that if they try to request higher wages they will lose their jobs and they need those jobs. Capitalism also makes use of gender inequality. For example they use the fact that in the past people have devalued women and that gives them an excuse to pay them less. Johnson says that capitalism is a great example as to why people can belong to a priviledged category and not feel priviledged. He says that the complexity of the matrix of priviledge shows that work for change needs to focus on us and how we think of ourselves in relation to inequalities of power.

I agree with Johnson in this chapter. Capitalism has taken over and it is in a way a cause of racism.

Johnson Ch.2

In the reading by Johnson, he gets to the point and let's us know what he will be be talking about in the first sentence. "The trouble that surrounds difference is really about priviledge and power the existence of of priviledge and the lopsided distribution of power that keeps it going "(Johnson 12). He goes on by saying that we inherited power and priviledge and we have to figure out how to deal with it before it's given to our future generations. No one talks about power and priviledge one reason being fear. It's a big possiblility that the mention of it could turn groups of people against each other even more than they already are. As long as we ignore priviledge we will be ok. In this case it will make us stay in a state of unreality and it will seem that differnce in itself is the main problem. He also explains the old myth of why people treat others who are different form them certain ways. It has been said that people are afraid of things and people that aren't like them. Johnson says that is just a myth created by society. It gives a reason for us to keep people that we dont like or understand out of our general circles. The first response to something new hasn't always been to be afraid. Like Johnson said with the North Americans and the Native Americans. When the North Americans arrived the Native Ameicans weren't afraid, they welcomed them with open arms. Everyone is curious about the unknown and for some reason they are drawn to it. We aren't afraid of what we don't know, it's what we think we know that scares us. We create our own ideas as to what something is or what is going to happen next in a situation and it makes us afraid. In the demonstration with the diversity wheel Johnson shows how it does show certain things about us but it doesn't show our personal things like who we are as a person, or our personal history. We as a people make assumptions. An example " if they look white then they must be white." We assume certain things without even thinking it's just become so natural. James Baldwin offered an idea that no one is white and no one is black. He said that everyone was coerced into making this a white country. Like Johnson stated in response to the Baldwin quote most of what we live in is created by our cultures. Basically we form perceptions of ourselves and our surroundings by our culture. The way our culture defines something is the way it is. That's how we have been taught. Most people don't really know what priviledge is. As described by Peggy McIntosh "priviledge exists when one group has something of greater value that is denied to others simly because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they've done or failed to do." Many people are priviledged for different reasons or at least think they are if you go by that definition. McIntosh says that there are two types of priviledge "unearned entitlements" and "conferred dominance". With unearned entitlements it's things like feeling safe or working in public places. Basically the things that should be allowed to you no matter what. Now with conferred dominance that is like giving one group power over another group. If a man controls a conversation with a woman it's ok because it's normal for a man to dominate a woman. Basically one group has more control than the other. Whether or not we notice it priviledge is in our everday lives. One example "Whites are less likely than blacks to be arrested; once arrested they are less likely to be convicted; once convicted they are less likely to go to prison, regardless of the crime or circumstances." Every aspect of our lives includes priviledge. People receive priviledge because people perceive them as belonging to certain priviledged groups. Basically it's all how people perceive you. If someone doesn't think you belong to a specific group, you can lose your priviledge. It has been said by certain people that being priviledged doesn't make you happy. It demands to much on a person's life that in turn makes someone unhappy. Priviledge can damage people as well as their lives.


I agree with the majority of the points that were discussed in the article. Priviledge is something that is a problem in our society. Which ever way it is looked at it still causes issues for those who are considered to be in priviledged groups or who are considered to be priviledged people.

Harris

In this article Harris explains the reason's behind our skin color. He says that we get our color from particles called melanin. Now with melanin "it protects the upper levels of the skin from being damaged by the sun's ultraviolet rays"(harris 7). Harris says that we as humans dont have the right of hair that most mammals have to act as sunscreen. Not having all the hair we need exposes us to lots of bad radiation hazards. The more melanin found in the body the darker the skin is and the lower the chances are for cancer and sunburn. Harris describes the process in this manner. First the sun falls on the skin and it turns into vitamin D. Our blood carries that to the intestines and it then plays a big role in the absorption of calcium. Calcium is very important for a strong body and strong bones. Different foods can give vitamin D and help with the skin. Now at different latitudes particularly the middle one the skin changes colors with the seasons. The temperature in some areas can dictate how the skin will appear. He basically states that Black as well as White is beautiful for multiple reasons. There are many factors that contribute to the pigmentation of the skin.

I find Harris's views on how we all got our skin color interesting. I do agree that our skin color has much to do with where we reside and the things we do in life. An example is when he stated that people in Australia are at a higher risk for skin cancer than the people who live in other areas that are less likely to have alot of sun.

Zinn

In this chapter Zinn in detail describes how slavery truely began. In past chapters the Indians were the group of people who were taken as slaves but Zinn lets us know why that could no longer happen. The Indians had actually began to out number the English and for the English to continue to try and keep them as slaves would cause a massacre. Not just a massacre on the Indians but because they have out numbered the English it would have been a massacre on them as well. Zinn let's us know why the Black's were preferred as the group of people to become slaves next. Zinn explains that blacks they came from a settled culture, of tribal customs and family ties, of communal life and traditional ritual, and when they were taken from that type of an invironment they became helpless and that's why it was easy for the English to chose them. The conditions that the black slaves were placed in were extremely horrible. The trading of slaves and the transportation became ridiculous. The English would pack as many slaves as possible on the ships to increase the profits for the trips. The passengers would be in vomit, filth, and many other bodily fluids laying on top of each other and chained. Due to this many of the slaves didn't survive the trip. Again that didn't stop the English from including more and more slaves because the profits doubled after a while for the trips.

Zinn was very well spoken in this chapter. Although I wasn't fully aware of the events with the slave trade I was informes as to how brutal it was. I was taught in school at an earlier age how the slaves were transported from the beginning. Zinn's opinion on racism and slavery not being natural but is more of a choice that we as people make is true in my mind. No one is born racist or born believing that slavery is the right way to go. People form opinions by the invironments that they are brought up in. Racism is nothing more than a ignorant way of not being able to express feelings about a person or a group of people that you don't understand. Slavery is another foolish way that we as a people created to selfishly control others. Neither one of them in my opinion is needed or has ever been needed.

Takaki

In chapter two Takaki went on to explain how it wasn't just the Indian's who were "savages" but it was now the Irish as well. This keeping in mind was all from the point of view the English who in a little more discovery seemed to savages more so than anyone else. Takaki described how the Indians and the Irish are uncivilized and they needed to be more civil. The fact of the matter is the Indians demonstrated more civility and stability than any other group of people. Their farming habits were extrememly good considering the conditions. Also not to mention how Takaki explained how they would notice the weather changes and used that to help grow things. The white men or the English in this case proved to be the most like a savage when Takaki described how they would begin to eat the other humans and turn on each other. No one was really safe with the English when they began to act the same way that they claimed the Indians and the Irish acted just like "savages". The English seemed to be a group of people who could never do anything wrong. Whatever they did they let God take the blame. They always would say that God was the reason for certain things that they did. It was what he wanted and it was his decision. Even the president at the time Thomas Jefferson claimed that they were uncivilized. He blamed the Indians for their lack of survival. He did everything he could to make them believe he was trying to help them but in reality he wanted to do what everyone else wanted and that was take over their land.

I enjoyed reading this particular chapter by Takaki. Although the descriptions of how things were is a little different than what I was taught it still was good to read. I would have liked to get both sides of the story a little more. It seemed as if everything was one sided. Even though the purpose was to tell the events in the narration of the English I would have liked to hear how they themselves did under the circumstances. What I mean by that is, I would like to know other than what they mentioned how the English really acted in savage like manners. I do however agree with most of the facts and views that Takaki speaks of in the chapter.

Zinn

In this particular passage I believe Zinn's thesis was "When Columbus and his sailors came ashore,carrying swords, speaking oddly, the Arawaks ran to greet them, brought them food, water, gifts." Zinn basically explained how it was when Columbus supposedly discovered new land. As they were sailing along a different sailor named Rodrigo saw the land first but Columbus took the credit for it and was given the reward. On this particular land the Arawak Indians lived there but because their language and ways of life weren't the same as ours and they were so eager to greet and welcome us Columbus took them as slaves. He used up all their resources and worked them so hard until eventually they had all died. With the visions that Columbus had they didn't stand a chance. The way the European's worked them made their situations become fatal. Ex: "They were worked at such a ferocious pace, and died by the thousands." It was so horrible that some mothers would do unthinkable things to their children. Ex. "Some mothers even drowned their babies from sheer desperation." Columbus did what he did for an impossible vision he had of this land full of gold. Zinn finished by pointing out how large the population was before Columbus did his damage. The Indians may not have had our ways of life but they were civilized in their own way before Columbus tried to change them.

Did things have to go the way they did in the past ot make a better future? That's the question i want to ask. In the arguement made by Zinn you would say no. It is never called for to do the things that were done to the Arawak Indians back then. My only hesitation in agreeing is who's to say that the account of the events in the passage by Zinn is true. Going by what we have been taught our entire childhood Columbus did discover the America's and none of this information is true. This is why we celebrate him and give him the credit.

In my own opinion now after doing some research and reading the article I would have to say that things did not have to go the way they did in the past to make a better future. We pride ourselves on being a coutry that is fair and just but if you look at a situation such as this we can see that isn't always true. I agree with Zinn's opinion on the subject solely because of the evidence presented in articles such as this.

about me

hi my name is tasheka washington, i am a sophmore here at BG where my major is pre-law. i am from Cleveland Heights, Oh and i am 19 years old. i love BG and i am excited to see what this class will be like in the next semester