Welcome to Gaia! ::

*claps* Very good! VERY good!

Well, I'm glad you brought this up and to be quite honest one of my personal heroes (role-models/mentor whatever the right word is) IS Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior. blaugh I admire him for standing up for the African Americans who were mistreated very badly (I mean they're still looked down upon by some and not really treated as equals where I am anyway). Some of my other personal heroes are Matma Gaundi for his peaceful way of life and dealing with situations in a non-violent manner; I also admire Jesus for probably the most obvious of reasons, but if you don't know I'll explain in a post later.

I hate to say this, but personally, I believe that individual equality is only an ideal. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against striving for the betterment of one's specific group, whether it be gender, race, orientation, religion, or whatever the case may be. However, from a humanistic standpoint, we value being better than anyone else individually rather than being equal as a whole group. What I think came the most out of the civil rights movements, as well as other movements that have occurred specifically throughout US history, wasn't individual equality, but equality of opportunity. The creation of a level playing field for which individuals have the ability to start and can use their skills to ascend higher than others, regardless of race, gender, orientation, or religion. Thanks to the civil rights movement that my parents and relatives actively participated in, I now stand in a world where I can be whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want. But the one thing that I don't want to be is equal. I don't want to be just as good as anyone else, and I don't want anyone to think that they are better than me. I want to be better than everyone, regardless of status, and I work hard to make it so. Granted, this is a tad egocentric of a view to hold, but by my actions, I prove to those that doubt that I am better, but without that level playing field, that "equality of opportunity," I wouldn't have a field to step on.

Didn't mean to rant. Sorry if I did.

Long rant warning!


I think that while overt racism (where you speak and act upon racism outwardly and consciously) has gone down largely in the U.S. in the past 50 years, the structural racism resulting from the overt racism years ago is still very present. Particularly in housing and access to resources in many areas, many people of color are still do not have nearly equal resources as those of the majority dominant ideology.

Schooling is another issue, as inner city and rural schools tend to have significantly less funding because property taxes are lower because houses in these areas have been devalued because of perceived danger and crime. The lack of quality education for these students just perpetuates the cycle and makes it harder for children from these areas to access higher education. On the other hand, children who live in the suburbs benefit significantly from more educational funding from property taxes.

If there was one thing that I would say we need to seriously look at in order to try to start fighting this structural racism, it would be to help increase funding for over crowded inner city schools and make sure we get more, better teachers to help educate these students.

Another thing that is really difficult is the overwhelming stereotype of the "model minority" Asians...people don't seem to be able to recognize that there is an incredible amount of diversity in the group of people we classify as of "Asian" descent. For example, people who are refugees from war-torn Cambodia have significantly less resources and educational background than say, voluntary immigrants from Japan.

I also agree with Antonia: the vilification of anyone from the Middle East has gone wayyy too far, and TV is _not_ helping. I feel like history is repeating itself, and while it hasn't gone to the same extent, people of Middle Eastern descent are enduring a very similar treatment as anyone people thought looked "Japanese" during WWII (including Chinese). It's so hard to watch, and it makes me glad I don't have T.V. But even when I go on cnn.com to check the news, it's all either trashy reality TV like news or news vilifying the Middle East. *sighs*

I also feel that people who have a voice that is more likely to be heard in society because they're of the dominant "race" need to speak up and stick up for those whose voices are being suppressed. As that one saying goes, with more power comes more responsibility. Even though I grew up in a low-income household, I still cannot even imagine what it is like to live in complete destitution in the inner city. It makes me sad. crying

All of that is one of my main reasons I would consider being a teacher, though I still don't know what I'm doing right now. Teaching is hard. redface

Oh man, and plus N.C.L.B. also punishes schools for doing poorly on tests rather than finding them help or giving assistance if they're doing poorly. It frustrates me so much.