Confronting Racism in America

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/story?id=6551048&page=1

Here's an article from abc with a video showing two customers being racially discriminated against by the clerk.

Stop Racism Through Unity

Racism is an issue that can be easily solved. We just have to learn to see and value what really counts. Who cares what color skin a person has? In the summer when people get tanner, we don't usually stop talking to them for that period of time! It is illogical, and more hurtful than most people can imagine. It's hard to wake up everyday hoping and praying someone won't look at you funny, say something rude, or refuse to talk to you because of your skin color. What if because genetics your child comes out a little tanner? Let's unite against racism and fight against this epidemic that has been around the world since beginning of times! Stop Racism Now!

Image retrieved from: http://content9.flixster.com/photo/10/86/89/10868983_gal.jpg



Image retrieved from: http://institutionalracism.net/images/racism.jpg

"To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow."

Provided by: William Faulkner
http://www.finestquotes.com/select_quote-category-Racism-page-0.htm

Unite Against Racism!

What measures can be taken to eradicate racism??? We all need to unite against racism and educate others about the issue. Yes, racism has been an issue overly discussed and yet thousands of people everyday are still victims of racial discrimination. We need to fight against this, and realize that its not the skin color or the ethnicity of someone which defines that person, but that values and morals and personality of that person. Let's help make this a better world, even if its one step at a time!

Image retrieved from: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/R/Racism.asp

“Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.”
-Abraham J. Heschel quotes (http://thinkexist.com/quotations/racism/)

Discriminate Who?

So we all know the story of the ugly duckling and how he became the prettiest and most beautiful swan of the pond. In other words, karma can be a... well, let's just say what goes around comes around. We usually think of discrimination where "white people" discriminate "non-whites," but many times, especially in cities in El Paso, where Hispanics are the major population, "minority" groups can discriminate against other minority groups. Discriminating isn't cool, and wouldn't it make more sense to unite with others that have also suffered from racism, as opposed to being against them? Racism needs to stop.. or at least keep your feelings for yourself!

It makes people feel left out...

Picture retrieved from: http://www.digitalapoptosis.com/archives/lightbox/000747.html

One of the biggest problems with racism is that it makes others feel left out. This feeling may lead to hatred and/or violence as a response from the other person. I thought this was a funny picture, but what it demonstrates is true. As time passes I've seen people with different backgrounds mix in the same social groups. Of course, it would be a lie to say that everyone does this, and that leaving people out of their "circle" because they're a different color doesn't happen...
This is nonsense, people should be included for their personality, for what they have to offer as a person. Not excluded because they look different!

According to a participant of the survey, "Racism affects all of us, even if we aren't directly discriminated against. Social division, oppression, poverty, low self-image, and missed opportunities such as friendship or employment are consequences of racism in border cities such as El Paso." - Anonymous (2009)

Image retrieved from: http://www.caricatures-ireland.com/blog/anti-racism-cartoons-from-the-mayors-youth-conference/

This is a really good cartoon I found. We're all people so really who cares what color your skin is, how old you are, where you're from, or your religion? Especially in border cities including El Paso, where people from two different nations interact and live together.

Causes and Effects of Racial Discrimination in the Border

Some of the causes of racial discrimination are thought to be “pure and complete ignorance, unexplained stress, cultural misconceptions, history, and a tool for justifying a mean,” as found int he primary survey I did. According to a Canadian online newspaper, a “just-published study found skin color – not religion, not income – was the biggest barrier to immigrants feeling they belonged here. And the darker the skin, the greater the alienation”. According to the same study, acts of racism made them feel as if the were being “degraded”. When asked how discrimination made participants of the “Discrimination in U.S. Border Cities” made them feel, participants answered that it kept them from travelling to certain places and that that made them feel “sad and disappointed”. Others also claimed to feel “bad, alienated, uncomfortable, indigent, and embarrassed”.

Is this really how we want our peers to feel? Reflect on this, and maybe we'll think twice next time before discriminating someone.

Unfortunately Racism Pollutes our Enviornment...

Image taken from: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/07/15/how_racism_hurts____literally/

Racism affects us all, and it affects the way we live, the way we think, the opportunities we are given, and those we are not. We miss out on opportunities on friendship, jobs, promotions, love, and all because we can't get over physical barriers. We need to think of a world where our younger brothers and sister, our future children, and grandchildren will all have equal opportunities and will get to live in a world free from hate and racial contamination!

Racism isn't born, it's taught!

I found this while I was searching for more information on this issue; I couldn't agree with it more!!


"Racism isn't born, folks, it's taught. I have a two-year-old son. You know what he hates? Naps! End of list."

- Erik Hansen

Discrimination Pie Chart

I made a survey titled "Discrimination in Border Cities" to see what type of new information I could learn about this polemic issue. One of the main topics I was interested in was to see what was the biggest type of discrimination suffered on both the Northern and Southern border cities. As expected, around 61,5% of the people answered the were mostly victims of racism. Unexpectedly however, ageism was the second most common form of discrimination, followed by Religious and Sexual Orientation Discrimination. Around 25 people have answered the survey so far, all participants being residents of cities near the U.S./Mexico Border, or the U.S./Canadian Border.

Here's the link to the survey in case anyone else is interested in participating!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WnOrqnQE0Cm6pKXwYln4WQ_3d_3d

Discriminating the ugly, the old, the brown, the black, etc...

Many would argue that is it unfair for people to judge you on your looks. For some, a person may be ugly, for others that same person may be beautiful. A beautiful person can have an ugly personality, and an "ugly" person can have a beautiful personality. Just like judging people on their outer beauty isn't fair, judging people on their race, skin color, religion, age, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality is not fair...

Discrimination as an Issue

For many years, discrimination in general has been a large polemic topic discussed by many, yet it is an issue that continues to hunt all societies. Cities on borders, such as those on the U.S./Mexico border (Ex: El Paso, Texas or San Diego, California), or cities in the U.S./Canada border, such as Buffalo, New York, and other cities around that area. The purpose of this blog is to discuss the different types of discrimination in these cities, and the effects and causes it has on individuals and society as a whole.