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Any other expression of love is considered to be abnormal and therefore not legally valid. In the past, interracial marriages were illegal because they did not conform to the national standard of legitimate love. Many of the normative behaviors we take for granted were at one time forbidden: such as women being able to vote or own businesses.
Although minorities have become more visible in American culture recently, a dominant culture is still assumed to be the correct one. Males are by default the norm so that doctors are sometimes called "female doctors." When we see an African-American or a Jewish comedian on television, that person plays up his or her ethnic identity in ways whites are not expected to do because being white is the norm.
A often feel that people like me who are Native American possibly experience the most outsider status of any other ethnic or cultural group in the United States. For centuries, the dominant culture has forced my people to give up our religious rituals, our musical traditions, our customs, and our languages. Then the commercialism that is part of the dominant culture ensures that white people profit off of Native American arts, crafts, sound recordings, and imagery such as that used in sports teams. African-Americans have suffered a similar fate of having to abandon their histories and heritages. Embracing Islam is one way African-Americans have reclaimed their African identity...
That melting pot metaphor guided the American worldview for a long time, until some minority groups realized that it was destroying their heritage. A few alternative metaphors better suit the type of multiculturalism that does not impose a dominant culture. For example, American culture can be viewed as a patchwork quilt or a stained glass window in which each individual part is necessary for the whole picture.
Sometimes American culture celebrates the minority identity almost to the point of making it a fetish. Being African-American now has a cultural coolness factor. Therefore, we often benefit from being an outsider because we are viewed as being rebellious, exotic, and therefore appealing. Our imagery as minorities becomes valuable. Sometimes I meet people who swoon when I tell them I am a Native American. That person is viewing me as a representative of Native American culture rather than as an individual. Even if they appreciate my culture, they are still using it as a way to label me and identify me as different from the norm.
References
Wise, T. (2007). Op-Ed: Assimilation Blues: Immigration and the Dysfunctions of the Dominant Culture. Civil Rights. Retrieved Jan 31, 2009 at http://www.civilrights.org/library/features/op-ed-assimilation-blues.html
Culture of Interest: Japan Theoretical foundations of cultural and cross-cultural analysis: Japan and America Japan: Mildly collectivist culture American culture American: An individualistic culture Similarities and differences in Japanese and U.S. culture Potential biases of researcher Appendix I- Hofstede four Dimensional Theory Edward Tylor (1832-1917) defines culture as a collection of customs, laws, morals, knowledge, and symbols displayed by a society and its constituting members. Culture is form of collective expression by groups of people. Since the dawn
Vinyard's allegiance to the swastika is an allegiance to an idea that the America of today is perhaps not as equal, peaceful or harmonious as the average American would like to believe. The image is a shattering of the idea that the past was terrible, but the present is better. Rather, Vinyard's right hand pressed against his swastika-inscribed heart both repels and evokes revulsion. Iconic photographs stir a sense
The overall oppression of women in American society unfortunately reflected worldwide trends and therefore was not entirely nefarious; in most countries in Europe women were likewise unable to vote until the very end of the nineteenth or early twentieth century. However, the treatment of African-Americans has been deplorable throughout American history and is perhaps the largest stain on American democratic principles. The United States allowed slavery to persist within its
As Margaret Atwood points out, Americans have as much to be ashamed of as to be proud of. When Barbara Kingsolver claims "The values we fought for and won there are best understood, I think, by oil companies," she refers to the way the American flag has been distorted. The issues the flag symbolizes, such as freedom and liberty, are myths for many people. As Kingsolver points out, the American
American Ethnic Literature There are so many different voices within the context of the United States. This country is one which is built on cultural differences. Yet, for generations the only voices expressed in literature or from the white majority. Contemporary American ethnic literature is important in that it reflects the multifaceted nature of life in the United States. It is not pressured by the white majority anymore, but is rather
Culture and Health Disparities - Filipinos PERSONAL SOCIAL STATUS: In researching this project, I found a study prepared by the Canadian Nurses Association (2005). It reviewed the social determinants of health and how one's social status impacts their or their family health outcomes. The focus of this piece was on issues such as poverty, economic inequality, social isolation and social support systems and their impact on the health of minorities, many