Race and Ethnic Relations History

Race and Ethnic Relations

History and location play a pivotal role in defining race and ethnic relations. Through the course of man's history, it has been made clear that there were already differences and seemingly unresolved disputes between some countries. These disputes may be in the form of variation in religion, race and/or social status. That is why until now, there seems to be the most-favored race, the highly criticized religion or the unaccepted slave-master relationship. In relation to this historic disputes, difference in geographical location added weight, particularly in racial conflicts. The Western part of the world is considered the most powerful while the others parts are not. The people in this West side are seen as mighty and clean while others are either the weaker ones or the sinners.

There are several articles printed in today's time which supported this idea.

Article

New Americans Fresh off the Presses"

This article talks about different aspects of the current media and the society. First, it highlights the fact the more and more ethnic-based media papers have been circulating around America. These ethnic-based media are commonly the newspapers which are initiated and are run by small communities or several members of the minority groups. Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics are just some of the minority groups who have established good media companies (such as printing press, TV station and radio station) in the United States (Akst, 2003 pp 1). Not only did these native-owned media companies prosper, they were also able to reach a good number of people and their cause was heard, read and viewed. Unlike before, those only whites or with good social standing can reach the front page of the newspaper.

The second highlight of this article is about how the culture is being enhanced by the advent of technology. Migration, people development and continued success of various businesses became possible because of technology (Akst, 2003 pp 1). This is because distance communication is done a lot easier while consuming lesser amounts of money. Thus, technology is just like the ethnic media. It serves various functions for every individual, for the community and/or society and for the entire country. Both the technology and the ethnic media enhance solidarity among specific groups of people. Both can motivate the migrants to be productive, eliminate all negative thoughts about the society as prompted by the experiences in the past and live comfortably without thinking of any prejudice or being unsafe in the new environment they are into. Indeed, ethnic media, like the technology, has its positive purpose and that is already seen and felt by many.

Article 2

Conflicting Images of Amish Life"

As the title itself says, this article talks about the revelations of a person with real Amish decent vs. The Amish life that is being portrayed in a newly established television program. Lizzie is the Amish woman who admits that she will not be watching that television program because she knows already that it will not be able to depict the real life of Amish people.

Based on Lizzie's description, Amish people are living a very simple life. They do not dress much. They do not brand themselves with so many names or so many things. Most of their everyday life is composed of activities like working (which would mean going to the farm and feeding the farm animals, or going into the shop to do the duties of an ordinary welder, without the updates gadgets or equipments in hand), taking care of the kids, cooking and spending time with the family and distant relatives (which all lives nearby).

There are different community activities being done, especially on weekends, to entertain the kids and to make the Amish people feel comfortable and happy with their environment. But Lizzie also revealed hat however hard they tried, there are still some Amish who opted to go out of the community and live a life far different from theirs. These, according to her, are the Amish who thinks that they are 'big' (Kinzie, 2004, pp 9) and that they can find a better and happier life outside.

The television program trying to portray the Amish life is showing a very different side of the Amish people. It is entitled "Amish in the City" and its purpose is to depict how Amish are living their life when they start to be in the city. Lizzie revealed that she has no plans of watching for she knows that the life of the Amish people could not really be rendered accurately. She implied that it needs to be an Amish before one can understand how Amish' life is.

As stated in the article, there seems to be a big difference as what is being shown in the television as compared to what Lizzie has been describing about their life. However, it cannot be really determined of the media has not really captured the real Amish culture, or of it is telling the truth about the Amish people who have lived in the city. It may best be noted that Lizzie has not gone out of the community. What she knows is based on what she has been doing all her life and what she has been seeing around the people in the community. She has not witnessed how those Amish people who opted to go out lived or are living their life when they are already in the city. Maybe they did really change... Or maybe the media has just been inaccurate.

Article 3

Parishes on Transition: Holding on while letting go

This article talks about the problem of language difference that is existing even until today. A catholic church is used as the main setting in this article highlighting that despite the similarity in belief - and that is in the faith of the Catholic Church - difference in language and race has created a big chaos towards the Catholic church.

The Hispanics are known for their strong faith. They would do everything for their church. They would kneel down, kiss the statue of their patron saints, and go to mass any possible or allowed time and schedule. However, they find it hard to go in an English Catholic Church because they would not understand the celebrant nor the sermons and the readings.

The English Catholics share the same attributes. They also go to church especially on Sundays. Parents would have their offspring baptized inside the Catholic Church. Like the Hispanics, they could not attend a mass if the celebrant is not of their race, meaning, the priest should also be an English for them to understand the sermons and the readings.

The system of having separate masses for the two different race was going on smoothly until an idea came up that the two race will share a bulletin board and a mass together. However, when asked if the two can share a mass together, it was the English people who vehemently disapprove of the idea. Aside from the fact that they will experience language barrier, they were disclosing some things which may seem not a christianly way to tell or discuss. Some English told voiced out their fear that the Hispanics would push them out of the church if they join them. Some said that they will feel forced of going inside the church with the Hispanics even if they don't want to, because they are left with no choice (Temple, 2003 pp 11).

Despite the seeming uneager English Catholics, the decision has been made. A share mass was celebrated. Many still attends, but they were complaining, especially the English, that they preferred the old way of celebrating their mass (Temple, 2003 pp 12).

This article just shows how bias people can be, particularly the White men. The very title is apt for the topic for the English people seems to be in search for change, but it seems that they are the ones who could not let go of their old ways. It is a good endeavor for the Catholic parishes to aim of uniting the people, may it be form the same or a different race. But sometimes, there are hindrances to success of such endeavor, and this time, it seems that the English people are the hindrance for it.

Article 4

New Brooklyn's Replace White Suburbs" new city was made with a new breed of people living in it. This is what this article is all about. It highlights one old city, formerly congested with white Americans. But a drastic change happened. It started from a few native families who joined the white Americans in living in the said area. When the Americans noticed that the place is getting very congested as the days go by, with no enough sources of food nor income for their families, the started looking for other possible places where they can transfer. So, the few natives were left in the area. These natives encouraged more people from their home country to join them and live with them in the area. Sooner than expected, the place became populated with variation of races - natives and whites.

The place, now called as the New Brooklyn has the following characteristics (Hampson, 2003 pp 14):

Big area which can accommodate more or less 100,000 residents

The population is fast growing, with a 110% growth rate

The populace are racially and ethnically diverse

These characteristics of the area provided positive and negative impact to the people living in it. First, the hugeness of the face offers more housing and business spaces for the people. This would of course ensure that every family will have a place to own. In the same manner, this will also ensure that a number of employment opportunities will be opened to the public. However the hugeness of the place could also mean that there are more issues that people could fight about. The populace can fight about land ownership. Unhealthy competition within the business and for the employment opportunities can also take place.

The fast growing population has also its ups and down. With a large population, it would mean great number of human resources. However, large population can also consume all the resources in the area - financial, food, and other resources - which can also mean that poverty will soon to come.

Having diverse racial and ethnical populace can either be good and/or bad. It is good because the community or the area will have a rich culture. The populace can share their beliefs, traditions and philosophies to the other members of the community who is from a different decent. But chaos and unorganized population can also sprout because of this racial and ethnical diversity. Other race will think they are superior to the other. Some may fear of their safety. Some will not be comfortable talking to somebody who do not have the same skin color or do not speak the same language.

When Disneyland was established near the new city, the worst things really happened. The once seemingly quiet, peaceful and harmonious populace became chaotic and was fighting for the opportunities that come their way. This just show that until today, even if the people are saying that they changed and that the racial and ethnical wars and conflicts have gone a natural death, it is not actually happening. There is still an existing problem regarding the variation in race and ethnicity.

Article 5

It's Blarney Meets Chutzpah over Red Wine and Green Beer"

It's more than just the drinking of beer and wine" (Medina 2003, pp 17). This is what this article is all about. It highlights two natives, the Mordecai and Haman. These two came from different places but they show strange similarities. These two natives have similar traditions and beliefs. These two may have been competing at some activities, but they will be doing it in a positive fashion.

This article implies that having two different nativity in one place is not impossible at all, specially if such nativity are sharing the same beliefs, traditions and likes.