Session 6 readings, 9/30 afternoon

[Tanish Fortson]

I found a very interesting article published in the Washington post about Racism. This article addresses the real reasons the United States became less racist toward Asian Americans. This article starts off by saying that between the 1940 and 1970 Asian Americans surpassed African Americans in household earning and earned just about as much as the white person. According to Washington post, Asian Americans started to earn more because their fellow American became less racist toward them.

 

While Asian Americans were climbing the socioeconomic ladder, they experienced a major shift in their public image. Its been said that this happened because the idea of the model minority had begun to take place. The Washington Post also said it may have been done to win allies in the Cold War. It was said that the United States wanted to be a racial democracy and wanted to assume the leadership of the free world and this lead to a lot of propaganda here in the United States. With the civil rights movements in the 1960s the image of hard working Asians became and extremely convenient way to deny the demands of African Americans. It was said that if Asians can find success within the system, then why couldn’t African Americans?

 

Link to Article

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/11/29/the-real-reason-americans-stopped-spitting-on-asian-americans-and-started-praising-them/?utm_term=.60c9165ab763

 

[Sonia Arrayales]

Professor Kurashige's lecture gave us another aspect of the discrimination that Asians suffered in the U.S.. It was interesting to see the historical figures that were against the asians living here and those that wanted a more amicable relationship with them.

[Cristina Hernandez]

I agree with all the people responding to this post about the lecture of Professor Kurashige regarding discrimination agains Asians.  As an ELD teacher I deal with students who are themselves immigrants to this country and many times they think they are alone in their struggle.  However, sharing with them the information provided by this lecture really will make a difference because they will see that it is not something new and that there is hope to improve themselves by working hard and learning more.  I am looking forward to see how my students react to this information.  Also, it will be very useful to use this in a unit on immigration or as a single mini lesson on historical facts.

[Luis Camacho]

Readings for session # 6 by Luis M. Camacho

This session described different points of view that intersect at the same point, a group of people feeling in control to decide who is or who is not white enough to be considered an American citizen. This topic is very useful in my class to explain the difficulties for inclusion for Asians as a different group of people since back of early XX century. Since then, a small group of people has been trying to regulate, select and control immigrant communities to be or not qualified to become American citizens classifying them based in the color of the skin and stereotypes. As same as Asians, Irish, Italian, Latino, and recently African refugee communities, all of them have been suffering the same kind of segregation. This is noticeable in some of our schools nowadays.  We are lucky to live in such an amazing and progressive state as California. Personally, I consider this topic essential for my students because for us, living in Los Angeles, this knowledge is something that we can acquire in the classroom and apply immediately in our daily life.

 

[Alejandra Jimenez]

Asian discrimmination was happening long ago when the cast system was practice and continue to be practice in some of the providences within the nation. I agree with Carlos point of view of when somebody changes their stance about discrimmination being a "flip flopper" sometimes for political reasons. Many people across societies may have the perceptions that discrimminator is being exaggerated or over exposed with media coverage, but I believe that living in the 21st century, why are we still dealing dealing with this issue in any culture. The way cartoonist caricariture political leaders or major current events such as minority groups, little tolerance to be able to learn from other cultures rather than focusing on the differences. This brings me to the point on how I use comic strips in the classroom to discuss current events in the classroom. My students are in fourth grade, but I notice the artistic depections about an event or person being discusses by he use of colors and exagerrated body features students depict when expressing themselves about a topic.

Maybe one day like carlos stated, "we will evolve," through exposing and education I think is the solution to discrimmination and racism we face and hear on an everyday basis.

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

Prejudice and actions against Asian immigrants like Japanese and Chinese exclusion were historial events serving as historical materials for students.  America is made of many immigrants who have had countless contributions to the country. I would bring my students to an Asian American meseum.  I would also ask my students to do a research project about the prejudice against Asian immigrants in American history and write about outstanding Asian immigrants' contributions to America. And students would give a presentation on their research projects and make posts about the Asian characters.

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

The Chinese Exclusion Act is a racist act.  Chinese people built the railroad connecting the west with east of U.S.A. which facilitated the transportation and strengthened the American economy.  Chinese people are strong building blocks of American economy today and yesterday.  Exclusion of Chinese undermines economic and intellectual growth of America.  Many students have Chinese heritage and backgrounds. I would encourage them learn from outstanding Chinese immigrants who hold leadership positions in government, businesses and schools.  They should be proud of their family heritage and continue to improve the democracy of America.

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

I like the excersie in class " Would you eer date an Asian person?"  Persecption of Asian people is steeotyped sometimes. Asian people are portraited as quiet and submissive but smart by others.  Fortunately, today's classrooms are composed of many biracial people with Asian heritage.  These students seen themselves as both Asian and another ethnic group, and they are proud of their qualities inherited from both parents.  These group of students would not have problems dating an Asian person.  Students of other races may date an Asian peroson as well because they want to show to the world that they are thinking and acting "out of box".  Intercultural interactions and relationshiops are great for to open a person's mind and encourage them to learn from each other.

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