Identity

There are so many complexities that may define us as a person. In fact, there are a plethora of areas one may fit into within the diverse population of the United States. Identity is extremely important to people because it helps define them and it gives them a sense of self belonging. never realized how easily our identities can be altered. A dramatic life experience may occur, such as a rape or war victim, or it can be altered simply by getting a tattoo. Thus, I love how finding your identity is a lifelong endeavor because we can always "change"/experience new things if we want to! We can also retain something that we have forgotten and left behind in the past. This gives so much more flavor to life and it creates a sense of excitement in finding yourself. Unfortunately, this can be difficult to do...So how do we identify ourselves? Luckily this can be split into two different categories to help give a better understanding!
On the micro level, I realized that I have advanced a lot at. Living where I did, entering new schools, making new friends, losing friends, and deaths of family members have helped develop into the person I am today. This helped me look at my life in a positive aspect. It is inevitable that people will have both good and bad experiences in life, but in the end they both will make you stronger.

In the United States, physical appearance tends to determining factor for the way we categorize one another. Our physical appearance can determine an individuals happiness and places them in a specific group. Today, many people are unhappy with the way they look so they go about changing whatever they can. It is unfortunate that this country is so carried away with the physical aspects of people because it causes segregation, stereotyping, and racism. Eating disorders, outrageous plastic surgeries, and a excessive desire to look better then the next person is evident everywhere.

In the book Women's Lives, it stated that some Asian American women have eye surgery to "Europeanize" their eyes (63). With this in mind, we can see how discrimination/categorization for possessing a distinctive characteristic many effect someone. Instead of being ashamed of this it should be embraced. However, society is so critical and eager to find out people's backgrounds etc., it is hard to obtain. "Many Americans see their values and institutions as an example to others, and their way of life as something to which others should universally aspire" (Burman 98). This ties in with the fact how an individual thinks others should they look as if they do and live as they do. this only occurs because it's the only way they know, people can be narrow minded. Looking at others with different lifestyles ( ie gay/transgendered or Latino/Muslin) are looked down upon. In return, hatred comes into play.

RBG Ch. 2: The Experience of Racism

Even though there have supposedly been many advancements towards abolishing racism, it is still blatantly apparent in U.S. society. After reading this chapter as well as some testimonies about personal experiences with racism, many minorities are still scared to reveal, ethnically, who they really are. For example in WL Ch. 2: Jews in the U.S.: The Rising Costs of Whiteness, Melanie Kaye stated that "People are always asking me 'what are you?' They don't know I'm Jewish but they know I'm something (98)". This statement opened my eyes to see how in the U.S. we are so used to racially defining who are. Without race where do we fit in with one another? The U.S. is such a diverse nation and it sometimes is difficult for individuals to find their sense of self. Many people of different racial backgrounds come into U.S. soceity not fully knowing and expecting the racial assumptions place on themselves and their culture. Placing people in racial categories is easy, therefore, we do it all the time to get a sense of who we are and where we belong in this society. Racism is so engraved in our history it will take a lot of time and effort to etch it out.

Slavery Timeline: 1400-1500

I never realized how so very early on, Europeans had blacks as slaves, even before the United States did. Why was Africa singled out, by both Europe and then the U.S., as a nation to which slaves could be obtained without a second thought? Now moving onto Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the 'New World'. When I was younger Columbus was portrayed as a 'hero' who discovered this wonderful place that we now call America. However, I view him more so as greedy. He came into these natives lives and put them into slavery. His motives behind all of this were simply due to his want of money and power.
In earlier years, European powers' actions were overlooked and went by without any consequences. As time has passed on, many efforts and documents have been made to abolish slavery. Slavery has become a more well known topic that is talked about often. There will always be people trying to sneak by the rules, therefore, it is very important that people are well educated on this subject.

RGB Chapter 1: Racism History and Politics and other readings

Before this was pointed out in the class discussion, I had never noticed the complication that can be derived from the U.S. Declaration of Independence when considering who 'we the people' is referring to. One could easily think that it simply refers to all United States citizens. But when looking at the big picture, only some people obtain these full rights. Women, children, and minority races have been fighting for these rights that usually white males easily possess. The further down that i read in the Declaration of Independence, the more I came to realize that phrase 'we the people' turned into 'he' in my mind. It can be understood as to why 'he' was being adressed due to the fact that white males wrote and signed this document. However, as citizens of this country, we need to realize how muchn this newly diverse population has come to effect the way of life of this country.