BLOG PROMPT #2

1. What are some of the similarities and differences in experiences of racism globally? In general, describe the “exploiter and exploited” relationship.  Discuss specific parallels between U.S., France, Brazil and South Africa. 

There are similarities among the racism in global. Racism has begun with capitalism. As the capitalism pursues the wealth, it needed the human labor. As the worker’s labor was the source of capitalists and elites’ wealth, the exploitation and oppression has begun.  These two groups usually divided as colonizers group and colonized group. The exploiter oppresses the colonized people by their system officially in the name of civilization. White equated their culture with civilization. They generated stereotype and ideologies and used the violence to maintain their superior status. White considered themselves as superior, intelligent, modernized and gifted people, and colonized people as inferior, uncivilized, lazy and wild people. Whites destroyed colored people’s lives and communities to maintain the discrimination, and those people treated unequally in education, housing, business, health care, employment and etc. Colonized people have been demanded their rights in these fields. Nowadays, society tries to compensate for their unfair treatment, but the society still needs to reflect and understand deeply of the unequal reality.

There are also differences between the racism shown in each country. In the US, the white people, who were a colonizer, will become a minority in the future. Colored people in America are increasing their power and strength in the economic and political status gradually. In France, there are a lot of violent crime which target for attack foreign born immigrants and their children. Racist right political parties are resurging. The population of immigrants has not increased, but there are parliaments. In Brazil, more than 60 million people are African-origin, and mixed ancestry. Institutionalize racial discrimination still impact on Afro Brazilians. Black Brazilians are mostly poor, and only 1% of the students are in the universities. Racial inequality is maintaining by whites. In South Africa, the racial discrimination appeared with apartheid. The country was built as a country by European imperialists, and they justified the colonization and killing. As Nelson Mandela was elected to the president of South Africa, the political power has shifted to the colonized people.

The content describes the exploiter and exploited relationship. Exploiter has a power and wealth. They oppress people to generate wealth by exploited people’s human labor in capitalistic system. They call themselves as civilized people, and discriminate other racial officially. To maintain their wealth and power, they use the ideologies and stereotypes. Exploiters say they are intelligent, but exploited people are lazy and cruel. Exploited people are a people who create valuable things, but the profits from their labor taken by the exploiter, which are also capitalists. Their labor is the foundation of capitalists’ wealth, but they treated unequally. They could not have enough right in housing, education, health care, and so on.

US, France, Brazil and South Africa had racism systemically. The exploiters in these countries built up wealth by exploitation, and stereotyped exploited people that they are violent, prefer welfare or always complaining. There was a barriers and invisible ceiling in the societies such as job or career, and it maintained. Exploiters are more educated and wealthy, but they ignored the racial discrimination and discriminated people’s rights. Today, these countries are trying to compensate for the unequal treatment and reinforce the welfare.

2. How has racism influenced the history of housing and urban development in the United States?

As the whites enslaved a people from Africa and discriminate them, African American was poor because the benefits and profits they made through their labor transferred to whites. However, the government did not guarantee enough the African American’s right for housing before. The Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965 is the movement to take care of the people who had been discriminated by the majority in the US country. The government expands funding for the federal housing. This program helps people who suffer from financial problems such as the elderly, disabled, poor homeowners and veterans. It will be helpful for people to rehabilitate, who does not have enough money. It will also improve their rights in the society.

3. Tatum’s article discusses three barriers to talking about issues of race and racism with students in a classroom setting.  What are these?

Tatum says the barriers to talking about issues of race and racism in class. One barrier is the individual’s concept of identity. Self creation of one’s identity or self definition can be different from their ethnicity, life experience, environments they grown up and etc. For example, students of color usually define themselves with their racial group or ethnic group, while white students are not. Also, dominant group does not conscious about their authorities and privileges. They have a power in the society and do not really aware of the existence of inequality for a subordinate group, because they do not have an experience of the subordinates life.  Finally, many people are both dominant and subordinate. It is hard to tell that one is in one particular category. As one person has several aspects and various experiences, he or she can be in dominant group in one category, but subordinate group in another category.

4. Finally, following Peggy McIntosh’s format, list a few of your privileges and your overall reaction to this article.

After I came to US, I became a minority in US society as I am a foreigner, and I only focused on my status as a foreigner. However, after I read this article, I could realize how I lived comfortable as   Korean in Korea, and dominant group in other categories. I could recognize the privilege that I could have, and I was thankful to live without oppress from religion or race. When I was in Korea, I thought I know and understand how hard to live as a foreigner when I see the foreigners and international students in my college, but I realized that I did not fully understood them until I experienced to live as a foreigner in another country. I should care about the others who suffering from the oppression as a minority such as race or religion in the world.

1. I lived in the Seoul, which is the capital city of Korea. I use a standard language, and enjoy the cultural life, education, foods and etc.

2. I am a Christian, and I don’t need to hesitate to say that I’m Christian, because the people in the country where I live can have a freedom of religion.

3. I am heterosexual, and I didn’t experience the oppression from the society.

4. I was born and raised in the middle-upper class family, so my family and I didn’t suffer from a serious financial problem.

5. I was grown with happy family. Family always loves me and supports me, and I didn’t experience the family trouble or abuse.