These last couple weeks of class have been...interesting. (Forewarning: this is gonna be really long and mostly a weird string of consciousness rant) Being the only black person in the room while reading A Raisin in Sun and all of these racial books is a different experience. It's funny to hear all the different conversations that go on in class group discussions. But I have realized one crucial thing from these conversations, and from my conversations with my other peers, everyone likes equality in theory, but not in real life. Now I know what you might be thinking, 'no, everyone likes equality of course they would like it in real life' but I want to bring up a controversial topic: affirmative action. I have heard several people in class talk about how they don't like affirmative action. They don't like it because they think it's unfair. I find it funny that everyone talks about how people should have equal opportunity no matter their circumstance, yet when there is an opportunity for these people in less fortunate areas to have an equal chance at college, everyone gets all up in arms about it. Almost everyone who I've heard talk about affirmative action says the same thing. Like, it doesn't make sense that equality is a great thing until it helps black people that you feel 'don't deserve it' get into the same colleges as you. (Oop I feel like that was really mean but like you get the point) Like I'm just kinda upset at this point. I get the fact that Asian-American's are being discriminated against during the college admissions process, which is not ok at all, but (like Mrs. Valentino said) there is no reason to take this anger out on the people who are just trying to get equal opportunity. Ok that's it rant over everyone.
Kennedy this is a much needed post. A lot of people become hypocrites when the thing they would usually support all of a sudden directly impacts them, and that is the case here! Every race in theory is for equality, and when they are helped through affirmative action, they love it. But as soon as affirmative action takes in another race to help them have equal opportunities too, they get all up in arms like you said. I think this just represents our very self-absorbed generation and our very selfish society. I also think that easily leads to the misplaced anger that occurs as well, and I'm always so glad that Mrs. Valentino points out when the anger is misplaced, because when you are directing your anger at the wrong people, you have no chance of convincing them to make change because they are not the ones in charge. Affirmative action is a very controversial topic because college admissions are so competitive as it is, but I really wish people could understand what it is trying to do and be happy for the other groups that it benefits because they know what it feels like to be discriminated against. I don't understand why there is so much selfishness and greed, and all the groups feel like they have to hog all the benefits of affirmative action.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog post. I liked hearing about your perspective while reading a raisin in the sun, and I think the point you brought up about how everyone wants equality in theory is very important because of how true it is, but no one wants to accept it.
ReplyDeletedude i totally agree with you. and i feel like the whole misplaced anger thing leads to more subconscious racism, because then ppl get mad at black kids who just want to go college, and they think that warrants them the reason to be racist and have this hatred for other kids who are just trying their best to exist...
ReplyDeleteYes Kennedy!!!! I totally agree w u and no I don't think that was mean. I feel like a lot of times (esp. as an Asian American myself) we only want "diversity" if it benefits us (which basically isn't even real diversity). After I researched into affirmative action, I realized that a lot of the "affirmative action hurts Asian Americans thing" isn't really true and that affirmative action as a policy is actually tremendously helpful, and should be implemented even further in some cases as well!
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