Introduction
The issue of institutional racism and prejudice has been highly debated for centuries, with many organizations and individuals pointing to the fact. At the same time, white people are regarded as the highest caste and superior, and people of other races are oppressed. Indeed, as seen from the article by Vandana Pawa for TeenVogue in 2019, institutional discrimination has permeated all spheres. Although advocacy for equality has brought changes, only a century ago, people were not only oppressed but denied proper and equal treatment. Thus, although discrimination has been discouraged for a long time, the case of Bhagat Singh Thind is a reminder of how many immigrants face challenges and lack support.
Article Analysis
The article written by Pawa is about Bhagat Singh Thind, a South Asian immigrant. He appealed for U.S. citizenship in the 1910s and was denied on the grounds of being a race other than white (Pawa). Through this case, the author highlights how citizenship and whiteness are interconnected. According to Pawa, this is “how powerful institutions used the concept of “whiteness” to decide who gets to be a citizen in America” (para.1).
The main point of the article is to demonstrate how only a century ago and before that “courts constructed “whiteness” in a way that best aligned with the institutionalized xenophobia they wanted to protect” (Pawa para.6). This helps not only see the complete picture of racism nationwide but understand how it was once seen as typical. Consequently, the Bhagat Singh Thind case emphasizes the immigrants’ struggles and the oppression they face.
Conclusion
Hence, although prejudice has long been condemned, the example of Bhagat Singh Thind serves as a stark reminder of the difficulties and lack of assistance faced by many immigrants. The South Asian immigrant Bhagat Singh Thind is the subject of Pawa’s piece. He applied for citizenship in the United States in the 1910s but was rejected because he was not white. The author illustrates the relationship between citizenship and whiteness through this instance.
Work Cited
Pawa, Vandana. “Bhagat Singh Thind’s Case Shows the Link Between Whiteness and Citizenship.” TeenVogue. 2019. Web.
