Journal One
The readings, which will be discussed in this journal, indicate that rigid color lines are no longer applicable to some people. For instance, in her article, Felicia Lee discusses the literary works of Heidi Durrow. This writer is famous for the novel The Girl Who Fell From the Sky. The writer discusses the experiences of a teenager who perceives herself as both black and Danish. Felicia Less shows that by studying the narratives of mixed-race people, one can better see that many of the racial distinctions are too artificial. A similar issue is explored by Tess Taylor, whose article is about the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. It should be noted that this famous American policy-maker had both black and white children. This example is important because it shows that people representing different races may be related to one another. A similar issue is examined by Henry Lous Gates, who shows that people can derive very surprising findings if they try to study their family tree.
Overall, the rigidity of color and ethnic lines can be explored by various performers. For instance, Jennifer Gonzales discusses the work of James Luna, who attempts to show that racial or ethnic stereotypes cannot adequately describe the behavior of an individual. Moreover, the performer shows that in some cases, people try to suppress a part of their identity. This issue is particularly relevant if one speaks about African Americans. On the whole, these readings show that the use of racial labels can become obsolete due to several reasons. First of all, people may have mixed origins. Moreover, they can embrace the idea that the representatives of different races can be related in different ways.
Journal Two
The readings included in this journal can throw light on the way in which the representatives of racial minorities can be victimized. This issue is examined by different writers and journalists; for example, one can mention Ken Johnson, who discusses artworks related to race. This author shows that many people feel ashamed of being black. To some degree, this behavior is the result of long-term discrimination. This issue is also examined by Julia Preston.
This author focuses on the experiences of illegal immigrants in the United States. This author shows that in many cases, a person can be stopped by police officers only due to his/her Latino appearance. This is another example of how an individual from the community. In turn, Angela Onwwachi-Willig shows how many people can be multi-racial. Nevertheless, in many cases, people may be unwilling to disclose a part of their identity. For example, people can be described as black or write, even though they resist such classifications. To a great extent, such descriptions can be simply imposed on them. This is one of the details that should not be overlooked.
Overall, these readings suggest that the concept of race continues to affect the social life of the United States, even at the time when the community becomes more diverse. Moreover, some people may feel vulnerable because they represent a community that has often been victimized in the past. This is one of the main arguments that can be advanced.
Journal Three
Copeland offers a range of peculiar comments on the subject of race, one of the most controversial issues of the 21st century. Despite the fact that race issues have been the subject of heated discussions for quite a while, and a range of solutions have been provided to address the issue, it still remains on the agenda of the present-day society In his article Outtakes, Huey Copeland addresses the issue of race in a rather unusual manner.
The author states that his goal is to “explore the phantasms required to keep racial and gender hierarchies in place” (Copeland 20), and, much to his credit, he does so in a very impressive manner. Though Copeland’s narration does not comply with the traditional principles of conducting sociological research and, instead, can be interpreted as a description of the author’s personal experience, they still allow viewing the problem in a new and quite unexpected light. However, in his attempt to analyze the problem, Copeland seems to lack objectivity, seeing how he draws the new “portrait” of a Black woman and the “deconstruction of black masculinity” (Copeland 23) seems a bit far-fetched.
The researches carried out by Lewis and Shields, in their turn, strike with their unusual approach towards the issue of race. Both Shields and Lewis put a very strong emphasis on music as a definitive feature of the African American culture, making it obvious that the emergence of “new music” (Lewis 29) and “the grey Album” (Shields para. 4) has heralded the era of the African American culture revival. Providing very unusual and thought-provoking means to interpret the essence of the African American culture, Copeland, Lewis, and Shields incorporate its visual and aural elements, thus, allowing the audience to embrace the phenomenon fully and consider its various aspects.
Works Cited
Copeland, Huey. “Outtakes.” Art Journal 67.4 (2008), 20–32. Web.
Lewis, George E. A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 2008. Web.
Shields, David. “Race, the Remix.” The New York Times. 2012. Web.