Our critical readings for this portion of our studies all shared a common theme. “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”, “Cowboys and Indians”, and “Hate Crimes Against African Americans” all center around in-depth studies of the history of racial discrimination and its continuing effects on the various American races. After reading these stories, I am aghast and ashamed to admit to the fact that decades after segregation ended, racial discrimination in both its old and new forms, still reigns in the lives of some of my countrymen.
I would like to start this discussion with a look at the history of racial discrimination, neigh, racial discrimination at its worst, in America. In the article “Cowboys and Indians”, I was shown that racial discrimination has practically been hard-wired into our brains by centuries of lies and deceit regarding our Indian brothers. Isn’t it ironic that America, a staunch defender of other nations’ liberties and opponent of mass genocide in modern times, practiced mass genocide on a helpless and trusting race of people? The history told within the story shows us the actual foundation of racial discrimination in our country.
The segregation and mass murders of the Indian Americans all stemmed from our ancestor’s fear of another race’s traditions that they did not understand, were afraid of, and thought had to be neutralized. I find it hard to believe that a race of people could be the embodiment of the description inculcated into us from childhood. The saddest part of it all is that our Indian American brothers are discussed in public and used as (unfair) examples in a manner that makes it seem like they exist only as a mere caricature and not as human beings who have rights and deserve to be treated as our equals. That article got me thinking if we could do it for our African American brothers, why can’t we do it for our Indian American brothers as well?
Why keep them on reservation camps with sub-standard lives? Did they do anything to deserve the treatment? When will history become fair to them and tell their side of the story as well? We did, after all, take what was truly their land, to begin with.
My next reading was on the topic of hate crimes against African Americans. It pleased me no end to see that race crime are not as rampant as we may think. At least not in the big cities as we know it. But still, it exists in those places where bigotry and distrust reign supreme. It is of the utmost importance in today’s day and age of racial diversity in our country, that these laws be given more teeth and implementation because let’s face it, racism is merely the highest form of bullyism and bullies, whether they end lives or not, must never be tolerated.
Finally, I come to my final reading, “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”. This reading came as a shocking revelation to me as I am one of the firm believers of the American justice system and as such, could not fathom how the system could have failed him so miserably.
How is it possible that we are so protective of African Americans, have laws in place to protect the non-whites from discrimination and racism, and still fail to do so? Why are we accusing the Indian Americans of trying to take over our economy when we, in reality, have not even left their race enough to live decently on?
In the end, I would have to say that all the 3 articles have given me a tremendous number of points to ponder. It has changed the way I view other races and how I treat them as well. The biggest thing that I can take away with me from all these readings? The fact that being white does not make you a supreme being, it just tends to make you act stupidly at times because history made the white man believe that there is no better, no more tolerant race of man on the planet. What a farce that is to know!