Ethnic Relations

Final Exam

The question of race and discrimination has been around a long time, dating back to the slave age. So the fact that it is still an issue today is no surprise at all. In fact, you might be able to say that race and discrimination is still around today but has changed over time. Why is it important to understand the question of race and discrimination? It is important because helps you be a more well-rounded person. I have learned this and have become more aware of this because I am taking this class. I will be examining ten pieces of popular culture and show how it relates to what I have learned in this class.

The first example I would like to use is the movie "8 Mile". The movie is about this white man that lives in a bad neighborhood in Detroit. He has a lot of good rapping skills and he works at a car garage. He knows that the only way he will get out of this bad place is if beats the black rappers and lands a record deal. The movie shows the adversity that he goes through. This movie represents how a white man struggles to get recognize in the rap industry since he is not black and since it is dominant by blacks. I think that this shows the world that it does not matter what skin you have, but the talent you have is more important. I think this ties into class on the issue of how too many times that people get categorized because the color of their skin. This shows the idea of whiteness. Black people have been used the idea of whiteness and have used it on him. Wellman quotes: "I can relate to people whose backgrounds are similar to mine" (Wellman 152). Since he is white, the some black people have judged him first by his skin and looking passed his background. When in reality, he grew up with a rough childhood and the fact that he did have the talent to do what supposedly only black people could. The black people thought that just cause he had white skin that he was not able to produce the same rhythm as them because the white person did not listen to the kind of music they make.

The second example I would like to use is swing dancing. I saw a picture on the internet about swing dancing and how it showed white people dancing. Swing dance was formed by the African American people and it became very popular that it became the center of American life but on the same hand the African American people did not. I think that swing dance reveals to the world that I culture might be recognize for something of that belongs to them but the people will not be recognized. This relates to how cultures get recognized but the people don't. Why is African American cultural a center of American life but African American people are marginal? How is that possible? It is possible because people will recognize the cultural of African American because it is something that they can learn yet have control over while whites don't like the idea that someone else beside their own race will be the center of America because this makes them feel inferior. This shows how people get used for the culture but don't get recognize themselves, another perfect example of that is the rap industry.

The third example I would like to give is the movie "Men of honor". It is a movie where a black boy has the dreams to become the first black navy master chief diver. The movie shows his struggles and how the current master chief diver who is white constantly putting him in situations to fail. I think that the movie represents how the blacks get repressed because of the image that was labeled on them from the beginning of time that they are only slaves and they don't know how to think. I think that this movie reveals to the world that through the determination of few tough black people, the world can change in time. I think this relates to class on how if blacks don't have power, money, or resources then they can't get what they want and in this case it was the black person wanting to be the highest ranking diver in the navy. The black person in this movie did not have power, money, and resources and that is why he had to struggle to get where he wanted to. If he did have any one of those then it would have been easier for him, but blacks were treated unequal unfortunately.

The fourth example I would like to use is the picture of Maurice green wrapping an American flag around him. The picture was in sports illustrated during the 2000 Olympics Games. After Maurice Green won the 400 relay, he grabbed an American flag after he won it and he wrapped it around himself. I think that this reveals to the world that it can be seen in two ways. One way someone can view this picture would be that the flag being wrapped around the black person is a symbol of how America has revolutionized and is now viewing blacks as equals among whites to their country. On other hand, someone can view this picture as a symbol that blacks are still consider work horses just as slaves were when the American controlled slaves back in the slavery period. I think this relates to how if blacks can get a chance to get power, money, and resources then they might be able to be treated equally. Sports in general have given blacks a chance and that's what Wilson talks about. If the opportunity is at least provided then the black community has a chance to be equal.

The fifth example I would like to talk about is the song by 50 cent. The name of the song is called "Many Men". The song is about how 50 cent grew up in a bad neighborhood and since he has success now, people want him dead. He also talks about how he got shot six times but survived and that he will live no matter how many people come after him, he will live. I think this shows how the blacks grow up in the ghettos and they have it rough. It reveals to the world that how the blacks portrait the places they grow up in are rough and dangerous. I think this relates to the talk about the ghetto and how it gets so bad. 50 cent talks about where he grew up in the song and I think of how Wilson talked about the hyper-ghetto and how if there is a lack of a orgazation, jobs, and no resources available then that will lead to crimes, drugs, and gangs. That is what happened to 50 cent. He talks about how he got shot and I am sure that had to something with what Wilson talks about.

The next five examples, I would like to touch on Min's book. The first example I would like to use is the Indian movie "American Desai". The movie is about how this boy and his Indian family come from India to America. When the boy makes friends, he tries really hard to