Gated Rights

    As part on an english assignment, I was required to research gated communities by following several links and listening to podcasts on the topic. Upon finishing my research I was prompted to formulate an opinion on my stance for or against gated communities and incorporate outside links. Here is my opinion: 

"Foster segregation and increase a sense of exclusion" (Aranda 1). Really? I am not referring to a 1960's southern U.S. grade school, but rather to gated 21st century communities. The idea of surrounding yourself completely with people who look and act like you is horrifying. Even more troubling is the exclusion of certain groups of people from the community. Aside from lulling its members into a false sense of security, the benefits offered by gated communities are scarce. 

    Easily ignored by proponents of gated communities, the main ideas encouraged are sinister: "exclusion, division, [and] hate" (Boyle 220). From the vantage point of an interracial youth gated communities seem exceedingly polarizing. What type of gated community would I reside in if I fit into the economic bracket of the community but not the racial one? This predicament fails to even scratch the surface of the dishonorable practice of gating communities. 

    According to one source, certain people have bestowed the power upon themselves to determine who can and cannot live around them, or even travel on their roads. At some point a line must be drawn between the interest to live in a safe exclusive neighborhood and flagrant segregation. As America enters a trying time of economic strife and international turbulence, one component is integral to her success: unity. 

Self-Appreciation

"... The devastation that  even casual racial contempt can cause"(Morrison 210)...

     From the start of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, it becomes painfully obvious to the reader that Pecola would have been spared from the agony she lived through simply with a stronger value of herself and her heritage. Instead, images of Shirley Temple and other white representations of beauty bludgeon Pecola into believing her black skin is a curse and "curtail [her] freedom" in every way (Morrison 121). The "emotion of years of unfulfilled longing" has left a void in Pecola's life (Morrison 21). 

    You will familiarize yourself with racist practices in the media, stereotypes experienced by individuals on a daily basis, and research about ancestry. By educating yourself about the racism that is still alive today in America, you will be able to have intelligent discourse about the subject. The goal of your research is to shed light on the fact that the media doesn't always portray "beauty" and to build self-confidence in order to achieve the "small triumphs" of self-appreciation seen in The Bluest Eye (Morrison 63). 

Before completing the following tasks, follow the links to the respective webpages and read the articles on my delicious page in order to expand your knowledge base on racism and ancestry. Use your unique stand on each subject to make your blog posts interesting over the next few days.  

Assignment Tasks: 

1. Comment on Jake's Blog about ancestry (brief paragraph) 

2. Find a blog about racism in the media that you disagree with and leave a comment (brief paragraph)

3. Make an entry to your blog about your own identity and heritage(1 page) 

For an additional source of information, search "Blast The Right" in iTunes and subscribe to Jack Clark's free activist podcast

Story Time

Throughout the Bluest Eye, the impact of stories on individuals as well as societies is pivotal to Toni Morrison's style of the novel as a collection of interwoven stories. The power of stories cannot be underestimated in literature or in real life. Riveting stories of the injustice and oppression under a monarch have been used masterfully by generals to stir the souls of soldiers before a battle for freedom. Tales of the brutality of slave-masters have freed even the most bigoted man from his concrete thoughts of superiority to eventually facilitate the escape of runaway slaves. In the present, a time when war is viewed by many as the most efficient solution to disagreements, maybe all we need is a powerful story to promote pacifism.  Start telling stories; Not about the romantic ideals of war, but about the atrocities and suffering that occur too often.   

Works Cited

Dyson, Michael Eric. "Tale of two brothers." Interview with Soledad O'Brien. 
     CNN. 24 Feb. 2009. 16 Mar. 2009 <http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/ 
     us/2009/02/24/bia.two.brothers.cnn?iref=videosearch>.

The Blackest Lie

 

In a culture that seems to be slowly breaking free from the bondage of racism and bigotry, the "epic (African) American struggle" today is one of discrimination based on skin tone ("A Tale of Two Brothers"). The disparity of opportunities presented to African Americans of light skin-tone opposed to those of dark skin-tone is staggering. Ranging from job opportunities to just legal trials, the chance of darker-skinned blacks to succeed is drastically decreased. As part of CNN's "Black in America" segment, a video focusing on the divergent path of two brothers of different skin tones sheds light on the racism that remains embedded in American culture.  

    The disastrous effects of skin-tone discrimination seen in "A Tale of Two Brothers" is echoed throughout Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. Pecola, a young girl in the novel, is convinced that blackness symbolizes one thing: ugliness. Both the media and the mid-western society Pecola lives in have convinced her that whiteness signifies a beauty she will never obtain. Similar to the darker-skinned brother in "A Tale of Two Brothers", Pecola's sense of ugliness (due to her dark skin) is confirmed by the judgmental white people who surround her. These demeaning actions are by no means solely used by white people. Maureen, Pecola's light-skinned friend, victimizes her constantly for her dark skin.

     Pecola is wrongfully accused for killing a neighbor's cat simply because she is black. The darker-skinned of the two brothers in CNN's video segment is serving a life term in prison. Although he takes responsibility for the decisions he made, it is clear that his dark skin tone had a significant effect on his legal trial as well as is dearth of opportunities. Sadly, Pecola's aspirations to have the bluest eyes and achieve white beauty in order to succeed are encouraged by media in the 1950s (when The Bluest Eye eye takes place) as well as present day. The light-skinned brother, who earned a Ph D. from Princeton University, shocks viewers when he confesses that others "encouraged him to make better choices" simply because the lighter tone of his skin (" A Tale of Two Brothers").

Strides are taken daily in the hopes of changing the U.S. into a country that is completely free from the restraints of racial bias. Until that day comes, men and women will struggle to distance themselves from the anguish that discrimination brings into our world. Discrimination based on skin tone may seem minor or even far-fetched to those who have never experienced it; It is real, and it must be dealt with before it spirals out of control. 

Heterosexual Privilege

    "Follow That Egg", a shining example of South Park's unflinching satirical comedy, delves into one of the most hotly debated subjects of today: Gay Marriage. Ms. Garrison steals the show as a gay-bashing maniac. Ironically, Ms. Garrison is a gay male teacher who perpetuates a multitude of stereotypes associated with gay Americans and embodies all that is wrong with gay men from a heterosexist perspective. As the episode unfolds, the cross-dressing, tight-clothes wearing, sex-obsessed, sassy Ms. Garrison resorts to extreme measures to ban gay marriage in order to prevent his ex-boyfriend from marrying his new partner. Ms. Garrison takes a break from preaching hatred and discrimination to teach a lesson that will provide the "scientific data" about the inadequacy of same-sex parents necessary to ban gay marriage. Ms. Garrison's lesson pairs his students of the same sex in order to care for an egg. 

    Calamity as well as additional heterosexist tendencies ensue as the episode shifts focus to the parenting of an egg by two 3rd grade boys: Kyle and Stan. As is often the case, the young children have the most open-minded attitude towards a lifestyle different from their own. In response to Kyle and Stan's unwavering dedication to their egg, Ms. Garrison becomes a mouthpiece for gay-bashing Americans in saying, "It may be fine on the outside, but inside it's confused and embarrassed about having two daddies!" This satirical quote serves as the most potent example of typical heterosexist tendencies in the entire episode. 

    Ms. Garrison eventually hires an assassin to sabotage the successful care-taking of the egg by two boys as a last ditch effort to block the gay marriage legislation from passing. Ultimately, neither bombs nor bullets stopped Kyle and Stan from raising their egg. This comes as an immense slap to the face of Ms. Garrison and close-minded individuals who believe gay marriage should be illegal on a count of a same-sex couples being ill-equipped to raise a child. 

    The brilliance of Matt Stone and Trey Parker is once again on display as "Follow That Egg" playfully pokes fun at the ridiculous nature of gay-bashing and other heterosexist tendencies. At the episodes closing it leaves only one question in the mind of viewers: How can certain individuals believe gay couples are less qualified parents?

Gender Identity

    Your gender identity can be determined by someone other than yourself. That's what many doctors believe at least.  Sally Lehrman's Going beyond X and Y sheds light on the despair inflicted upon "intersex" individuals by the assumptions of insensitive doctors. Although it may come as shocking to many unfamiliar with the medical field, "a baby's genitals might not match the reproductive organs inside" (Lehrman 1). In an attempt to define sexual normalcy, Lehrman   strives to prove that "sex hormones do not drive neural development and behavioral differences of their own"  (Lehrman 2). The focal point of the article; however, is the need to modify the vocabulary used to categorize the "disorder of sexual development" (Lehrman 2). This stance, unassailable by even the most conservative minds, is unquestionably the most efficient way to raise awareness and impede the suffering of transgender individuals. 

    Ambiguously sexed babies ultimately suffer through discrimination and intolerance. With simple changes to one's vocabulary, the pain will be decreased exponentially. Words such as "pseudohermaphrodite" and "hermaphrodite" are "vague and hurtful" to the effected individuals (Lehrman 2). Some people mistakingly believe the unscientific words don't cause pain and others are insensitive enough to give no thought to their words. Precise scientific terms give the ambiguously sexed individuals exactly what they deserve: an opportunity to avoid social scrutiny. The term disorder of sexual development (DSD) serves as accurate medical terminology that "avoids humiliating intersex individuals" ( Lehrman 2). To truly understand the heartache of discrimination, we must try to see from the eyes of an intersex individual.Cheryl Chase, an intersex woman, has experienced firsthand the agony of damaging intersex nomenclature. Failing to recognize mixed sex characteristics as a lifelong medical condition, one of Chase's doctors referred to her as a "formerly intersex" individual (Lehrman 2). This seemingly innocent use of words left an indelible scar on Chase. With a slight word adjustment, the doctor could have spared Cheryl Chase from pain. 

    The next time you sling a word around that could possibly offend someone, imagine that your child is the one suffering from a lifelong medical condition. In order to spare intersex individuals from anguish, we must empathize and make a small adjustment to the names commonly used. This is a miniscule change to make in order to ensure to them what all people deserve: happiness. 

Works Cited

Lehrman, Sally. "Going Beyond X and Y."  Scientific American. May 2007. 24 Feb. 2009 sciam.com=going-beyond-x-and-y>.

Hey guys, 

I recently had an assignment in class regarding society's expectations of people to fit into certain groups. The category I chose to write about was being a liberal. The American political system, ravaged by bipartisanship,  is advertised as the shining beacon of freedom throughout the entire world. In reality, it is only as empowering as the American people (liberals and conservatives) allow it to be. My poem both stresses the expectations of being a liberal by society and emphasizes the often hostile relationship between liberals and conservatives. 

Liberal Diagnosis

Wear jeans with holes in them; don't clean them before the week is over; hug trees repeatedly during your daily nature walk; pick flowers while marveling at the beauty of the world; don't you dare spit your gum out on the ground; think about the amount of pollution created by the factory that produced that gum; think about the big picture for once; be considerate you self-absorbed bastard; disagree with those close-minded conservatives about their concrete beliefs; agree completely with the abolishment of the death penalty; didn't that guy murder seven children? He might be innocent; you have to regard eccentric individuals with an open-mind; vote for the Democratic candidate even if you disagree with him on most things; smoke weed daily to fight for its legalization; but I care more about my lungs; you must think about the greater good; volunteer for a soup kitchen and fight for the rights of the poor; protest against laws you find unconstitutional; ignore the tear gas, because it is a small price to pay for your freedom; This is how you show the love for your country; honorable men died for your right to vote: don't become a complacent fool; you must vote every chance you get; protest against unjust wars even if you mentally damage our own troops in the process; be sure speak daily about the your disgust with former President Bush's blunders in the Middle East; don't listen to the right-wing nonsense that the American people elected him twice; blame Republicans for all that is wrong in the world, focusing especially on the catastrophic recession in America; they let big businesses grow out of control; therefore, the hardworking liberals are being punished for their greed; fight against the NRA's attempts to legalize personal gun use; guns kill children; you must respect and love people of different race, creed, and sexual-orientation; you must fight for their rights the way you would for your own; show those bigoted Republicans how forward-thinking you are; be sure to fight for the rights of gay, lesbian, and transgender couples; equal rights must be given to everyone; refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance; religion must be kept out of all public spaces; ultimately, you must believe in the government to protect our civil liberties and human rights; one man alone is not capable of this.