Racism = Ignorance, Ignorance = Bliss, Racism = Bliss? I Think Not.

How many times have you heard someone say, “If you’re living in this country, you should be required to speak English!”  Usually this phrase follows a messed-up order at a drive-thru or some other communication breakdown.  Whether fueled by a feeling of nationalism or simply out of racism, the remark carries the same weight.  Unfortunately, Mexican-Americans or Mexican immigrants often bear the brunt of these criticisms – resulting in resentment of Mexican immigrants across the country.  In an article on ScienceBlog.com, the author (unknown) approaches the often taboo topic of nativism with an under-used strategy: education.  In order to quell the rants of the opposition, “Why Mexican Immigration is Not a Threat to American Identity,” provides this fact: “Hispanics acquire English and lose Spanish rapidly beginning in the 2nd generation; appear to be as religious and at least as committed to the work ethic as native-born whites.”  Now, the expected response to this statement would be, well what about the first-generation immigrants who come over here and take the jobs of honest American citizens?  The answer is simple.  They are not a grave threat to American jobs.  Most immigrants are taking the jobs that Americans in general refuse to “stoop down too.”  This includes mopping train station bathrooms and other jobs where the employees are underpaid, and overworked to toil interminably in awful conditions.  Now tell me… Does that sound like something you should be jealous of?

Another argument against Mexican immigrants is the ghetto-like areas they sometimes create in neighborhoods.  Yes, this is true that they can take an area and over-crowd it, while not paying taxes.  However, these areas generally are impoverished prior to their Latin-American takeover, so if anything, if the workers who are move to these neighborhoods can get earn a steady living, they can put money back into the town through the purchase of food, shelter, and entertainment.  There are times, though, when Mexican immigrants will use a policy sometimes employed in war: “The closer you are to danger, the farther you are from harm.”  Nobody in the overwhelmingly nativist wealthy communities is expecting immigrants to settle in their lands, so they suspect nothing.  In Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle, a pair of Mexican immigrants employs this policy and sets up camp in the foot hills of Topanga Canyon.  Ironically, the fact that they are close to danger ends up ringing all too true in the first few pages of the noel.  As the comments (on the article) progress, they follows a very interesting pattern that is surprisingly similar to the book.  In the article, the first couple comments are the agreeing bigots, the ones who can’t stand to see anyone who is not like themselves.  They say such ignorant things as, “If the immigrants to this country are not willing to speak the language we are under no obligation to accommodate them.”  This is similar to the book where Delaney is mentally fighting back his guilt from hitting Cándido.  He justifies his guilt/fault with anger, switching from one primal emotion to another.  Then the bigoted comments begin to wane as the more informed and intellectual commentors offer their piece.  Just like the latter comments are there to create understanding, Delaney and his family struggle slightly with the plight of the immigrants after the wake-up call that landed on his hood.

Such racism as seen towards Mexican immigrants is caused by nothing so much as ignorance, unfortunately a wide-spread disease in our country.  It takes one frustrated, unemployed man to say something about the Mexican immigrants taking Americans’ jobs and a rebellion is created, complete with angry mobs fueled by nothing so much as their empty stomachs.  I see something like this as an opportunity to better ourselves.  If a white worker gets fired in favor of a Mexican immigrant it is most likely due to some fault of the original worker.  So, rather than hating the man who took your job, better yourself so the boss can realize what a mistake he has made.

"Why Hispanic Immigration is Not a Threat to American Identity." Science Blog. March 31, 2007.  http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/why-hispanic-immigration-not-threat-american-identity-12910.html

Friday Night Lights Takes An Unexpected Turn

Friday Night Lights is one of the most intricate shows on television.  Though underrated and underappreciated, its diverse content matter keeps even the most hyperactive viewer entranced.  However, this episode was the first that touched upon an often-taboo topic: homosexuality.  Sure, there have been plenty of shows that mention homosexuality, or even have a gay character.  The difference here is that not only is a homosexual a pariah at best in a football-jock-dominated small Texas town, but the gay person was a girl.

The situation is such: after being hurt from a prior relationship, the show’s most timid character, Landry, is quick to find a new girl, perhaps too quick.  Because he rushed into his new relationship, he failed to notice any signs that the girl he was trying to date was in fact a lesbian.  However, this ignorance was not completely Landry’s fault.  He has grown up in a traditional society where homosexuality is a nearly unheard of, un-discussed, un-thought-of topic.  Why would he naturally assume that a girl he has met and (in his mind) been flirting back and forth with is a lesbian.  In fact, even after their first kiss, he still does not realize his err.  Homosexuality is such a foreign topic to him that it takes her telling him for him to realize.

Although this has been the first touch on homosexuality for the show, it has gone about it the right way.  Unfortunately, there are still plenty of people in the world who are entirely uncomfortable with being around a gay person.  The show cast a very comfortable and endearing character to first introduce its not-as-accepting viewers to the fact that homosexuals are normal people and do not deserve the persecution they often face.  It is not only the casting that makes this episode a success, but the reaction Landry has to this admission.  His reaction is not so accepting that it’s unbelievable, but at the same time, once he had some time to think it over, he treated her the way she should be treated: the same.