Reflection

Reflection on this class is hard to sum up in one blog post. Coming into the class, I thought race was something that was defined by the color of your skin and the country of your heritage. However as I sit here and try to define everything I have learned, words and themes are hard to organize.

I began asking members of the WSU community what they thought about race, and if their views varied from their parents. This parent-child relationship has been of extreme interest to me since we saw the family dynamics within the setting of the movie American History X.

I asked the first person what they first thought of when it comes to race. Her first race that came to mind was Mexicans, and she stated: “I hate them. They take our jobs, and fester off the economy of hard working Americans.” This response is one that can often be heard especially around people who come from a rural area. I personally know farmers who choose to employ immigrants (albeit some of them illegal) because they are hardworking and will work for adequate pay.  I believe that some of this can even be contributed to th arrogance of the white American man/woman who won’t “settle” for such migrant jobs.

After my first conversation, I wanted to focus on what was causing these beliefs. Throughout the discussion of American History X, I became fascinated with the extremity that comes from children of parents with such strong views. One of my good friends had this to say:

            “When I came to college I was very small minded and racist. I come from a small community that has been ‘invaded’ by migrant workers. Granted my dad employs them, but he would always express his hatred for them at the same time.”

This statement exemplifies the family dynamic, and how it can influence children. However this person is now dating a Muslim American, and when I asked her if she’d ever introduce her boyfriend to her father, she simply replied, “Hell no.”

I asked her why her views had changed and if she thought she was influenced by her parents’ views growing up. Summing it up, she said: “Of course I was. My dad is very conservative and small-minded because he was raised that way. I think that is part of the reason my siblings and I have the views that we do. Granted, I used to have the same beliefs until I came to college and was exposed to new people, new people like my boyfriend.”

When it comes to the discussion of race in a collegiate setting, I think you would be surprised at the opinions and beliefs that college students have. Regardless of your upbringing or current ideals, college forces you to open up and participate in new experiences. Joining this class, I was extremely hesitant to ever speak up, mainly because I was worried about saying the wrong thing or offending someone. However, after the first in depth discussion about “portraying races”, I realized that unless our generation confronts the ignorance and misconceptions about race, our children and future generations will face the same struggles, and the cycle will continue.