What happens in the past shapes, in part, our perspectives and choices in the present. Over the course of the past two centuries the United states has become the most diverse nations on earth and Chicago, one of its most diverse (and segregated) cities. These trends are continuing as immigration and demographic data show that the white population in America is not growing at near the rate of other racial groups. After looking at the data from our readings over the past two weeks, what do you think this growing diversity means for the U.S.? What does it mean for particular areas like Chicago? What are the strengths and/or weaknesses and what does it mean in terms of American political identity?
I do not think that the growing diversity will significantly change America. In our readings over the past couple of weeks, a repeated theme has been a discussion of how various peoples that used to be disliked or looked down upon by “mainstream” America (for example, Irish and Italian immigrants), have been successfully assimilated into our society. It also seemed like every generation was terrified of a different group of people immigrating to America and drastically changing it. First it was Southern and Eastern Europeans, then the Chinese, and so on. Nowadays, I think most people are worried about Hispanic immigration. They are projected to be the fastest growing minority group in the next few decades, and will be the second largest after White (note, this is using our current definition of white. Irish were once not considered white, so this socially constructed term could have changed drastically by 2050). I think that immigration is not an issue to worry about. I do agree that we should limit the number of people coming in, but not by national origin. I think that America should accept the most talented people from around the world, as well as those seeking asylum or trying to reunite with family members already here. In terms of how this will affect America and Chicago, I believe that it will force political parties to change their stances on immigration. With increasing amounts of Americans being first or second generation immigrants, the parties cannot afford to isolate or offend potential supporters with outdated views on immigration. I think that America’s political identity will only be strengthened in the upcoming decades. For the last 200 years, being American has meant supporting freedom and democracy. I do not think that the changing skin color of the majority will alter this.
ReplyDeleteOur nation is referred to as “the nation of immigrants,” and the continuing trend of immigrants coming (or trying to come) to the U.S. in a testament to that. This notion of how to deal with the influx of immigrants is an ongoing theme within the U.S. that seems as American as apple pie. Pick any generation and you are bound to find a variety of ethnicity groups that are being questioned on whether too many of them are immigrating to the U.S. From the Irish to eastern Europeans to modern-day Latinos, the immigration question lingers on. In terms of how it will affect this nation, the answer can be seen throughout U.S. history where these immigration groups will immerse into society and have their voices heard among the masses. Yet, to think that an increase in immigration will uproot the foundation of many American policies seems very unlikely because that is assuming that these immigrants will all believe and vote the same way. Regardless of what ethnicity and race someone is, their political ideologies can, and do, vary drastically and issues that Americans consider important will have their varying opinions heard in the mix as well.
ReplyDeleteGrowing diversity in the United States, in my opinion, is the true spirit of the american identity. in the US we pride ourselves in our ability to incorporate different cultures and religions throughout the world. By seeing the increase of minorities entering the country, I believe that we are truly standing by the ideals that America was founded on. The ability to incorporate many, and allow people from different countries to become American citizens for their future children. However even though this is a good thing, we see racial segregation in certain areas, especially in Chicago. We see a very stark difference in the south side and the north side. I consider this one of the weaknesses of the American identity because we are segregating some just because of their race and their socioeconomic standing.
ReplyDeleteI think that the growing diversity of the United States will have both negative and positive effects on society. In a positive light, I think that diversity in the long term will create greater ethnic and racial tolerance for all those who live in America simply because it will become the norm, even more so than now, to be working with others from a variety of different backgrounds. I also think that in the long term racism will decline (in the sense of black and white) because there will be so many other backgrounds in the U.S. besides those two. In a negative sense, I think that unless the American culture (ideals and language particularly) is not reinforced appropriately among all Americans, both immigrant and not, there will be a lot of ethnic and racial tensions and a chance of a rough cultural war.
ReplyDeleteI think that areas like Chicago, big cities, will be to an extent good examples for what the country should look like in terms of ethnic and racial tolerance. However, this opinion implies that urban areas are already tolerant of diversity, which is not necessarily the case. Chicago for example can at times be very segregated in terms of its neighborhoods and where people choose to live or not live. Part of this is due to income inequality, but this kind of inequality can lead ethnic and racial tensions to escalate.
As America as in a whole, grows in diversity, I think it solidifies the idea of E pluribus unum. Our nation was founded and grew by the influx of immigrants from all over the world. This is one of our biggest strengths. Diversity in our nation brings is the wide variety of viewpoints and values that allows the free flowing of ideas. Here in Chicago, I believe that diversity is also important to have, but the line of segregation of races needs to be erased. The northern side of Chicago is predominately light skinned while the south side is darker skinned. This is the side of diversity that does not always seem right. We have came a far way from Jim Crow laws but if our nation still limits where an individual can live due to their race or economic standing, we still have a ways to go.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe anything in this country will drastically change due to racial majority shifts but there will surely be some alterations to American culture. I think it would only be fair to assume that the number of bilingual schools will increase along with more requirements to earn foreign language credit in high schools. I also believe affirmative action will be used less and maybe outlawed altogether as we see our universities and jobs be filled with more diverse students and employees. With more jobs being filled by minorities, you will see an increase in diversity among neighborhoods. As Chicago has illustrated racial segregation within its suburbs, many regions are not racially diverse. I believe a shift in numbers of ethnic populations will lead to more racially diverse communities and less segregation.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the growing diversity in America will make it even more of a melting pot and I only hope that it will force society to start truly interacting and living together instead of just coexisting in the same country. This is a big problem specifically in Chicago; I am optimistic that this would help the city actually become more integrated. I think that as our country’s demographics change that our institutions will begin to adapt. One positive, is that it will be beneficial for businesses and the economy. There will be a wider range of people who will open businesses as well as people available to fulfill jobs. In addition, I think that as the country’s demographics change we will be forced to be more innovative as a society. Having people from various backgrounds and cultures would encourage more innovative thinking, which will lead to new inventions, and discoveries that we may not have found otherwise. One downfall may be a rise in conflicts; whether it is racial tensions or situations that arise in politics. As we have talked about in class before, I hope that this will help dissolve the norm of “white culture” in America. I think it would be great if this created a true “melting pot” identity for this country.
ReplyDeleteThe Trending is evident. Racial diversity is growing. However I do not believe the emphasis should be put on race specifically. As we have learned, race is an ambiguous form of identification; primarily based on exterior features such as skin color. Racial diversity creates exposure, which eventually (with healthy circumstances) creates acceptance. However the real opportunity presented is of culture diversification.
ReplyDeletegrowing numbers of cultures and ethnicity create understanding, as people share their numerous perspectives with each other. From the readings and past education I believe that injustice propagates through misunderstandings and fear. The United States has the opportunity to understand the world, by actually having small pieces of the world in it. These pieces learn from each other and become strong and beautiful. I make the comparison of the Amazon rain forest: an ecosystem that is actually a combination of dozens of different smaller ecosystems combined. The result is a beautiful, dangerous, and wonderous place
I think that this growing diversity in America means that there will be no clear “majority” race in the future. In the article we read about minority population growth from 1995 to 2050, it talked a lot about how the U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse and how as the years increase the percentage of white Americans will decrease. Another main idea of the article was that the minority population will account for nearly 90 percent of the total growth in the US population from 1995 to 2050. So in 50 years today’s minority becomes the majority and vice versa, but what distinguishes being a majority or a minority? Today our majority is considered white and our minority is everyone else. But in the future won’t our nation become so diverse that it will be impossible to discern a clear majority and minority? In the case of Chicago, I think that that it will become less segregated and more integrated as a whole. Overall, I think that growing diversity is good for any country especially one like America due to its known identity of being a melting pot of nationalities. We live in a country where we pride ourselves on what nationality we are but at the end of the day we know that our true identity lies as an American.
ReplyDeleteFor me diversity means having different beliefs and different cultures, but also being able to live together in relative harmony. This country is a nation of immigrants, and I personally think it's important for people to carry on traditions and bring different aspects of the native culture to the United States. I've lived in Chicago my entire life, and it's easy to see why it is called one of the most diverse cities in America. This city was once a place primarily occupied by immigrants from numerous foreign countries, and Chicago has stayed so diverse because those immigrants who came here over a hundred years ago brought their culture and it never left. Living in a diverse community or city allows you to experience things you never really thought you could. you can have authentic food from different nations, learn different languages, see different styles of dress, etc. Coming from a family of immigrants I understand wanting to hold onto old world traditions. I think diversity is an amazing thing and that it needs to be embraced. I totally agree with what Jan said ("Diversity makes this country a more interesting place to live, as people from diverse cultures contribute language skills, new ways of thinking, new knowledge, and different experiences"). Diversity is what makes America different from any other country. You're always learning something new and interesting and it's the diversity in this country that allows us to better understand what is happening in the world around us; beyond our nation's borders.
ReplyDelete-Katelyn Schweitzer
The changing demographics in America will play a role in American political identity, but it might not change as much as we might think in my opinion. We are a nation built upon immigrants and we have the population to reflect that. Even from early times in America the phrase E pluribus unum can be seen supporting that from many we as a nation form one. However, I don’t believe our founding fathers knew how diverse this country would become and I feel as though some citizens do not really embrace a multicultural appreciation in their communities. We were a nation founded on the ideal that anyone is welcome and accepted but as we can see that has not been how immigrants are always treated. For this diversity to influence our political identity I think it will take some establishment of what brings us together as a nation, since race or ethnicity most likely won’t be a way to bring people together. What does make us American? I suppose that is the big question of this class but for a changing population to feel like one nation some answers to that question have to be identified. There has to be a way for people to connect politically outside of race, culture, and ethnicity for the political identity of America can really change into one that encompasses the diverse population. I believe that as the country becomes more diverse we will see more diversity in the local, state, and federal government and the ‘face’ or appearance of America might change into one of diversity instead of the image of a country founded by white, old, men.
ReplyDeleteAfter examining the readings over the last several weeks as well as material from my LSP 200 class I took last Autumn Quarter, I would have to agree with several of the this week's other posts that diversity means inclusion of all people, regardless of their background. I think it is very true what Katelyn has stated about immigrants bringing their culture to the United States, more specifically Chicago, which in turn enables Americans and Chicagoans to experience the way of life and customs of immigrants. An example of this is Chicago's distinction as the largest Polish community outside of Warsaw. Having this distinction means that people from Chicago and also from around the world are able to experience the cultures of other countireis without ever leaving Chicago or the United States. In my opinion, it is improtant for the United States to maintain its diversity so people are able to learn from other cultures while maintaining a quality of life known as the Land of Opportunity that attracts millions of people to the United States every year.
ReplyDeleteThat would depend if “white” is defined purely by skin tone or the current social construct of “white” ethnic groups. My boyfriend of 6 years is half Mexican and half Italian; he has an olive skin tone which is pretty light compared to other Hispanics so he is mistaken for a “white” man quite often. Later down the road when Will and I have children they will in theory become lighter in skin color but will have Hispanic blood ties. So will Americans view my future children as white citizens or Hispanic minorities? This immediately brought me back to the skin tone test we had to take a few weeks back; considering the influences in my life vary from others I picked “on the border” skin tones such as olive as the darker race but others may have chosen them as lighter.
ReplyDeleteI do not think the growing ethnic diversity will become an issue for Chicago considering it is one of the most, if not the most, diverse cities in this country. Although, one would argue that Chicago is not as accepting of diversity considering that different ethnic groups do not necessarily interact with one another as much as we assume. The most crucial example of this would be the different ethnic boroughs Chicago has: Greektown, Little Italy, and Polish downtown, etc. It would be foolish to say that these areas contain residents strictly of said ethnicity, but they are the majority.
I would say that Chicagoans are accepting of different ethnicities in the sense that crime currently is exchanged between the same racial/ethnic groups: black on black for example. Although to be fair this could account for many other factors such as their socio-economic status. However, our nation as whole is primarily accepting of racial/ethnic diversity. I believe that most Americans stand behind the national motto: E Pluribus Unum. This is seen even in policy making; the Congressional majority is behind the S 744 bill and hoping it will make its way into the House.
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ReplyDeleteDiversity means have people with different beliefs, customs, culture, religion, ethnicity, or race. Diversity means having a wide variety of people. It most clearly to me is racial or ethnic diversity, but can also be religious, or diversity of sexual orientation or even a diversity of wealth levels. I think that diversity brings about respect and tolerance for others. It shows different perspectives and allows for others to form their own beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI believe and hope that the increase in diversity will continue to help people be more respectful and learn about different cultures, which hopefully will create more open-minded people and continue to chip away at racist tendencies or negative stereotypes. Chicago is a hyper segregated city, which does not promote good race relations. Having segregated cities is not inherently bad. It preserves culture and customs. It allows for people to feel comfortable in their own homes. However, segregated cities doesn't help with big problems like racism and inequality of all forms. Having a more integrated city where the poor, rich, middle class, white, black, Hispanic people, and
people of all ethnicities or religions live close together would help eliminate those big problems.
Diversity has constantly been part of the American identity. A couple hundred years ago it would have been offensive for someone of German descent and someone of English descent to be put in the same ethnic category. Our country's ability to adapt is a large part of our national identity. Chicago is a city that is even more diverse than the rest of the country. Large cities like Chicago can be an example to our country that many different races can live together and be united. The United States has always been a country of immigrants and it is exciting to see how different groups adapt to life in America. The difference in acceptance between my generation and that of my parents is astronomical. I think this issue is one where we often hear a very loud minority. The small minority of people fighting the diversity are the ones who get in the media. We rarely see stories about a latino family, a black family and a white family being friendly neighbors. I feel this added diversity is something that will constantly be a part of American Political Culture.
ReplyDeleteI believe that looking at this data reaffirms that America was and will always be the country for immigrants. As time goes on we will realize that America is more diverse than we thought, there will be parts of the country, which aren’t diverse, but most of the country will be. One of the strengths of this would be that the idea of why America was founded would continue. There’s has been so many things that only happened because of the ideas that are represented in America. An example of this would be having the first black president or having a rags to riches story. The weakness would be that the future is very uncertain. We don’t know would be in store for Americans. With so many changes through the years we can forget the values of what were founded on. I think we will always be a country about immigration and that’s not something anyone can change because Americans have always been immigrants. Our differences makes us more alike than not, it’s something we all have common no matter where we came from, we came to this country in order to achieve a better life or attempt to make a better life.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that increased diversity over time will profoundly change anything fundamental about America. As long as people continue to be educated about the founding ideas that made the US what it is today, the racial or ethnic makeup of the country shouldn’t matter. Ideally, increased diversity will make that more apparent across the board. I strongly believe that being American means understanding and accepting the principles that the country was built on and has nothing to do with race. Clearly not everyone thinks that way today, but it seems that public opinion in general is shifting. Based on my experiences in this class and other DePaul classes and on the widespread reactions to overt public racism (sorry to bring up Donald Sterling again, but that incident is a perfect example), I think that our society is moving toward being more tolerant and accepting of the idea that most segregations are socially constructed. Obviously these changes wont happen over night, but 2050 is still quite a long ways away. In my opinion, education is the most important factor because it can be vital to maintaining unity in an increasingly diverse nation. It is also, as we talked a lot about, a very important factor in giving people more opportunities. Racial divisions are often perpetuated by economic divisions, which I would argue are often the result of wide ranging economic opportunities. In short, I think that Americans are generally becoming more tolerant as America becomes more diverse and that improving education systems could potentially help to alleviate the most basic causes of division.
ReplyDeleteI think diversity in America means potential for even more power as nation globally. To be a country that houses and accepts so many different perspectives of life could keep our country as a front runner for world wide influence. That being said I think that although we have a a lot of diversity in America we aren't as accepting as we lead people to believe. Specifically in Chicago we have a very diverse population but that diversity is segregated amongst smaller communities and neighborhoods. We as a nation are not truly experiencing a variety of cultures, because those cultures are isolated into different areas. As a nation of so many different races, ethnicities, religions, etc. I feel we should make more of an effort to learn and experience those differences rather than allow for the separation of them all. We may be a diverse nation, but when we become a diverse nation that lives and interacts harmoniously, we will truly gain power and perspective of that power. We need to take pride in the fact that diversity is our national identity, that we are a country built on the strongest and most well rounded group of ideals. We should take advantage of our opportunity to learn from so many cultures and apply that to making our nation better.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think if this growing diversity in the U.S is that its good. What I mean is that there is so many different cultures out there that people have no clue about. The U.S. is a great place in which people can explore diversity without having to leave the country. For example Chicago is best known for its diverse city because it is made use of other country. In the sense that Chicago has Greek town, China town, Polish town and many more little towns and that's what people love about Chicago. Every conner in Chicago is made up of a small cultures. The idea of Chicago being diverse also I believe helps educate people other about the different backgrounds and races there is. No matter what education to me is key for people to understand the change that is happening. The strength in the terms of American political identity is that everyone has someone whom they can identify culturally with. But the downfall in that is that many people still aren't accepting of the change.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the growing diversity in America means that there won’t be a race with a significantly higher rate of people than other races. Also, there will be a lot of different traditions and beliefs, and there would be less judgment due to the differences. We would truly be a “melting pot.” For cities like Chicago, there would hopefully be more unity and interaction between all the races. Even though Chicago is a very diverse place, people still tend to only associate with those of the same ethnic background. So people aren’t really experiencing cultures different than their own.Diversity makes America stronger because immigrants can come here and be themselves. They are bringing their culture and adding to the “melting pot.”
ReplyDeleteWhat the growing diversity “means” for the U.S. ultimately depends on the time-scale an individual chooses to apply in an examination. Indeed change will occur—alterations in areas of education, advertising/business marketing, and politics, and so on will encounter new situational circumstances that require proper adaptation; however is that not more or less the same pattern experienced throughout American history? From the beginning of American history, every century introduced some revolutionary circumstance that motivated threatening rhetoric to America. The outcome, however, is the same—the threatening revolutionary circumstance reaches an equilibrium point through adaptation and reinforcement of American political culture that the following generation cannot even put in perspective (e.g. slavery/civil right, etc.).
ReplyDeleteThe diversity in the United States is growing by giant steps. Different aspects have been influenced, one of them is immigration. As a result, there are racial groups that are growing than others. Even when United States is a diverse Country we can see how people segregate from others. This aspect is sad because it does not allow that people interact. To me is a weakness, because we have to have a common point that allows to us to be integrated in one society. We have to have a common language, respect to the values that this Nation has.
ReplyDeleteDiversity enriches the educational experience. We learn from those whose experiences, beliefs, and perspectives are different from our own, and these lessons can be taught best in a richly diverse intellectual and social environment like DePaul. I also believe that diversity promotes personal growth. It allows us to step out of our comfort zone in order to understand that although we may have our differences, we face similar challenges when it comes to letting our voices be heard. Diversity challenges stereotyped preconceptions; it encourages critical thinking; and it helps students learn to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. By learning about the importance of diversity – different religions, ethnicities, cultures, ideologies, etc. - at an early age, children become well prepared so that once they step into the workplace, they will be able to work with others who have different ideas which ultimately fosters mutual respect with one another.
ReplyDeleteGrant Herrejon says: I hate to be a bit of a buzzkill or anything like that, but I think growing diversity means very little, both in terms of American political identity and for particular areas (such as, but not solely, Chicago). Newsflash, everyone: The nation of immigrants is getting more immigrants! If everyone is equal, and entitled to the usual rights, then nothing should really change as far as our lifestyles or perceptions go. World media will still portray the United States in the same fashion, Europeans and Japanese and South Africans and what have you will still look at American tourists and have the same discussion about how they feel about America, regardless of our growing diversity... and despite statistics, the American value of holding on to tradition and patriotic reflection will serve to prompt the general public to consider this nation largely white, and largely belonging to the typical American culture. That culture can be difficult to explain, but we all know it very well, and norms displayed can sum a fraction of it up... you walk into an elevator, strangers don't talk to one another... college costs a ton, we like to joke about how we are broke... interview etiquette, guest in another's home etiquette, handshakes, politeness, agenda-based, school, work, messing around on the phone in passing... All that jazz. More diversity won't change that; not even a bit. That goes for our city and nationwide. We'll all just keep going through the motions.
ReplyDeleteGrowing diversity will be a mixed bag for the United States. Immigrants will offset the declining birthrate among white Americans, thus keeping the population growing at a stable rate and providing a growing labor force. China has the opposite issue, as its one-child policy and heavily isolated society have caused a massive demographic shift that will cause a massive labor shortage in the near future. Immigration also benefits us culturally, allowing us to become more diverse and embracing of the civil liberties that will be required for the protection of these new citizens’ rights.
ReplyDeleteXenophobia will, of course, raise its ugly head. This has occurred during every major bout of immigration to America. We must prepare for this and ensure that it doesn’t manifest itself into a major political force. The good news is that many minority communities have a growing sense of place and political power in the United States, forming a large constituency of the Democratic Party and thus giving them a larger say in government than minority communities have had in the past.
We shouldn’t push a specific culture on arriving immigrants but we should seek to create a coherent American identity based on the values of a democratic society embedded in liberal values such as the acceptance of things like free speech and worship. This must be fostered at a basic level and cultivated to create an American identity that is as diverse as it is unified. Failure to do so could result in a fragmented United States that is anything but united.
After looking at the data for the past two weeks covered in class, this data suggests that by around 2045, Mexicans will be the largest demographic in the United States. Not only this, but of course, immigrants from different countries are migrating to the US. The data essentially displays the rate of immigration is continuously rising. Immigration is considered a serious issue that is not being properly addressed at the moment. What does this growing diversity mean for the US? It means politicians need to direct and focus their attention on immigration in general. The fact of the matter is no many how many deportations of illegal immigrants and policies that essentially discourage immigrants (illegal or legal) to move out of the US, the number of immigrants migrating will still continue to rise, and is inevitable. What is even more important is continuously making strides towards working on our current nation’s policy.
ReplyDeleteWe have discussed in class, “America is unique among a nation being founded not on common ethnicity, but a set of ideas.” We’ve also discussed the idea of enforcing English as the “official” language for the US. America is lost, identity wise, thus serves as a huge weakness. Something such as being monolingual is such an important tool because there are so many immigrants from a variety of countries. Language should not be limited. If English is enforced, it should be used as a tool and the ability to communicate with anyone in the country, and not be done as a step to prohibit and gradually eliminate culture other than what is deemed “American”. America was founded on immigrants, as our readings discuss. More so, our readings also discuss the fact that when the term “white” was categorized, it was a common agreement descendants from Irish and other races would be considered “white”, in essence, because of their color of their skin tone. This IS when racism was actually started. This goes against “America is unique among a nation being founded not on common ethnicity, but a set of ideas.” For a large part, our nation is segregated amongst race and culture being a large barrier. Further, this is something definitely displayed in Chicago. Immigration shows that we are already definitely diverse as a nation; Chicago is very diverse as well, although segregated through neighborhoods seen as belonging to a particular race. How diversity is looked at depends on the person. It could be a bad thing or a good thing.
Culture should not be stripped. If it is, this means some Chicago neighborhoods will not be the same! China town, Greek town, Pilsen. Rather, it should be a common set truly essential ideas and principles to function well as a society that should be stressed. America is torn on the idea of diversity. America was founded on immigrants; therefore, there should be no problem no just because the immigration rate is increasing. If America is truly a Democracy, the majority of Americans including politicians will embrace the diversity and work towards a better policy, truly improving the life of an American, and American identity.
There are certainly plenty of implications increased diversity will have in the US. One of which is perhaps the most pronounced every two and four years is the political pandering. You see more and more candidates that are attempting to appeal to communities of color and what's worse is that they are often times not genuine in the attempt to attract support. Politics of diversity has become he who wins the 'brown' votes wins and that's not the way it should be.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong there certainly are those politicians that have genuine interest in communities of color and their causes but I think that is the exception rather than the rule.
As for different parts of the country I think areas like Chicago will thrive because of diversity. Throughout history we've seen that when diverse interests are met with innovation we all win. No one ethnic group has cornered the market on innovation or great ideas and that's what makes us great. When we work together we can achieve pretty much anything.
As you see the demographics of our country shift, you will see both parties - particularly Republicans - start to get serious about immigration reform. And I'm not talking about just pandering to the hispanic or latino vote, but genuinely pushing for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
ReplyDeleteWith these changing demographics, you see the advent of groups like "Battleground Texas", which argue that Texas - now a solidly red state - will be a toss-up state by the 2020 midterms. Why? Demographics.
Now, just because the ethnic makeup of our country is changing and becoming less Caucasian does not mean immediate political changes. In order for that to occur, minorities must get out and vote. In 2008, hispanics had one of the lowest voter turnouts among the subgroups (49.9% of eligible hispanic-Americans voted, compared to the 63.6% turnout of the average American).
I hope that the growing diversity fosters unity rather than division. With the no clear majority race in the near future hopefully this means groups stop voting a block and forge a common American identity where we all feel as one nation. Of course the exact opposite could happen, where the increased diversity leads to harsh political divides and community tension, but I think since the whole country has several decades to soak this in we will not go that route.
ReplyDelete2. (The last paragraph of my post was cut off for some reason, so this is my second post). immigration is a potential gift for the Republicans. If they become the party to promote immigration reform while appealing to the Catholic identity which many of these immigrants share they could potentially rake in millions of votes. I think places like Chicago will stay largely segregated despite he demographic change, and I think rural areas will remain predominantly white as well.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Princeton article; I think it is clear through his historic examples he is proving that his family sacrificed and underwent many trying circumstances to provide the life he has today. White people have bee the predominate migrating race for much of the beginning of the nation, as the immigration rates continue to increase for minorities and those of color I believe we will hear more stories of grandparents who strived in order to have their great grand kids and children here in the states. It is something that is already in the status quo, the sacrifice for the American dream is written in a lot of family trees and should not be based solely on race anymore. All family’s go on some sort of struggle that has created sacrifice and hopefully resulted in a “privilege”, privilege of a better life.
ReplyDelete`Dwelling on the current privilege such as being white, can decrease progress in creating equality. There is always going to be more privileged individuals than others but the US needs to work on creating equal opportunity for privilege to flourish. I agree it is important to recognize that white men received voting and land privileges first, women and those of color are frequently discriminated against but it essential to learn from our mistakes in history and not use it as an crush or an excuse of preventing progress. Endurance of the individual is what creates privilege for our grandkids. Many of our parents have sacrificed for our position in life today whether it be taking on two jobs or not buying new clothes and going on vacations. Humanity is constantly striving for greater perfection, that is done through assessing inadequacies that are part of nature and using ones power to alter them.
Nepotism and racism is still alive, but working to disprove those barriers one becomes stronger. At DePaul I see a lot of nepotism which makes me yes annoyed and jealous but motivates me to work harder to make connections and create my own network to establish my name in the world. I didn’t decided to be born in the class I was. Honestly, I am lucky enough to have made it to the states so I find it to be my burden despite my race, gender and socio-economic level to challenge the norms that wish to keep me down…and that is the end of my inspirational free time. Now I assume most of us will be finishing our essays :)