Race as a “Natural” Creation for Inequality
By Valeria Jimenez
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The Webster’s dictionary defines race as a competition against one another to determine a who is superior. However, there is a second definition that defines race as a group of people unified based on similar interest, biological traits, and/ or characteristics. After reading both definitions, I wonder if their meaning can be intertwined to one given that certain groups share common goals while at the same time want to be superior than each other. Human behavior has some involvement in the creation of racial segregation in the development of hierarchy among “racial groups” to compete against in today’s society.
In a documentary film, Race: The Power of an Illusion, Pilar Ossorio a microbiologist and Assistant Professor of Law and Medical Ethics at University of Wisconsin Law School stated “there’s much or more diversity and genetic differences within any racial group as there is between people of different racial groups”. This quote is further enhanced by the example of the DNA workshop that was conducted by students with different ethnical backgrounds. Using their DNA sample to compare with other samples collected globally and their classmates, the goal was to determine if they have any similar DNA coding among their peers. The students predicted that they would have similar mitochondrial DNA coding as someone with similar physical traits. The students were surprised, however, to discover they had more different coding with a person of same skin color then someone who did not. This demonstrates that the idea of classifying an individual and/or group as a “race” by biological traits is not reliable.
The term race to identify a person was developed by social construction that society gives meaning to. Hitler and his followers were a great example as to how a group desired power and control above another race, in which they targeted the Jews as a “weak race” and blamed their differences for the decline of the German government. The Nazi party most powerful weapon was the use of propaganda it was used to spread of the idea of race differences and had science to prove that the “Aryan master race” are the absolute superior in Germany. Race was just not only used to indicate the difference in physical traits but also, the competition of which race is the best and born to be leaders of society. Downgrading the lives of another human’s culture, intelligence, habits, personality traits, etc. The Nazi Party were not the only people that believed a certain race is superior than other racial groups, today in the United States the idea of race persists among us. The term of “race” that human beings have developed and made custom to has brought consequences among current social problems, such as inequality, poverty, unfair wages for workers, war, and wealth differences between countries. The most common behaviors that indicates the idea of race still remains is racial profiling, hate crime and laws that affect immigrants. Since the United states was first developed, the “Whites” and wealthy individuals had and currently benefiting from the division of people to racial groups. The United States government is filled with officials that are making laws based on the wants of corporations to increase their profit and prevent amnesty for immigrants from Central America, Mexico, China and other foreign countries and the right to access social services. In the 1920s, court cases like Takao Ozawa v. U.S. and U.S v. Bhagat Singh Thind illustrates how a person is consider “white” , even today it is still unclear. It benefits to be “white” due to the easy access of resources and to be wealth as well is double the opportunity than someone for a poverty location and not educated about resource that are out there. It can be viewed as a race (competition) between racial groups to determine who makes it to the finish line.
Based on my tanned skin, light brown eyes and black hair, people will identify me as Hispanic or when there is no option of Hispanic on a survey, I am considered “other”. I am Mexican American, both of my parents are of Mexican descent. Although, I do believe that my ancestors were mixed based on the physical appearances of my parents and the region they are from; strengthen my views of not caring about my racial identity but instead to keep an open-mind and respect other cultures/races. Having knowledge that mix culture is possible and the migrations that occurred in history across the world, led me to conclude that no matter what kind of hair texture, skin color, facial hair, eyes, etc. we are all humans, and we share a common goal in surviving in a complex and often cruel society. 
Creative introduction and nice description of the concepts in the film. I'd like you to make the connections more explicit and clear in your final paragraph here.
ReplyDeleteI liked your intro! I never thought about race in that way and how the different definitions could connect like that. I think I understand what you were going for with the Hitler paragraph, but there was somewhat a lack of connection with that paragraph and the info from the movie. To connect your different points, maybe you can say how this misconception that race is biological justified Hitler to kill the Jews; thus the issue of race naturally became an issue of competition as well…something like that? Just my humble suggestion :) Good luck and good job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Heather's comment, and like how you incorporated the other well known meaning of race with your essay, since a lot of what we are covering has to do with dominance.
ReplyDeleteFurther, I think you could discuss scape goats and the propaganda machine in your passage about Nazism. I think it would add to the relevance of the passage.