The Balwin article "A Talk to Teachers," really spoke to me. Though it is outdated, I feel alot of it still applies today and not only to Black students but all minorities. We are expected to love our country, especially in this time of war, but our country does not love us. Instead they allow the continued segregation of inviduals with in neighborhoods and schools, they still permit the systematic oppression of people from diverse backgrounds, and do not push the promotion of people from various backgrounds. But if we complain about this system what do we hear? "Why don't you go back to your own country?" This comment I've heard said around me and said to me many times.
Baldwin says "...societies really, ideally, want is a citizenry which all simply obey the rules of society." It is easier to run a society when there aren't many going against the grain. Moving with the flow keeps everyone happy and ignorant that not everything is rosy and bright to the point that even now racism has become an invisible problem. We all know it's there but we can't see it.
Until we bring this invisible problem to light and work against the system to change this, minority students will continue to hear comments like "Go back to your own country," when they finally stand up and speak against the injustices of this country they are supposed to love.
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Well this article and articles from my History of Latin America class got me thinking. The only people in America that are "supposed" to be here are the Mexicans in the Southwest and the Native Americans everywhere else. Therefore, everyone else are the people that no one else wanted. Those from European descent were hated because of their religion or they were poor and wanted an opportunity, blacks were sold by other blacks for weapons and just as currently Mexican immigrants are poor in their nation so they are coming to start a better life for others. But they are just really taking the job in their native land. Crazy!!
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