Blog #1

Q: To help understand race-relations in America today, it's important to look back on our past/history. We've been doing that with our reading of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee's story of the South of the 30's, along with our viewing the PBS documentary, Freedom Riders, that dealt with the 60's. But this all took place decades ago. How would you sum up race-relations in America today, and more specifically, what is your own personal experience with it? What do you see are some of the more important issues, ideas, controversies at the heart of race-relations in America today?

I believe that race relations are improving from where they were back in the thirties and when race differences first presented itself in the United States. I think more people are becoming more accepting and open minded about the ideas that were seen as completely unacceptable and frowned upon in previous society. For example, interracial marriages were completely unacceptable in the past and now large parts of society today have interracial marriages. A lot of my very close friends and some of my family members ever are considered to be "mixed". In the past, the idea of a white man or woman having a child with a black man or woman was not even a thought, whereas today it is more common and is seen a lot more as years go on. Even though things are improving from the past, there are still stereotypes and prejudices and beliefs that one race is superior. There are still racial slurs being thrown around in society. However, the slurs that were seen as so offensive before are now said and condoned by a lot of African Americans today. They are mostly seen in songs and other media, but mostly during conversation. Some people refer to each other as "my n****" which in the past that would have been totally unacceptable. This just shows how quickly things can change from the 60's until now. Although some people seem to be more accepting of the blend of cultures, you will still see some people who strictly believe in separation of races. However the viewpoint, it makes our society an interesting one to live in.