2008 Woodie Awards
Ending discrimination creates brighter future
Jackie Reitmeier
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Opinions
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The United States is the melting pot of the world.
We have every race and religion you can think of present in our society at any given time. Our immigration rates are always high, consisting of people searching for more opportunities and equal rights regardless of their background or the color of their skin.
I wish I could say this nation has taken leaps and bounds toward promoting diversity and acceptance of everyone, but I'm afraid I just can't lie to you like that.
Everything is really about the color of your skin, and discrimination is alive and flowing in more ways than you can understand.
When I think of racism or prejudice, I often think of the unfairness that has been wrought upon minorities. African Americans were segregated within society and not allowed to vote, Native Americans were forced onto reservations and Asian Americans were confined to detainment camps during WWII. Granted, these are only a few examples of the horrible things that have happened over the centuries, but they are important, nonetheless.
Minorities have taken amazing strides toward assuring they gain equal rights like anyone else. Can you blame them?
I think it's amazing they have so much strength and willpower in the face of adversity, even after all of the mistakes white people have made. But don't worry; we're aware of everything the people before us have done wrong.
Working in a grocery store, I was lectured by a Native American customer about how I was "just a stupid European" and took all of his land from him.
In my high school, I was called racist because I wanted to take a German class instead of Spanish. My family was called discriminatory because we hired migrant workers for the summer.
I am white and proud of it; much like any other race is proud of its heritage. When my family immigrated to this country, we were in the minority, and in about 20 years, we will be again. But will my children have access to a United Caucasian College Fund? Will they be able to start an organization that promotes their cultural heritage or watch White Entertainment Television without being sued?
I doubt that very much.
The point of this piece is to ask you, when will you help to change our future? When will you encourage others to set aside our differences, forget the past wrongs and rights and start new? We are the generation with the power to change the world.
I think it should start right here.
Don't you?
We have every race and religion you can think of present in our society at any given time. Our immigration rates are always high, consisting of people searching for more opportunities and equal rights regardless of their background or the color of their skin.
I wish I could say this nation has taken leaps and bounds toward promoting diversity and acceptance of everyone, but I'm afraid I just can't lie to you like that.
Everything is really about the color of your skin, and discrimination is alive and flowing in more ways than you can understand.
When I think of racism or prejudice, I often think of the unfairness that has been wrought upon minorities. African Americans were segregated within society and not allowed to vote, Native Americans were forced onto reservations and Asian Americans were confined to detainment camps during WWII. Granted, these are only a few examples of the horrible things that have happened over the centuries, but they are important, nonetheless.
Minorities have taken amazing strides toward assuring they gain equal rights like anyone else. Can you blame them?
I think it's amazing they have so much strength and willpower in the face of adversity, even after all of the mistakes white people have made. But don't worry; we're aware of everything the people before us have done wrong.
Working in a grocery store, I was lectured by a Native American customer about how I was "just a stupid European" and took all of his land from him.
In my high school, I was called racist because I wanted to take a German class instead of Spanish. My family was called discriminatory because we hired migrant workers for the summer.
I am white and proud of it; much like any other race is proud of its heritage. When my family immigrated to this country, we were in the minority, and in about 20 years, we will be again. But will my children have access to a United Caucasian College Fund? Will they be able to start an organization that promotes their cultural heritage or watch White Entertainment Television without being sued?
I doubt that very much.
The point of this piece is to ask you, when will you help to change our future? When will you encourage others to set aside our differences, forget the past wrongs and rights and start new? We are the generation with the power to change the world.
I think it should start right here.
Don't you?