This
is what I had learned about Cultural Diversity in the United Stated to help me
better understand and relate to others is people are different and coming from
different backgrounds and culture, people are similar even though they are
coming from all over the world. When I
moved to Portland Maine
about a year ago, I was surprised to learn there were many African Refugees
that new to the United States; they had moved to moved for better benefits. They are presented in their African clothing,
which are brightly colored somewhat sheets that they wrap around their bodies
and heads, which is very appealing. When
it was hot outside, I could not figure out how they could stand the heat. I then remembered that they are from Africa,
and their clothing style is very important to them like it is here in the
United States with our catchy styles and brand name products, we are very
similar and the same, wanting to look fashionable.
Learning
that coming from a White Irish racial background, in Ireland there are two groups of
Irish people. The Southern Irish people
are Protestants and the Northern Ireland
(ie Belfast, Donegal, Derry)
are Catholics and have been many battles and bloodshed over this religious
conflict that still although not in the same intensity as today, however, it is
still going on and major issue. Irish
people have a tendency to like to drink a large amount and know how to enjoy
themselves. They are very kind giving as
the expression says "they would give the shirt off their back". The weather in Portland
Maine is very similar to Ireland, cold, and damp with a
slight short summer. There is also many
farm land here in Portland Maine,
and you could smell the fire places burning just like they burn peet in Ireland.
In
2050 ,
trends and immigrations will shape the demographics of the United States. I think that the United
States population will look like very much similar as Los Angeles, or New
York by the vast number of cultural influences or for
better terms a melting pot. I hope that
many Americans will be speaking multiple languages and enjoying all the
different cooking styles of food, and all of the diverse influences of the many
cultures that will exist in the United
States by 2050. I also hope that students in school will be
taught more about the different people and the ways throughout the world. Fashion majorly will be and will adapt a more
of a universal worldly clothing fashion.
I also think that the United States will be taken in more international
refugees more worldly culture and exposure to more social styles and will move
the United States toward a better balance and understanding of the many ways of
the world.
The
United States
faces many challenges in diversity of its many people, and there is still a
large percent of the population that believes supporting racism bigotry. These changes will not be able to move
forward in the United States
racially and culturally, and will not be as diversely accepted the worldly
trends in diversity. This is not just a
problem with White people, it is a problem facing all the different cultures in
the world because racism has many colors, fearing of something new scaring
everybody, but with it comes change and I hope that we all could get along in
this world and
every one
occupies. The world and United States
has come a long way in battling this war on racism, but it is still has many
miles to move ahead before people could see that although different we are all
people.
The
benefits of a diverse society is that everybody could get a long and live
together in a peace society free of hatred, racism, and bigotry. Just because someone is gay, black, Hispanic,
Indian, or Asian does not give bigots the right to discriminate against any
kind of people, so the benefits would be able to live your life in a free and
open manner, without fear adverse reactions.
The major benefit would be exposure to many cultures, food styles,
languages, and fashion styles. The last
benefit would be able to live in a world where everybody accepts everyone for
what or who they are, and could contribute to the world for all their diverse,
and different lifestyles with everybody just plain getting along together.
It
would be nice to foster a climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism in the
world and the United States. There is so much that we could learn by the
acceptance and exposure of the many different cultures and lifestyles of people
throughout the world. This includes the
acceptance of lifestyles of their equal rights to live with the same rights of
everybody else in the world, including the right for everybody to get married
even though many religious organizations find this unacceptable. If it were not for all the legal benefits and
tax benefits that marriage provides, I think everybody would be entitled to
that right. Also everybody is entitled
to the same benefits such as disability and not having the choice to not work
because certain things that they can not control. I feel that if refugees could get the
benefits easily in the United
States, why not citizens who were born here
can get the same benefits easily and quickly.
Does
media perpetuate stereotyping racism and prejudice? The entertainment industry in music,
television, and movies portray an image that people of different cultures
including GLBTQ community as either stupid or effeminate they are the majority
of the time are presented in a comical betrayal of other people's lifestyles
except for white people. For years the Hispanics,
Black people and others had complained of the stereotype in the inaccuracy of
these portrayals of their people and lifestyles. This is especially true on television and in
music. Black people and Hispanics are
betrayed as ignorant and the deviates of society such as gangsters and
criminals of involving themselves in drugs and pimping as the preferred
lifestyle of these people.
While
the smaller and independent movie makers and cable stations seem to have a
better perception for diversity different cultures and lifestyles. I think this is because of the smaller
independent entertainment industry does not have to answer or forced to follow
the major entertainment industries constant portrayals of the different culture
lifestyles of society. They seem to
portray a more accurate description and example of the different lifestyles. To
them it is funny and entertaining at the same time, in dealing with facts and
details of the history of where they come from, which is a nice alternative to
the big business entertainment portrayal.
The
United States
and its diverse individuals can work together to reduce prejudice, and spread
appreciation of the different cultures and lifestyles. This is by spreading the appreciation of its
people, forcing major entertainment to accurately portray people for who they
are, and the good of people instead of the negative. Following the example of smaller
entertainment portrayal of lifestyles, and things different, another example
would be cleaning up the movie industry of their portrayal of gangsters, drugs,
and partying to a more accurate description of people lifestyle. Another example would be forcing the
television industry to focus on the positive descriptions of the many different
people in this world. I think that
people, if they were given the chance to see this type of entertainment, major
television stations would see that this is what people want to see along with
entertainment about detective shows and so on.
I
might change my own behaviors and perceptions to be more inclusive and
pluralistic of what the world and its different members of society can
contribute, to my own patience and understanding of the disabled, they need a
little extra time to do the same things that everybody else can do, and to offer
help when it is needed, which I do to a certain extent. However, I do need to improve my own need to
be fast and not slow. After all, my
partner is disabled and I have to assist him to perform daily functions because
he uses the cane for outings he has a hard time keeping up with me, so by using
patience and understanding I have learned that I can apply these
characteristics. I also need to improve
this toward the different cultures of the world.
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