In "African American Self-Reliance in Postracial America," Marcus Coleman describes how the election of Barack Obama created a new racial discourse in America. It has been four years since the election of Barack Obama to the White House, but have race relations really changed for the better in America?
Here are some Internet sites that discuss the concept of a post-racial society. The first link is from a person's opinion on the web--it is not scholarly at all, but it does give a different perspective of a postracial society.
http://http://www.positivearticles.com/Article/Opposing-Views-of-a-Post-Racial-Society/47974
The author's opinion is that race is still an issue in America. The author wrote this piece in 2009.
In a recent art exhibition in Los Angeles, an artist depicted a group of white men attacking a black man for dating a white woman. You can see the slideshow at this link:
http://www.examiner.com/artists-in-los-angeles/kienholz-s-five-car-stud-reminds-us-that-post-racial-is-still-a-myth
The point of this artwork is to reveal the violence that can still occur in our society today. If our society was really post-racial, events like this would not occur. Certainly, they are more isolated, but these incidents should never occur in our society.
Is it possible that the election of President Barack Obama to the White House has made people more silent about the realities of racism? What can an individual do to combat racism?
In "African American Self-Reliance in Postracial America," Marcus Coleman inquires: "how do we as a nation work to alter the traditional meaning of the white-black binary?" (13).
What can our society do to break down barriers between races and ethnicities?
Why do you think fewer people are talking about race today than in the past?
Discuss your experiences with racism and what you think our society needs to do to "alter the traditional white/black binary opposition.
Works Cited.
Coleman, Marcus. "African American self-Reliance in Postracial America." Our Voices: Essays in Culture, Ethnicity, and Communication: Fifth Edition. Ed. Alberto Gonzalez, Marsha Houston, and Victoria Chen. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. 10-19.
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I Believe that America Has alot of other issues to be dealing with other Than Worrying about whether America is Post Racial and Self reliant. I dont think america will ever be PostRacial Because of the little things such as, the way politicians look at Obama. Not only because of the Color Of our Presidents Skin, But also Because People aren't willing to get to an undersatndment and fully Respect other Cultures Due to Past Hurt and Pain. Noone is Really Ready to Relinquish Blame. Everything that has ever happened Has to Be Somebodys Fault. So with that being Said Yes America may be entering a self reliant Stage But that still Has nothing to Do With making America PostRacial.
ReplyDeleteblack people have a hard time being self reliant because we don't support our black businesses enough in our communities unless its a barbershop ect. Tupac Shakur once stated in a song called Krazy, "black people are scared to let each other fly." song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2bJt6l0yWk
ReplyDeleteI disagree that the election of Barack Obama changed our society into a multiethnic society. There is no solution to a more diverse society. The only thing we can do as indivisuals is to make sure that we are not carrying the same ignorance as others and better ourselves by becoming more self-reliant and excelling towards success.
ReplyDeletei don't believe that the election of Obama "drastically" changed the way African Americans/blacks depend on the government but it did have some change...It made some feel as though if he can accomplish things then i can too. But there are some African Americans that don't like Obama and still doing what they was doing before
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