Sunday, August 11, 2013

Week 2 Response: Mary C. Waters, “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?”

Mary C. Walters has given a different prospective of racism based on ethnicities. Ethnicity gives people a chance to categorize men and women based on their skin color, language or any other prominent feature. It is basically stereotyping. The concept of "Symbolic Ethnicities" is when people take part in the traditions they believe they follow, when they feel it’s important. For an example, a person who thinks he is Irish but takes part in Irish cultures only when its convenient for him. White people generally do not take part in any ethnicity and so are not affected by its disadvantages. On the other hand, non-white people who do tend to participate in their ethnicities are bound to certain misconceptions and judgments. People following these ethnicities are somehow disgraced as they are bound to marry in their ethnicity, live in that area, and work where they all work. This creates a social hierarchy between whites and non-whites. Giving whites an undue advantage and restraining non-whites from succeeding in their lives. 


It is not necessarily true that people tend to mix only with people of their own ethnicity, but it wouldn't be wrong to say that they bond easily as they can understand each others prospectives, being brought up in the same culture. In a country with so many ethnicities residing together, some are bound to fight and some bond really well. It is just a matter of opinion. If one has an open way of life, he/she can really help create a better society. Help create equality and spread prosperity

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