Prejudice and Racism
There are many different areas in which prejudice and racism can come into contact with a person. The most common are by religion, race, gender, and sexual orientation. In two of these categories I am a minority, in the other two I am not. The United States has gotten much better at keeping their prejudices in check but there are still times where I, or someone that I am close to are victims of prejudice or racism.
One minority group is in womanhood. As a woman, I am not expected to have muscles. Many expect me to be helpless and dependent. That is not the case with me. I was raised to be strong and independent both physically and in my mentality. Although I am a minority in race as well, I do not witness too much prejudice. I have gotten a few strange stares when I pull up to a gas station in the country at times but I don't believe it is meant to make me uncomfortable. I truly think it is because they are not used to seeing people of my color at their gas station, not because they do not want me there. I do remember I specific time where I was discriminated against by color. It was a few years ago, my friends and I decided that we wanted something to eat. We decided to go to Applebee's. The sign said "please wait to be seated." My friends and I had three waitresses walk by and one waiter. No one said anything to us. About ten minutes later a couple walks in. They waited next to us. Within one minute someone came over to help them to a table. My friends and I exchanged looks but said nothing, we figured they had a reservation or something. Five more minutes passed and a group of 4 Caucasian males walked in. They were seated almost immediately as well. I asked the waitress how long it would be until my friends and I could be seated and she said that she wasn't sure then walked off. At that point we were fed up and walked out. I had never experienced a situation like that before, nor have I since then, but I have not eaten or entered an Applebee's since then. This taught me that we are not fully evolved as a country just yet. There are still people out there who are stuck in closed-minded beliefs and have not yet opened their eyes to the way society lives yet.
Being an immigrant, Alina will probably experience more problems with racism and prejudice growing up than I did. I remember playground days. While they were full of laughter and fun, sometimes it was at the expense of other children. I recall hearing racial slurs a couple of times but not much. I really began to hear racial slurs in Jr. High and High School. I doubt that Alina will experience much in her elementary days but I wonder what will happen later in her life. Most slurs that I heard were directed at those of Hispanic descent more than any other minority. It pained me then just as it pains me now. Many Americans discriminate against Hispanics because of the common stereotype of illegal immigrants associated with them. And while Alina is young, her mother probably deals with a lot of the issues associated with her race. The Suarez-Orozco novel talks about the concern for immigration when the economy is bad but the disappearance of this concern in times of economic prosperity (p. 41). It is sad to say, but I doubt that the issue of prejudice for immigrants will slow any time soon.
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