One of the most intriguing topics my students and I sometimes broach is that of racism and in particular whether it exists today or not. It's a touchy subject, because there are so many varying perspectives and of course no simple answers.
I recently watched a video of Tim Wise, anti-racism activist. It's a long video (the lecture itself is 1 hour and 17 minutes). But I think it's worth the time just for the fact that it makes you think and try to perceive the topic in a different manner. I always try to keep an open mind when it comes to touchy subjects, and whether I agree with the points brought forth, I value the chance to see things from another's perspective.
Two things I found interesting about his lecture and that I could relate to...
First, Wise talks about stereotypes, and how what one person of a certain ethnicity does or says seems to reflect upon all others in that same ethnicity. In other words, it's a sweeping label applied to all minorities based on the actions of one person in that group. But Wise says the same does not usually apply to whites.
I remember when a Hmong hunter named Chai Vang killed some white hunters in 2004 in Wisconsin.. oh, the fear of repercussion in the Hmong community after that situation. I know many Hmong hunters who questioned whether they should hunt anymore; some stopped altogether. And then shortly after, a Hmong hunter was killed by a white hunter, some say in retaliation for the Chai Vang case.
I have often wondered that if Chai Vang represents all Hmong, then can Jeffrey Dahmer (a killer, cannibal, and necrophiliac) represent all white people? No, of course not. That's just ridiculous. But that is exactly Wise's point.
Secondly, along the same vein, there is also the archetype, which Wise says is when a person is pigeon-holed and expected to fit the mold for his or her ethnicity based on what society deems acceptable. And when a person strays from that, it can be confusing for others to place them categorically.
When I heard what Wise says around the 50 minute mark of his lecture, I had to chuckle a little because he's basically describing me. I'm an Asian-American whose specialty is English, and yes, I have been questioned many times on what I'm doing in the English field (I guess I'm supposed to be a math or chemistry nerd instead of a literature nerd). When I still taught high school, I remember a father of one of my students came in for parent-teacher conferences and the first thing he said to me was, "My daughter's in a regular English class, right? I mean, this isn't like an ESL class or anything, is it?" I knew he was asking, because he didn't think an Asian-American person, such as myself, could possibly understand English enough to teach it.
And yet another one has said to me, "Wow, you can actually speak English fluently! Not even an accent. Good for you!" *pat on the back* I've also been told, even by other teachers, that I should really go into teaching ESL or English as a Second Language classes instead, because... well, I would do more good there, which could be true, but I love teaching English at the higher levels. That is, after all, where my passion lies, being able to delve deeper into literature, reading, and writing.
Now to be fair, I'm also questioned by people of my own ethnicity. You see, stereotypes and archetypes exist within ethnicities among ourselves too. Hmong females, if they go into teaching, almost always choose the Elementary Ed level. I can't count how many times I've been questioned by Hmong people as to why in the world I decided to teach high school, and now that I'm teaching college, still the same questions. I don't fit the typical Hmong female archetype according to some in the Hmong community, and I don't fit the typical Asian archetype according to some in the white society. I guess I just am who I am, and I follow what my heart tells me to do. I don't take it personally though, as most people who question me don't do it in a rude or offensive way. They are simply curious or surprised. I'm always willing to explain, and it is of course an opportunity to discuss and expand the ways of thinking.
Wise doesn't really touch upon this as his area of expertise is in race relations, but there are so many different kinds of stereotypes and archetypes, and many of them apply to white people too. A person's body or size, for example. Usually, after people are done asking me about my choice as a Hmong person teaching English, their next question pertains to my size. I'm a small person at 5 ft and 105 pounds. Most people are curious as to how I can possibly handle a 6 ft, 200 pound student who misbehaves in my classroom. The answer is simple: there is no correlation between a teacher's physical size and his or her ability to effectively manage a classroom. Even though I'm a petite person, I have hardly ever had classroom management issues. It comes down to what your rules and expectations are in your classroom and whether you consistently adhere to them or not. My size has nothing to do with it.
So yes, of course racism, stereotypes, and archetypes exist today and in so many forms, big and small. We've made progress though. But Wise asserts in his lecture that in about 50 years, half of the U.S. population will consist of minorities. What does that mean for our nation, and how will that affect race relations? It'll be interesting to see the shift in demographics in this nation and how that's all going to play out.
There's a lot more about racism in Wise's lecture, but this has been a very long blog post already so I will stop here. When you find the time, I encourage you to watch the video and let me know what you think.
