&& Summing Things Up.

I have always been pretty open minded about race, cultures, and just differences in people, but after taking this class I have noticed a lot more and have come to terms that racism will always be around, no matter what. No matter how hard anyone or a group tries, there will always be someone else who wants the complete opposite. Reflecting on my cultural background and how the class has influenced me, I can say I'm sorry for all the things that people have to go through on a daily bases just because they are a different color. I personally have been called a white girl, but I can't imagine what it feels like to be called things so degrading. Its completely unfair. I was very surprised to read about things that happened to lead up to where we are today, things that were done and said, I for one can not grasp. I see things that deal with race clearer, things I would have never looked twice at, but now its all I see, its terrible how we claim to be this country of the free, when nothing is free about it.

White Guilt

White Guilt By Shelby Steele

While starting to conduct research for my research paper, I really didn't know what specifically to look for. So I typed in race and racism in the library catalog, and this book White Guilt came up. Not only a striking title but it right away made me start thinking about what it could possibly be about. 

The book cover also states " How BLACKS & WHITES together DESTROYED the PROMISE of the CIVIL RIGHTS ERA", that is a very bold statement, which I love. The thing I found somewhat strange was how blacks was put before whites, the book is called white guilt, why not put whites first, just saying. 

Anyways , flipping through the book I found two passages that stick out to me, and can be related to my topic, Does race exist today, or how has it changed. 

The chapter is titled White Guilt and one passage basically blames the supposed end to segregation for how things are. The integration was a failure, people were forced to be with their same race, so once that was lifted off, no one really got that wall out of their mind. Believe it or not I really never thought about it that way, I understand they are scared and unwilling on some parts, but the world is still so segregated even without trying, its terrible. Therefore blacks were forced to stick together. 

Another passages was about how whites try to make themselves look better by trying to prove they are not racist. One sentence that was written happens on a daily bases, " Stigma is behind the now cliched white disclaimer: "Some of my best friends are...," which is saying, "I might be white, but I am not a racist because I have friends who are black." " This statement is sad but true, just because you are friends with others that are of different color, do you not assume about others? Do believe everyone is equal? Do you believe is stereotypes? What do you do when a racial comment is made? 

This book is very interesting as I hope my paper will be, but finding good research is tough.

Fighting for an Unwinning Battle

Throughout reading the chapters, I have seen a trend that is happening, there are always people fighting for something. Was there ever a time when we weren't fighting?! People have always thought what they believe in, what color skin they have, what language they speak, and clothing they wear was always better than the other persons. Why is that? How come we can't just respect the other culture and embrace what they have to bring to the melting pot? We were all put on the Earth for a reason and that reason is honestly to reproduce, not to fight! We are suppose to be making a nice and friendly environment for the future, but what kind of future were they making for us? One that is based on things that really don't even matter, I understand race and ethnicity will always be there, but what for? Its just something to pick at. It just makes me upset to read that little children had to pick up a gun to protect themselves because they were Native American. What did they do so wrong, mind their own business? Shocking.

Research Topic.

Thinking about a topic to pursue for the research paper, the only thing I could really think of was, how racism and race has basically evolved today. I would like to touch on how racism was in the beginning and how now I personally never really hear a lot about race. I mean I know it is still out there and bad things are happening everyday, but its not like a KKK member is walking down my street. Times have changed and that's what I really want to touch base on. 


I would love some feed back on how you think I should go about this. What should I spacifically research, looking from our age group? Or just as a whole? Or what? I am wondering what would you want to read, what would be interesting to read and more importantly research? 

I would really like to do this topic because I feel I got get so much from it, opening my eyes and others. I just hope I can find enough on the topic to purse it fully. 

Unbelievable.

All through school, elementary, middle, high school, and now college, I have learned about slavery and things that happened throughout that time period. Knowing this already helps me understand more into the reading. There were as many buyers as negros,"Francis Nicholson commented on a sale of 230 slaves in Virginia in 1700, "and I think that, if 2000 were imported, there would be substantial buyers for them." "The negroes are bought annually in large numbers, "a visitor to Virginia reported. "They can be selected according to pleasure, young and old, men and women. They are entirely naked when they arrive, having only corals of different colors around their neck and arms." Page 60. 

Just the thought of these poor people being put on display for sick individuals to bid on and buy like they were an item off a grocery store shelf. I find it very morbid and it makes me sick. I feel like if the tables were turned this would have never happened. I keep trying to wrap my head around the thought off stripping people from their families, homes, their lives, and their dignity, just because they have a different skin color and don't speak our language. Aren't we suppose to be the land of the free, well that's not very free to me. Why did they have to be put on display without clothing? Sick. It hurts me to think people think this was right and the way they should be treated. I deep down believe that if slavery would have never happened that whole race issue would have calmed down and no one would care, but that's in a perfect world, I guess. 

I know no matter what I think or say, it still happened. Its just hard to think that people are so easily provoked to hurt others. I wonder who was the first person who said it was a good idea to make them into slaves. Terrible.

Who Am I. Where I've Been. && What I'm Doing Now.

Who I Am.

Through out the years I've been trying to figure out my background, and all I get are bits and pieces, so I am going to put it all together the best I can.

My moms side of the family is a mixed bunch. Her moms, mom (my great grandma) came to America from Sisile, Italy when she was six. The last time I saw her was probably when I was ten, she has recently passed and I wish I could have learned more about our history.  

My moms, moms dad (My great grandpa) was also Italian and from Sisile. This is the only thing I really know about him. He passed before I was born therefore I never got to meet him.

My moms, dads side was from Canada, the French quarters. This makes me part French Canadian. I'm also told that on his side we have a part of Native American in us, tribe Blackfoot. 

Now my great great grandma was from Ireland and married into my Grandpas side and they ended up having 17 children. I don't know how they did that.

Now my dads side is a bit simpler, his dads parents were a hundred percent German and my grandpa married my grandma who is German and Lithuanian. It was my grandpa that actually changed our last name to Keyes instead of Kaessaska due to the fact that no one could pronounce it right. Lets just say his mother wasn't very happy about this.

So all together I am a mixed breed, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Irish, French Canadian, and Native American.

I think its amazing being what I am, I am a part of many cultures, even though my family doesn't follow any of the traditions or ways of the cultures, its just nice to know that I am a part of a very diverse background.

Where I've Been.

 I grew up in Chicago. I lived in Rogers park all my life up to my junior year of high school. I've always been the minority in my school career.  I wasn't raised to look at people with a color or stereotype attached to them. Saying this didn't make my schooling career easy. Being the minority is hard, everyone looks at you funny and doesn't understand why you don't speak a different language or why your white. I learned to live with it and made lots of friends, sure they cracked jokes about being white, but I never really cared.  

In  high school it was a little different, everyone started to grow up and in get involved with the wrong people, and or started getting into trouble. Needless to say I was wasn't one to ever do drugs, join a gang, or get into trouble at school. I was around that stuff everyday learning and trying to understand why people did what they did. Eventually I got called white girl everyone in a while, and asked questions about being white. I remember one that stuck out, " Why do all white people like mayo?" For some reason this was really funny, sure I laughed thought it was funny at the time, but growing up and realizing how people stick these stereotypes to people of different colors and its just ridiculous. Another thing  that made me really uncomfortable about school was when they talked about Hitler or the Slaves, I always felt singled out because I'm white! I'm not the one who did it, my family didn't do it, so stop looking at me, because I for one did not agree with those actions either. 

My sophomore year my grandpa died, we lived in the apartment building he owned and once he passed my grandma sold the building. We always talked about moving but this was kind of rushed. We found a house in Antioch, Illinois. This is where we still are today. 

My junior year of high school was probably the worst year of my school career. I knew absolutely no one, everyone had their clicks already, and I was just the new girl. I've never been the new girl before and it wasn't fun. 

Eventually I fit in and made some friends had some boyfriends, and some breakups and graduated. 

Moved on to CLC, and continued my job a Menards. 

What I'm Doing Now.

I have been working at Menards in Antioch for about 4 years, I finished my Associates Degree of the Arts at College of Lake County. At Menards I met my boyfriend of about 2 years now, and I couldn't be happier. Now I'm on to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside working on getting my degree in Business. I wanted to become a Wedding Planner, and eventually own my own business but as of right now I'm sure that's what I want to absolutely pursue. I"m the new girl again and I have to say I still don't like it, but its not as hard as before. I don't know anyone at Parkside but hopefully that will change soon, but my main focus is getting my degree and getting a real job.