Radial Stereotyping - an Overview

Radial Stereotyping - an Overview

  • Submitted By: my101
  • Date Submitted: 03/14/2010 6:32 PM
  • Category: Social Issues
  • Words: 486
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 416

Racial stereotyping is placing identity and labels on people of different race Racial stereotypes vary from historical accounts to media’s portrayal of race. In other words, it associates certain images with racial groups, which are intentional or unintentional. Racial stereotyping can create and lead to misunderstanding and misconception of people of different race, usually due to misinformation or lack of understanding/clarity. It can be used as means to exclude certain groups. Racial stereotyping doesn’t have to be stated; it can be implied through a person’s beliefs or speech. A few examples of racial stereotyping are “Italians are passionate, blacks are lazy, Jews materialistic and lesbians mannish in their demeanor (597).” To name a few more, Arabs are terrorists, Germans are Nazis, Japanese are sacrificial, Native Americans are savages, etc. These are over-generalized ideas based on claims that lack credible evidence. I think it’s ironic that “minorities [are] more likely to stereotype one another than whites (232).” However, it is the system of advantages that benefit white people with the knowledge of tolerance. Very unfortunate that minority groups are tearing at each other’s throats while the system is taking a toll on their personal lives. The issue isn’t so much that racism exists within our country. That’s only a fraction of the dilemma. The real issue at hand is that white privilege exists within our society and it is pervasivelytaking effect on our personal lives. If we can make it so that privilege exists for all within our society, only then can we solve the issue of race.
Blaming the victim is “an ideal, almost painless, evasion (691)” to the point where despite years worth of attempting to redefine the American system are confronted by the unchanging or widening racial differences. The U.S. government isn’t trying to promote equality, but...

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