One important point that I gleaned from Nancy Foner’s chapter “The Sting of Prejudice” is that race is actually a concept that is constantly in flux. To begin with, it is a social construct with no basis in genetics, and therefore it can evolve as people’s viewpoints evolve. In particular, Foner demonstrates how the white immigrants of eastern and southern Europe – in particular, immigrants of Jewish and Italian ancestry – went from being openly discriminated against to more or less being absorbed within the larger white American populace. However, at the height of their discrimination, it was interesting to see how thoroughly each category – be it Jewish, Italian, or even Irish – was broken down. But of course, even though race is capable of evolving, the white immigrants have the distinct advantage of being similarly colored. Both native-born black Americans and West Indian immigrants continually face resistance despite the progress that has been made. Somehow, color continues to hold them back. Now in our “politically correct” society, discrimination is more subtle and covert.

Political correctness and its boundaries are some other issues that struck me while I read this chapter. In the early twentieth century, it was not only approved but also normal to make blatantly racist comments and overtures in speeches, interviews, and other forms of communications. Particularly in the 1920s a series of nativist books were published confirming Americans as descended from a superior Nordic race that should not be tarnished by other less superior races. Now today, as a society, tolerance is the state that we are moving towards and discourse regarding racial or ethnic stereotypes is largely inappropriate. However, in gray areas such as comedy or even in everyday conversation, where is the line drawn between freedom of expression and political correctness? Is it better or worse to internalize thoughts of hate, or could they be expressed in a different, more vicious way?