Reading Foner’s chapter on race made me think back to my sociology class; we learned that race is not biologically real, but that it was a social construction that plays an integral role in shaping society, even though race was thought to be genetically based in the past. It’s hard to imagine how racial discrimination was so prevalent before that it was common for reformers like Riis to use racial stereotypes in characterizing Jews and Italians. The racial persecution was yet another obstacle that immigrants had to overcome, even though they were in their enclaves. However, although race is a a topic no one really discusses, it still destroys the lives of the racial other.
I made a connection between the racial discrimination the immigrants faced and the Eugenics movement that started in the U.S. and continued in Hitler’s plan in having the pure, Aryan race. This shows that the racial discrimination could manifest into something even more sinfully atrocious. A modern-day example is how racial discrimination results in racial profiling; more blacks and Hispanics get put into jail than whites. Even though history tends to repeat itself, and racial discrimination is more secretive and less blatant, as seen in the change from slavery to unjust laws concerning segregation to racial profiling, it is important for blacks to be identified not on their skin color but their ancestry.
It is quite difficult to think that a century ago, immigrants from Southern and Eastern part of Europe, Jews, and Italians were considered the racial other because they are considered “white” on the basis of skin color. The racial hierarchy has placed stigmas that damage ethnic pride. However, why have Asians changed from being on the lower part of the hierarchy to being near-white? As an Asian American, I have seen the Asian immigrants acculturate; I’ve seen many half-Asian, half-Jewish children.
The perception of race will continue to change.If people from the early 20th century saw the racial pyramid now, they would be astounded. Who knows what races will be accepted and what races will have the identity of the racial other?
