Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Talking points

Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community
by Dennis Carlson
Carlson starts off with stating how society has decided what is normal and what is not. But I ask you isnt normal only what we think is normal?? So wouldnt everything be normal but at the same time its not? Carlson also shows individuals experiences in schools that have to deal with gay and its acceptance.

"On one level,LA Cage aux Foiles may be read as a very conventional text on gayness, constructed within the normalizing discourse of the time. Gay men are confirmed in their role as the Other-a bit silly, prone to emotional and hysterical outbursts, narcissistic, obsessed with sex and fancy clothes. and inhabiting an exotic and "decadent" life on the margins."
In this quote Carlson is talking about how society has made this into the average gay male. And how it has angered him that America has made this into the average gay male. Carlson makes a good point though, because when i think of a gay male myself this is what i picture. Why?? because media makes this the gay male! And not all gay men are like this.

"If, in popular culture. being straight meant being "normal:' that is, affirming (if not always practicing) bourgeois. traditional, repressive, monogamous, married sexuality, then being gay meant-by definition-the opposite. Gay identity was constructed around the experience of being a sexual outsider, deviant,and(quite literally) outlaw."
This quote once again Carlson is saying how this is what is viewed as normal and this is what is viewed as not. So basically this is allowed and this isn't. And when he says outlaw it shows of a stronger word of rather than just "not allowed" it makes you think of illegal.
"We cannot and should not attempt to impose "politically correct" beliefs 011 students; but we have a responsibility as public educators in a democratic society lO engage them in a dialogue in which ali voices get heard or represented and ill which gay students and rc..ichcrs feci free to "come out" and find their own voices ."
This is such a good quote. At the end of the story Carlson says the previous quote. And what he is saying is we cant try and tell students what is ok and what they should be or do. Except as educaters we need to help them find who they really are and let them know all these other ways and that they are ok too.
I found this reading easy to read and not hard to follow along with. It relates back to are other readings because it has to do with diversity in some way or another. We are learning that as educators you are going to see many different views from many different people, and that all are ok and should be accepted. When i read this though i kept thinking of my cousin who is gay. And the quote where it talked about the stereotypical gay and how he is nothing like that.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Talking Points

Aria
by Richard Rodriguez


Rodriguez is stating that growing up he realized that he needed to learn English and make that his first language. Rather than speaking Spanish he realized to keep up he needed to learn English so he could speak fluently, unlike his father.

Rodriguez said "Though his English improved somewhat, he retired into silence. At dinner he spoke very little. One night his children and even his wife helplessly giggled at his garbled English pronunciation of the Catholic Grace before Meals. Thereafter he made his wife recite the prayer at the start of each meal, even on formal occasions, when there were guests in the house." I feel like in this quote he is in a way stating that he doesn't generally what to be like his father in the way that he cant speak english well. Rather he wants to be fluent and keep up with everyone else.

I made this as a good piece to read. Rodriguez story was very interesting stating how he was behind at first with his language skills and didn't know anything besides a few words than learned how to speak english fluently. And realized the more english he spoke the less Spanish he spoke. He didn't wanted to talk in spanish because it would make him realize how much his life has changed and differed.

I felt this piece was easy to read and not difficult to follow or understand. It relates to the other text that we read to the same way that we are going to be teachers and it prepares to show us how many people speak in other languages and their first language isn't always english. In the other readings they always showed us how society was different.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Talking Points 1

White Privilege by Peggy Mcintosh

This article by Peggy interestingly states that gender discrimination is taught not to be recognized as race is also. Peggy touches up on some strong examples of race in our society to where just more than jobs and roles but to everyday events.

In this first quote it shows how whites don't have to worry about a simple decision as much as a black person does "Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability." This shows how the average black person may have to worry that there money may not get accepted or acknowledged in the right way due to their race and stereotypes against them.

The next quote shows the dangers of blacks still in the modern society "I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me." This is so strongly true. If i go live somewhere most of the time my new neighbors wont be worried about my skin color as they would to a black due to the stereotypes.

This article was mostly easy to read and i didn't have many problems with it. I enjoyed the article and its many points of how white Americans don't have to worry about situations because of their race like a black American does. It also states gender issues and how men are more privileged than women are in our society like whites are to blacks.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Data show racial bias

In this article Salim Muwakkil writes about how Blacks to this day still don't have the same job opportunities that whites have. Salim uses data to show situations where blacks don't get the same opportunities as whites and how a name that sounds black will be declined an interview before a white persons name.

Salim says "The study found that applicants with white-sounding names were 50 percent more likely to get called for an initial interview than applicants with black-sounding ones. " I think this is a horrible way to decide who you hire. People shouldn't be judged on race but rather their applications that they hand in.

Salim also states that "The study found that when white and black job seekers had [he appropriate qualifications and experience for the position, whites were fur more likely to be called back than blades." I believe that situations like these will change now due to our first black president.

After reading this text I came out with that things like this are horrible. How someone does not get the appropriate opportunity for a job due to their skin color. This is horrible and is not fair to someone who has worked hard to make it through college to just be turned down not because someone is better but rather there skin is lighter. I do strongly believe this will change with our new president. But i guess we just need to wait and see!