Blog#3

Blog #3

In Pithissippi Burning, the author comments on Pith and his readers who believe in a white America, free of Multiculturalism. My reaction to this article was yes, there are people who feel this way, but whether they like it or not Multiculturalism is here stay and no one can ignore it. Perhaps, it has gone to the other extreme, where one cannot say the wrong word to describe a race or you will be sued. One needs to understand the past, to see why multicultural groups feel so passionate about being misrepresented or misnamed. In one sense,I cannot blame them. When you have been mistreated, disrespected and even murdered for your race, religion or color you will have a strong opinion about what is said about you. However, multiculturalism can go too far, when one is so nationalistic about their race that they discriminate others.

Last year, when I was teaching Kindergarten ELL, I noticed how a few of my children from Hispanic descent treated my children from African descent. A few didn't want to play with the child from African decent and would not treat them nicely. One child told me that their parents didn't like African Americans. I jumped in and taught a whole lesson on how we are all special and wonderfully made. I made it my priority to show those special few, how I felt about my African American children. I believe ignorance breeds ignorance and the truth about race can change those who will accept change. Some adults, never change and die with negative views about race, others become whole as they open themselves to change.

In " Why Multicultural is Wrong", the author discusses how multiculturalism is wrong and oppressive to immigrants. I don't agree. Multiculturalism is not perfect, and as I stated before. It can and has gone extreme at times, with nationalistic pride towards ones own country, where one separates themselves from others and discriminates other groups that don't believe, act or do as they do. However, I believe multiculturalism is positive, and helps people learn from one another, appreciate differences and unify us all. It is all based on ones perspective.

In "The Challenge of Multiculturalism", the author's discusses views that are contrary to that in, "Why is Multicultural wrong". The author discusses America leaving behind it's single mindedness and becoming a nation that is open to culture. I believe in teaching and celebrating cultural differences as well as discussing what really happened in history, and learning from the past so that what is negative in our history doesn't happen again.