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Jason Woffinden

FHS #3
9/20/16
My Journey Through Racism

In modern day America we face a very large issue of racism and stereotyping. Is it just here in
America? No, but all of us know that stereotyping has been an ongoing problem for thousands of years so
does that make it okay? In my opinion I dont understand why racism exists. We are all human beings
who eat, drink, and breathe the same air therefore stating that we are all one or one race the human race.
Hatred and fear has taken over humanity and it doesnt show signs of stopping. I understand how it could
have been intimidating for people off a different race or lighter pigmentation back in the day to be
hesitant of those with darker and vice versa. Most countries and communities would live their whole lives
without seeing or having contact with another man or woman of a different ethnicity. But today in modern
world America we are a very diverse country with many different races, groups, religions, and cultures. I
am a firm believer in following the counsel of our United States constitution which states that all men
are created equal.
Growing up in Salt Lake City I was raised to love all men and all races. My parents strived to
teach me correct principles and to express equality towards my fellow classmates and teammates no
matter their skin color. I will admit that even though I love all African Americans as I grew up I would
often make judgments or stereotypes stating that all black people were gangsters and thugs. Where did I
get these crazy notions and ideas? By the music I listened to, school, or the media that portrayed African
American athletes who were constantly getting into trouble for many different crimes such as armed
robbery, murder, domestic violence and so forth. Now is this a correct assumption? No, it is not. Like I
stated before I love all people. The opinions I had from the past were false in many ways due to media,
opinions of others and overall just being judgmental.
Today my incredible, beautiful, and loving fianc belongs to another race or ethnicity than me,
she is Latina or Mexican. With politics today many Americans are pushing for mass deportation or
millions of Mexican or Latino people all because of them living here illegally. Hatred and racism is
tearing our country apart. Did I always show love towards Latinos? No, I wasnt racist however just like
African Americans I had my assumptions and labels for them. The Spanish language was a major factor
for me, if I couldnt understand them they didnt matter to me. The music and overall culture was
something absurd and confusing to me. However two years ago I chose to serve a mission for the LDS
church in Southern California and guess what? Spanish speaking. I came to LOVE the Latin people and
their culture, music, food and everything about them. I am so grateful for those two years of my life. They
changed me and today I embrace my fiancs culture and ideas as my own and I even speak the Spanish
language which I couldnt stand years prior.
As for Asian Americans and Native Americans the same points I stated earlier apply. By me not
understanding their cultures and ideas I made assumptions that I was better or smarter than them all

because of skin color, looks, or different ideas and it just wasnt true. The major question I have now and
always will have is why cant we just stop? Why do ideas and stereotypes control our human nature and
cause wars and physical and spiritual harm to others? In the text book it states the focus of this chapter is
more about on how parents shape their children, children also are socializers in their own right (Strong
& Cohen, 2014, p. 360). It is up to us as individuals to make our own choices and opinions regarding
others. As I progress to becoming a married man I plan to raise my children the same way our parents
raised us and that is to love all people despite of skin color or culture and to get to know people before
creating judgmental assumptions.

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