PART 1
We’ve covered 2 chapters on diversity and assimilation (and pluralism). In chapter 3 we go into greater detail on prejudice and discrimination. The chapter open with a discussion on all-weather liberals and all-weather bigots. This shows the variety of ways to describe people who are prejudice and negative their attitudes. There are some people who can be prejudice and not be discriminatory, while others can be both prejudice and discriminatory toward other group(s) or individuals. What is prejudice and discrimination? Prejudice is a thought (negative image or attitude) and discrimination of the action, preventing people to have access to opportunities. Prejudice can also surface when the economy is down. You will hear people say, “I had a good job until the Mexicans came in and took our jobs.” “I found out that this job just hires Mexicans.” This can also be an example of scapegoating, blaming other people? “Prejudice can lead to feelings of frustration and aggression.” People sometimes deal with personal feelings or disappointment by expressing their anger against a substitute target (or scapegoating)”(p. 71). As the book suggests, minorities make as easy target for blame. So, how does a person become prejudice towards Mexicans or any group? Socialization? I remember watching a film about babies in a hospital maternity ward. The camera goes up close to the babies and asks, “are these children prejudice? You begin to hear that prejudice is learned behavior. The authoritarian personality point to a situation where children are around parents that are prejudice and they learn this type of prejudice and stereotypes about groups. The authoritarian personality suggest that these children also come from a family situation that has “stern and highly punitive styles of parenting” (71). They in turn, have fear toward the parents and produces scapegoating and target prejudice towards minorities.
In my home office, I have a Mexican learning on a cactus. It was a gift from my class. I couldn’t draw a Mexican on the board, so they bought me a statue of Mexican. The statue has two stereotypes. One, a Mexican sleeping-lazy, and second, a Mexican leaning against a cactus. Or, Mexicans are lazy and stupid. We have so many examples of stereotyping of minority groups that we you hear them in every day life. What happens to those who are in the receiving end of stereotypes? People begin to believe the stereotypes, both the majority and the minority group. I’ve heard Latino students tell me, “I’ve never been good in math, that’s the way we are.” This leads to what is called “the self-fulfilling prophecy”. The group begins to believe that this is the way they are. The real test of time about stereotypes, they can lead to bad decisions about people. We will discuss the “Black lives matters” movement, example of stereotyping becoming “racial profiling”. Class difference can lead to stereotyping that can create “labels”, labels of being from a lower class. There was an old TV program called “the Beverly Hillbilly’s.” They discovered oil on there land back in the hills of Tennessee and moved to Beverly Hills, California. Now they were part of the wealthy families of Beverly Hills. But, the brought their “hill culture” with them. Their neighbors were a “refine upper class personalities” (the bankers wife), that fought to have them removed from the Beverly Hills. The hillbilly’s did not have the upper class culture. This is an important point to make and to be aware of the consequences of “social mobility.” Social mobility is the functionalist concept that suggests, when you have an education, get a good job, good salary, you can experience social mobility for all your hard work. You can move from a working class to the middle class. However, keep in mind, you grew up in the working class and have that “class culture” that you bring with you into the middle class. The middle class has it’s own culture and does different activities than the working class. When I go to the desert with my working class friends to race dune buggies, some of middle class friends don’t go out to the desert, why? Now, add my Latino culture, and what do have? We’re out in the desert racing listening to Mexican Music, joking in Spanish, great beverages, and having a great “Mexican working class time”. When you compare classes, and your moving into an upper class, this can change you. Living in Palm Springs has changed me from living in San Diego. In time, you will experience “social distance” between yourself and your family, friends, co-workers. Social distance is another concept that our chapters cover that we will discuss throughout the semester.
When the United States began to move from the city to suburbs in the 50’s and early 60’s, many were White middle class folks. Many of their children were raised in these “White middle class” neighborhoods. This first suburban neighborhood that sociologist began to study was Levittown, Pen. Many moving to Levittown to get away from city and it’s crime, dirt, and minorities. Their kids went to better schools, parks, great clean neighborhood streets and infrastructure, and many family support systems (PTA, Boy and Girl Scouts, etc.). Many grew up without coming into contact with minorities, this lack of contact caused the “social distance”, they were pretty much segregated in their own way. I mentioned before, when I got drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War, I have met White males who had never interacted with Mexicans or eaten Mexican food. However, they did know the “stereotypes” about Mexicans. Many were prejudice and tried to discriminate Mexicans in the service. Overall, there were just as many White soldiers who loved being around Mexicans and other minorities. Many are still my friends from high school or were in the service. They had “contact” with minorities and didn’t have “fear”, like many of you in this class. Your “socialization” was diverse, you had contact with many groups and people that you got along with regardless of race and ethnicity. That’s why I asked you about your high school population in your first discussion.
The last point, “hate” and “hate crimes”. Living in Palm Springs, we have a large LGBTQ community. In fact, our mayor is gay, and we have two council members who are gay. Throughout our country hate crimes are on the rise and much of these hate crimes target the LGBTQ community, if you read and follow the news, you will find the rise of hate crime against high school kids that are gay. There are numerous reports on hate crimes toward Mexicans and African Americans. We will discuss hate crimes against our groups, which occurred throughout their (minorities) history in the U.S.
Ch. 7 Native American Indians
Robert Blauner used the term, “internal colonialism” to characterized the status of minority communities in the United States. The term “colonialism” describes the status of conquered people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and other nations under the control of European rule. The United States before independence was governed by the British and fought for their U.S. Constitution in time. As you recall, “taxation without representation.”, based on governmental and economic policies under a King and Queen. Like colonialism, Blauner suggests’ that the reservation, Black ghetto, Mexican American/Latino barrio, and other minority communities are under the control of the President, Congress, and the Federal government. As the result of this control, “Native American Indian life was marginalized, powerless, and isolated.” (P. 126) Native American Indians were basically excluded from society in what can be suggested as, “outa sight, outa mind.” Except when it has to do with a “pipeline,” or “Washington Redskins.” Or, when people ask, “why do we have so many casinos?” The Native American Indian population was historically reduced by disease and warfare, and from “genocide.” Then, there is the U.S. Census Bureau who is in charge of counting all the people in the United States, as a Constitutional responsibility. Prior to the 60’s, the Census Bureau had not profiled the total U.S. population, this meant that important area of society were not being taken care of. For example, the census determines financial aid, political districts and representation. This is important today because the Trump administration wants to add a Citizenship REQUIREMENT to the counting, only those who are citizens can be counting. Make sure you keep up with this issue, it will be in the news until this is resolved.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there has been a resurgence in the Native American Indian population, along with an increase of culture, language, and spirituality. Many tribes have gone back to the old ways of sharing and cooperating with tribal members, enhance solidarity, and land ownership. The tribes continue to attack the effects of the BIA, “the Acts,” “lack of education,” and maintaining “SOVEREIGNTY.” The reservation continues to create positive experiences to tribal life, similar to the Black community and Barrio. While they live in a segregated community and lack resources, this creates a sense of community and creates solidarity among the tribe. When it comes to assimilation, which direction should Native American Indians go?
Today, when we study SES, Native American Indians have the lowest educational attainment levels than all the minority groups. The have some of the highest unemployment rates than all groups. Health conditions have not improved on many reservations, they lack poor housing, health care, and infrastructure (water systems, sewage system, streets, etc. Why do these conditions continue to exist when they have casino money? Not all reservations have casinos. Overall, Native American Indians have a low SES, this is what the last part of chapter 6 is discussing. Another point is marital assimilation, marrying outside of the Indian tribe. Will this affect “blood quantum” What about the political process of political participation, representations, and elections? How will people, especially the younger generations deal with these issues? Pipelines? Stereotyping? Chapter 7 address many of these issues.
Select ONE of the following questions. It should be 1- 1 1/2 in length, double space, regular font. Make sure you add quotes for information that you use from the textbook, and the page you found the answer. The second part should be your opinion. Make sure you read the rubric to get an idea of what I’m look for, besides the syllabus. This report is due on Sunday June 23, 11:30 pm
1. Define and distinguish between prejudice and discrimination. Distinguish between the affective and cognitive dimensions of prejudice.
2. Describe the seven degrees of Borgardus’s social distance and it’s relationship to other cultural based theories of prejudice.
3. Explain the scapegoating hypothesis and how it applies to the workplace in today’s society?
4. Among the U.S. minority groups, Native American Indians have a unique relationship with the Federal government. Describe this relationship and explain how it has affected Native American Indians. In what ways, if any, has this relationship been positive or negative? Acts?
5. Discuss the Red Power Movement. When did they became a movement? What did they fight over for the Native American Indians in the U.S. AIM? What were the issues that AIM went after? What would Indians say about SES?
PART 2
Please respond to the lectures and chapters, adding your opinions. How does this all fit with the terms prejudice and discrimination, and your thoughts about these two words? Have you ever heard someone say a prejudice statement against someone? How did you feel about the statement? How do stereotypes work against a group(s)? I’ve heard stereotypes about Native American Indians being “savages.” being lazy and stupid. Yet, I know that laziness and stupidity comes in all colors, why is this stereotype associated with minority groups? Do you think the U.S. economy can create racial tensions? Do you think the genocide of Indians created prejudice and discrimination? How can we reduce prejudice? The Civil Rights Act of 1964 can challenge discrimination acts legally, what do we do with prejudice, since we can’t legislate “freedom of speech?” Should Native American Indians have sovereignty?
Remember, you can answer the questions in a general way or select a few questions to discuss. I will not participate in class discussions unless I have to referee. I will have a discussion with each of you when I grade your discussion assignment for that week. You can refer to the rubric, click the three dots, and find show rubric.
DON’T FORGET, I’M LOOKING FOR 3-4 REPLIES FROM EACH OF YOU, NOT SENTENCES ONLY. I know you’ll have some interesting discussions throughout the semester. Keep in mind, many of your class colleagues respond early in the week to get replies, which means many have finished this assignment before the week end. If you wait for the weekend, you may not get many replies. You will just be replying to other statements without replies. PART 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw1jxAxwqxo
Your film review for this week is, “The Spirit of Crazy Horse” (Blue Link upper left hand corner, click your mouse on link, this takes you to the film. I’ve mentioned to look at the site that has an Indian chief and 54+ minute film with PBS. This is the film you want to watch.
This film is a short history of the Oglala Lakota, or as they are known, The Sioux Nation of South Dakota. They live on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, which is the home of the Black Hills. The U.S. Government had made a treaty to protect the sacred Hills that are important to the Sioux spirituality. However, rogue miners found gold and pressured the U.S. Government to take back the Black Hills. As you watch this film, you will learn about the issues, conditions, U.S. Government conflict, and become aware of the plight of Native Americans. Keep in mind, the U.S. Government made over 180 treaties across the continent between the government and the Native American Indian “nations.” Each tribe was considered a nation. For our class, study how the relationships between the U.S. Government, American settlers, and Native American Indian came to be. Assimilation was a great priority for the U.S. Government and the people of the United States. While you can study the Jamestown settlement and the Native American Indians, we can see familiar patterns throughout the continent to the west. Manifest Destiny ideology would impact the relationships and land between White settlers and Indians. In time, it would be a good Idea to watch commercial films like “FortApache” with John Wayne (old school) and “Dances With Wolves,” you’ll get two different perspectives about Native American Indians. I will send out a list of films that you can use for extra credit, many will be films that you will see in other classes or your upper division classes(university). Take note, “baby boomers” grew up watch the John Wayne type of westerns, and these films affected their view about Indians. When we played cowboys and Indians in our neighborhood canyon, no one wanted to the Indians, why? I will remind you constantly, the 50’s was a religious conservative period and SOME baby boomers today still have those attitude, “a good Indian, is a dead Indian.” Keep an eye “spirituality” being discussed by different Native Americans, “500 Nations” had numerous examples of spirituality, like taking care of the land. Something interesting. European had built many large cities using European timber, this depleting the forest. Once they landed in America, they started to use timber and send it back to Europe. Now, when you read about the Removal Act, we focus on moving Native American Indians from the east to west. So, all we see is the movement of Indians from one region to another. However, as the gentlemen said, when you move a person(Indian) from the soil he/she was born, you take away their life cycle that is based in that soil. When we moved the Indians, they were set up for failure.
Using you notes from the film, answer all the following questions. Like your reports, double spaced and typed, 1 1/2 pages in length, and don’t forget your OPINIONS. You can add notes from your chapter and “500 Nations” if you like, so you can write more. If I was in an upper division class, these films and other materials would be my introduction to the history of Native American Indians, along with a series of questions that I would be looking at. I say these things because in your upper division classes, you will have to write term papers that could be 25-30 pages. I will remind you from time to time how to organize your work for term papers (I taught upper division courses at SDSU for 20 years).
1. Like most of our class materials, our class covers history before we get into sociology. At the beginning of the film, the Native American Indians in the film discuss past Indian experiences with the U.S., that lead to their current conditions. What are they saying about that history and experience? The “Acts?” Loss of Land? Reservation life.
2. What can you say about the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)? Why would Native American Indians want to get rid of this federal department? What was good or bad about the BIA? Why would the BIA work with the Mixed bloods than with the full bloods? How did the BIA and Mixed bloods control the reservation?
3. The American Indian Movement (AIM) was a civil rights organization, how did they feel about the BIA? What changes did they want and why? What were the issues that AIM wanted the public to be aware of? Don’t forget the “Acts”, culture, spirituality, land, and sovereignty.
4. What are your opinions about the overall Native American Indian experience? What about their future? What do you see happening to Native American Indians today? Good or bad? Based it on what you’ve read and seen
PART 4
he European conquest of the new world, could be characterized as “ethnocentric” and “militaristic,” along with religious zeal. However, before we can discuss this characterization, we must elaborate on what was here before the conquest. According to traditional European (soon after, American theory) theory, “how did the original people get here?” is asked. The traditional European theory answer is, “20,000 to 40,000 years ago, hunters were able to cross from present day Russia to Alaska. They crossed a land bridge that had been created by the ice age in an area called the Bering Strait. They then migrated from Alaska down to present day South America. Now, another Idea that people theorize, is that, people migrated along the South Pacific currents and winds to reach South America. Or, some believe that when Africa and South America were one land mass, some people stayed on the continent of Africa, while others stayed in South America. The indigenous people have their own theory, “We have always been here.”Their spiritual foundation grew out of the earth they stand on, and their destiny is to protect the earth. The Maya of Mexico believed they came from corn, they were known as the corn people, since they developed corn that we use today and around the world. The Incas believed they came from their creator a sea god from the Pacific Ocean. They all flourished and became great civilizations. The Maya for example, were great mathematicians(using the zero before Europe), astronomers, and block builders with great city centers. The Inca built their cities on platforms on the side of mountains cut from rock, so precise that we don’t know what they use to cut the rock. Then, there is Chaco Canyon in the four corners of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. This was home of the Anasazi, the ancient ones. All these indigenous people of this hemisphere left a wealth of resources that are still with us today. They are products that were discovered and sold throughout Europe by the Conquerors. The list of products include: Corn, avocados, tomatoes, chocolate, chili peppers , all from Mexico, Tobacco, animals (like turkey), vast mineral products like silver and gold, and most important, “territory.’ In the era of contact, this would become known as the colonial period of world history. This would be known as the “Colulmbian exchange.” Columbus on his return to Spain took back evidence of new findings besides gold. Trade would soon emerge between Europe and the New World as it been done between Europe, Africa and the Far East. However, the biggest human killer would the diseases that European introduced to this hemisphere, Guns and disease would be categorized under the descriptions of genocide. Colonialism brought slavery to the new world not just for Black slavery but Indian slavery. In Mexico, if you notice, there is Black influence but not as much as the United States. Why? Because Spain didn’t have to go to Africa to get into the slave trade. They had used Mexican Indians as slaves, it was called, “the encomienda system of Latin America.” Plus, the Spaniards had children with many indigenous women and produce a group of people who were European and indigenous.
However, for North America, it was the Black Hills that would produce statements “that we’ve always been here.” The Black Hills region, along with Chaco Canyon, are some of the oldest mountains in North America. The native people developed culture, language, farming, cities, and their economic trading system. As Europeans landed on this hemisphere, Europe had large cities of grand scale. London for example had a modern city character, well on it’s way of becoming what we would call, “modern cities.” Thus, when the Pilgrims landed in Jamestown, the Native societies were flourishing and thought the new settlers were the uncivilized people. I remember a scene from the movie “Little Big Man”, Little Big Man is talking with grandfather, and grandfather says, “they destroy everything, they are not humans like we are”. That is why we are looking at Native Americans this week and the original “Contact”, so you can see racial and cultural interaction between indigenous people and Europeans. This contact would result in the conquest of this hemisphere and death of many indigenous people. This was the era of Colonialism.
England, Spain and France were the most powerful countries in the world. Colonialism for them was to control as much territory as they could for their “Kings and Queens.” I went to South Africa and Botswana a couple of years ago. This was a British colony at one time, it was a stop between England and Asia, to get supplies and repair their ships, but South Africa had two resources that made England rich, slavery and Diamonds. For the Spanish, Latin America would enrich Spain with so many riches like gold and silver. These colonial powers would also bring government, European culture and language, and slavery. They would bring war and disease that would decimate millions of indigenous people. The indigenous people would be forced to assimilate, loosing their power and culture. They had to learn a new religion that was different than their spirituality. In the film “500 Nations”, the film covers this colonial period quite well, hopefully you will get a change to see the whole documentary some day. As the United States began to establish itself after independence, the U.S. began to expand westward and with it a continued pattern of contact between Native American Indians and American settlers.
At the time of western expansion, the United States believed in “Manifest Destiny.” With this belief, the United States would go to war with Indians in the west, and win a war against Mexico. These two victories would give the U.S. the present day southwest and northwest. Because of this expansion, President Jackson and President Polk began to establish government policies towards the Native Indians. The first major policy for President Jackson, was the “Removal Act”. This was a policy to remove the Indians from the east to west of the Mississippi on what would become known as “reservations.” The idea was to remove the Indians from the good land they held and open up the west for U.S. settlers, just like your western movies. Because of this desire to expand, President Polk began to establish government policies (through executive orders, like Trump) towards the Native American Indians, Polk had run for President on “manifest destiny”, following the steps of his mentor President Jackson. It’s important to recognize how the Removal Act, and other policies, affected the Native American spirituality. Where the land an Indian was born, there whole life cycle was tied to their birthplace. The Creator (God) had set their whole life to that birthplace. Once they were “removed”, their life cycle was totally disrupted and ruined because they could not fulfill their life cycle. Native American Indian spirituality had many beliefs, we’ve covered two major ones, care for the land and their life cycle. We will continue to give examples of their spirituality throughout the semester. For example, care for the land was like their environmental spirituality. Another difference,Individualism was not an Indian value, it was the tribe. Individualism is an important value in the U.S. culture.
As expansion continued, treaties between “each tribe” (nation) and the U.S. Government were signed (over 180) reservation were established throughout the United States. This was to open up the west for U.S settler and begin to build the railroad throughout the west. To keep control of the Indians, the Federal Government would carry out the policies set up by U.S. Congress and President. It was the War Department that was responsible for carrying out those policies. Congress would create the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to monitor and govern all tribes in the United States. The BIA was to ensure that Indians would assimilate, get educated, Christianize the Indians to get rid of their heathen spirituality, and accept the “American culture.” This would be in keeping with traditional pattern initiated from the first contact. If you watch the film “500 Nations,” and our other Native American films, look for all these elements in the films.
As time went on, Indian reservations began to take hold and reservation life had to deal with isolation, poverty, lack of resources, lack of federal support, and were generally powerless in creating any change. They were under complete control by the governmental policies which were based on numerous Congressional “Acts”. In the early 1900’s, numerous Indian organizations began to call for change in their poor conditions and life on the reservation. They were not successful in changing the minds of Congress, except for a few representatives not enough to create good policies for the Native American Indians. I wasn’t until the Civil Rights era, that things began to change, this era also ushered the Black Movement, the Women’s Movement, the Chicano Movement, and even the Asian American community would participate. The major civil rights organization for Native American Indians would “The American Indian Movement”, (AIM). AIM reminded people of all the broken treaties, loss of land, life on the reservation, poverty, the effects of assimilation, lack of education and jobs, and lack of power. The problems for urban Indians was worse, they were relocated to cities to become “American”. However, it was an old Supreme Court decision that sparked the Native American come back. In the case of Cherokee v. Georgia, the Court reinforced “Sovereignty,” sovereignty would mean “self determination.” Indian tribes would have their own reservation government without the Congress and government interfering with tribal policies. The BIA continued to control the reservation and often clashed with tribal governments. AIM’s big push was to get rid of the BIA and their influence. AIM and other Indian organizations were successful and sovereignty was now in place. By the way, many Native American Indians would service in the military during WWII, mostly in the Marines. There is the history of “the Windtalkers”, which was made into film.(extra credit).
With sovereignty in place, Native American Indian tribes began to establish “gaming.” Gaming passed in many states and soon casinos began to flourish on reservations. With this new economy, the reservation began to develop jobs, housing, health clinics, educational facilities, and investments outside the reservation. The federal government had long ago established a “number system” to distinguish blood lines for “real Indians,” this allowed Native American Indians to receive monthly benefits. These benefits were like poverty wages that made reservation life difficult, but keep in mind, the reservation was the cultural hub of the tribe. That is why I give the class the assignment of attending to Powwows.
As we finish chapter 7, we will discuss current assimilation, culture and language, and SES. What challenges are emerging today. For example, interracial marriage could create some problems that will need to be address. As they begin to blend into other groups through interracial marriage, how will this affect “blood quantum and their number.” What about reservations that don’t have casinos? How are they doing?
TERMS : impact of industrialization, “Acts”, minority status, status of Native American Women, BIA, assimilation and culture, AIM, Trail of Broken Treaties, SES, interracial marriage, reservation life, casinos, sovereignty, mascots, the old buffalo economy, spirituality, prejudice and discrimination, primary and secondary levels.
