American Misconceptions In Joe R. Feagin's Racist America

En boca cerrada no entran moscas. “Flies don’t enter a closed mouth” was engrained into Gloria Anzaldúa’s mind as a child living on the Texas-Mexican border. When she was in elementary school, speaking Spanish on accident led to her getting smacked with a ruler by her teacher. She was then sent to sit in the corner for “talking back” when all she was trying to do was tell her American teacher how to accurately pronounce her name (Anzaldua). Oppressive incidents like these became a recurring part of her childhood and, unfortunately, the same can be said for many others like her. The oppression that Mexicans in America are facing has been an ongoing issue for many decades and the issue does have an end in the foreseeable future due to the newly elected president Donald Trump. Mexicans are not able to live high quality lives because of American misconceptions and racist actions towards them in their communities and within the U.S. law. This has …show more content…
Joe R. Feagin, author of Racist America, discusses the condition of the United States in regards to our tendencies:
“In the United States, racist thought, emotion, and action are structured into the rhythms of everyday life. They are lived, concrete, advantageous for whites, and painful for those who are not white. Each major part of the life of a white person or a person of color is shaped directly or indirectly by this country’s systemic racism.”
This puts the advocators for Mexican equality in a difficult place. I agree with his argument and can see it in everyday life through the way that the Mexicans are treated. However, does that mean that there is no hope for change? Do we need to just accept the fact that they will never be welcome in this country and move on? Absolutely not. When I look at his discussions, I see the possibility of something great to be happen; an impossible feat to be