She said “that is called a Scapegoat, this is how some in this world find a way to keep being awful in spite of their wrong doing.” I chalked this story up to be in a realm of mother goosery and went about my way thinking to myself how backward and ignorant man must have been to even have such a story (whether true or not) in existence. I would soon learn that my mother was not just telling a story, but also explaining a painful truth I would come to learn. America is a full and vibrant land with many racial and ethnic minorities to choose from. …show more content…
A melting pot of the world is what by parents proudly told me was the land I could call my own. But was it really? Was the Sunday school story of the scapegoat really that farfetched? In the era of media coverage I have learned one thing, that if this story was true, as a society, we actually haven’t learned one thing. I could cover the plight of the misrepresented and poorly presented from almost every minority group America has to offer, but here we will speak of two. I will start in order of who was first, the Native Americans. Since the beginning of exploration to our continent the Native Americans have suffered at the hands of unjust stereotypes and media portrayal. From stories of how the west was won, with its heroic cowboys and bloodthirsty savages, to the pamphlets and spread rumors and justifications to slaughter and eliminate a “Godless” threat. Native Americans have been subjected to harsh stereotypes in order for a few to justify what can only be deemed as greed and extortion. We can see the perpetuation of such stereotypes still in effect today with hurtful portrayals of Native Americans in cartoons, books, and sports mascots. This justification of subjugation ultimately leading to the deterioration of Native American culture. A loss that many may not realize affects everyone in this country and takes away from what made this land great to begin with. With this horrible atrocity to live with you would think many would take heed and not repeat the mistakes of the past. This has not proven itself to be true, and as it has done many times before America finds another scapegoat. In this case I will speak on the long history of Blacks in America and the unjustified vilification of an entire group in order to sidestep the transgressions of a nation’s past. Black Americans are often portrayed in a light of criminal activity and gang association, as well as many other stereotypes that this racial group has been subjected to in an effort to justify the oppression of millions. It is nothing new, with the masses of the past coming together in order to condone slavery, to the many today who think a black man’s place is to be seen in a recording studio, basketball court, or behind bars. Many groups in modern television shows are portrayed with class and witty banter, while many programs portraying Black American culture portray sloppy dialog as well as perpetuate unjust stereotypes. Any news media outlet can be turned on and the odds of a Black American being brought to justice for crimes those within the white community would get a