Cultural Discrimination In America

Reluctance to advance alongside our newly found diverse society has had a negative impact on foreign citizens, who try to adapt to the American Culture. By changing their language and appearance, which has resulted in feelings of embarrassment amongst citizens who seek but are denied acceptance in the United States. It has commonly been known throughout the United States that African Americans, Indians, Hispanics, and Chinese have been legally discriminated against. Most people lose sight of the problematic effects that contributes to their mentality. In addition, to the negative social environment they are surrounded with, they have to deal with the difficulties of overcoming the negativity in their mind. Therefore, discrimination should not

In “From The School Days of an Indian Girl” Zitkala Sa describes how she was forced to change her appearance while attending a school for Indian children. In her memoir she says, “... the pale faced women talk about cutting our long, heavy hair” (Zitkala 683). She then follows up with saying, “Among our people short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards” (Zitkala 683).She explains how the “pale faced” women would be forcing her to break her people 's values so that she can fit in with the other students. In “Black Men and Public Spaces” Brent Staples describes the struggles he has experienced on a daily basis because he is an African American man. He talks about the different methods he has learned over the years to make other people feel comfortable around him, “ I happen to be entering a building behind some people who appear skittish, I may walk behind them clear the lobby before I return so as not to seem to be following them” (Staples 851). This is Staples method to put people around him at ease, so they don’t think he is a criminal but this doesn’t make his chances of being accepted any higher. In both scenarios they try to advance towards being “normal” but at the cost of their

In “From Hunger of Memory” Richard Rodriguez reflects on his past insecurities he says, “ In a grammar art school when the assignment was to draw a self portrait, I tried and I tried but I could not bring myself to shade in the face on the paper to anything like my actual tone” (943). He felt disgusted and disappointed with himself because other people always gave him a reason to feel ashamed by verbally attacking him for being hispanic. Despite their efforts to overcome the negativity it becomes difficult to find their identity. “Writing these pages, admitting my embarrassment or my guilt, admitting my sexual anxieties and my physical insecurity, I have not been able to forget that I am not being formal” (946). Unable to freely express oneself leads to loss in self confidence. “... and perhaps they also have teachers who are steering them away from writing and into math and science” ( 927). Feeling pressured to be limited as to what one 's capabilities are is a discouraging feeling and should not be permitted in schools or anywhere. “Their mothers instead of reproving such as rude curiosity looked closely at me , and attracted their children’s further notice to my blanket, this embarrassed me, and kept me constantly on the verge of tears” (680). Despite