I have realized that it’s not really my generation that has a problem with having relationships with people of other races, but more the generation before us. Both of my parents being born and raised in Pakistan, they automatically assume that I will marry a Pakistani, Muslim (Sunni) girl that is smart, pretty and basically the perfect package. And although I would like for that to happen, just to mainly please my parents and extended family, I definitely do not shutdown any other opportunities to become close to someone of another race. I live my life without any regrets and if I discover that I am interested in a certain person, I am interested because that person holds a certain special trait that to me is very appealing; in no instance would their race ever play an important role in my decision. But ultimately, the respect I have for my parents and all that they have done for me, I believe I owe them that much to try and find a girl that comes close to their expectations. I have had girlfriends in the past that were of a different race and they had all been fun and loving relationships and were not ended because of cultural or racial differences.
After looking at the question from the opposite perspective, I have to admit that religion can play a very important role in deciding whether to date outside one’s race. In many cultures, one is explicitly forbidden to marry outside of their religion, and if they do, a sin has been committed. One of those cultures being my own; but in my situation of being born and raised in the United States and having parents from outside countries, nowadays a more “Americanized” or modern outlook has been taken on this subject. My parents realize that the schools I have attended in my academic career have been primarily white but even so, they expect me to make an effort to try and network within groups of the same race and religion.
Ultimately I think the single most important factor in determining whether someone will date out of their race, would have to be that persons self-conception and whether their self-esteem is high enough to overcome the stigmas society will put onto them. For example, in one of my past relationships I had been dating a blonde cheerleader of the same age in my high school. Everything was going great until I walk by some of my Pakistani/Middle Eastern peers and notice that I am getting glared at by every one of them. I felt like I was seen as a sellout or I had somehow crossed the line and “joined the other team.” Being the confident person I am, I brushed it off and kept living my life; but just the fact that something like that had to happen proves that race plays a very important role in picking one’s significant other.

I have been wondering about this same question for a while now, how can affirmative action force equality when it gives certain demographics an advantage or increase in likelihood of being hired? I do understand the basis for how affirmative action has come to be and it has been very successful in achieving some common ground for people to have equal opportunity, but that doesn’t mean one can overlook the fact that in said situations, a person with a mixed background has more of a likelihood to be hired than would a white individual wielding the same qualifications. I see it as a double-edged sword, on one hand one must understand the reality that white people fulfill the majority of positions of power within this country and there must be some room left for people of color to be able to strive for success, but on the other hand one must consider the fact that race shouldn’t play a factor in the hiring process and if two candidates are equally qualified for a certain position then there must be a different manner to determine who will be the winning candidate.
Myself being born in America with both parents from Pakistan, I find myself inadvertently leaning in favor of the side regarding the assistance of people with non-white backgrounds. Although I have nothing against white people and their success, I do feel that without programs like affirmative action, the cyclical appointment of whites in positions of power will never come to an end. Affirmative action does level the playing field…somewhat. From the perspective of a non-racist white person, I would guess that they would have some sort of problem with affirmative action because it is one extra hurdle that they must overcome in their path to success that people of colored backgrounds wouldn’t have to encounter. But without this hurdle, the thought of change becomes that much harder because without affirmative action, current individuals in power- i.e. whites- would rather be appointing people as similar as possible to them to become their replacements.
Thinking about it from the other perspective, if I was a black man applying for jobs where equally qualified whites were applying, I would be unemployed for quite some time without the thought of affirmative action to help me on my journey. The competition will always be there and whites have earned this “cultural advantage” without earning it. So until the positions of tomorrow are filled with a variety of races and ethnicities, affirmative action will remain to level the playing field and assure people of color that they have a fighting chance to succeed in their long-term goals of becoming as successful as they strive to be without having to worry whether their ethnicity played a factor.

I believe that people on today’s society are more racist towards Muslim people because of the events in the past few years. Although there are many African American Muslims in the world I am assuming that the speaker means “typical Muslims” as in those of Middle Eastern descent; which I shouldn’t have to do but this is one example of stereotypes that are overlooked within society. Being a New York born Pakistani Muslim, I have seen and experienced numerous examples of how this racism has become greater than that of what the African American’s would have to face today. This “War on Terrorism” going on in the native countries of many American born mixed-raced individuals has not helped to alleviate this racism. Having lighter skin compared to others of the same race, I seem to fall within the category of “he may or may not be of Middle Eastern descent”; although I have experienced racism first hand I do believe I experience it at a much smaller rate than would a person of stronger Middle Eastern features.
Every summer when my family vacations abroad, I can predict exact instances as to when a “random baggage check” shall occur and to me it is almost comedic; for these workers to be as blatant as they are. But who can blame them? Based on facts compiled from recent years, a Muslim male is considered much more of a threat than say a white woman. The media has portrayed Muslims in such a negative light that society has no other choice than to oblige and take control of the situation when they are able to. As I wait in line to go through the next step of airport security, I can slowly feel the worker’s eyes look me over, to see if I’m engaging in any “suspicious activity” maybe, or it could be that they just like the clothes I am wearing. That first suspicion should not even have to cross my mind but due to the level these stereotypes have elevated to, I am forced to think defensively as often as I can when an awkward situation regarding race surfaces.
In my academic career, I have never experienced any sort of racism because of my religious faith, but it had never really been brought up. Why should it? One’s religion shouldn’t affect the level of education one shall receive and the professionalism around me as I progressed each year reinforced that notion.
Overall, in today’s society I strongly believe that people are more racist towards people following Islam than people of African American descent, but ultimately I hope one day that racism is something individuals read about in the history books and finally everyone can be seen as equals.

I’m glad this question was brought up because before taking this class I don’t think I would have thought white people to have as much privilege as they do. Being an individual born in New York, yet having parents from Pakistan; I have grown up with both ends of the spectrum, from growing up in a society where the majority is of Caucasian descent and also growing up in a household where white tendencies were nonexistent. But due to this “white privilege” it has helped other minorities come up “through the cracks” and be able to succeed in the same world and society that whites have dominated for so many years. Programs such as affirmative action, have helped tremendously in leveling the playing field for all participants in a certain expertise, but this also negatively affects the competition because if two applicants, one white and one black, applied for a job that were equally qualified, the employer may be in the mindset to hire an individual from a non-white background. When has race played any role in determining whether a certain person is capable of doing the task at hand?

After going through my day to day routine with this topic in my mind, I slowly realized that white privilege is all around us to be witnessed first-hand. Looking at my history books that are littered with pictures of wealthy white men, one has to notice the trend; whites are the first to become wealthy, they choose to be around others that are similar to them… more wealthy white men, and then the snowball effect comes into play. Generations upon generations of the same thing, whites in power hiring more whites to follow in their footsteps, leaving very minimal room for other ethnicities to strive for such success.

An example of white privilege in today’s society can be the fact that white people are free to shop in stores without the clerk suspecting foul play. When people of certain ethnic backgrounds enter a store, they may be followed by store personnel or just kept under a close eye. If this ever had happened to a white person, they would be completely lost as to why someone would suspect them of being a criminal or thief. But instances like these show just how privileged white people are in today’s society.

Stereotypes also play a very important role when analyzing how white people have it a lot easier in society compared to those of colored backgrounds. A few years ago when I was still attending high school, a black friend of mine wanted to try out for the school ice hockey team, and knowing that he would probably make it since he had been playing for many years, I attended the tryout. As he skated onto the ice, the coaches started to joke that black people cannot ice skate, let alone play hockey. If someone were to say that about white people, again...confusion would immediately follow.

I feel like determinism has played a tremendously important role in how I have gotten to where I am today. Growing up in an upper- middle class household, both parents being first generation immigrants; once I had begun my academic career my parents could not stress the fact enough that I am expected to excel in every aspect and anything below exemplary grades is the same as failing. Due to this I was a straight A student since first grade all the way to my senior year of high school. I am always thankful that my parents had pushed to me to exceed in all that I could, but still would allow me to have a life outside of academics; I have been playing soccer since I was six years old and loving every second of it. My parents basically advised that I am free to do whatever I want but above all, academics is of the highest priority; after that, everything will fall into its rightful place. After I had graduated from high school with all honors and an un-weighted grade point average of 3.9, along with holding many leadership positions within my schools extracurricular activities, I had always expected myself to go to college; there was basically no other option. My parents made it very clear that I was to attend college in a field that I am interested in and I shall graduate and get a job and be on my way as a young adult holding numerous responsibilities. Being the youngest of three children, and beginning my college career immediately after my sister receives her master’s degree from Columbia University, and the oldest sibling my brother becoming a successful physical therapist; I had felt a little pressure to do absolutely outstanding at Penn State because the competitive side of me would never want to be outshined…especially by my siblings. Also, seeing how hard my father had worked his whole life; starting in the mail room of an elite investment firm on Wall Street working all the way up to becoming the Managing Director of all US operations in that same firm, motivated me tremendously to succeed and be able to care for my family as my father had done for us. So as this determinist perspective shows, many things were out of my control in the journey of becoming a present day student at Penn State University. Regarding free will, I can proudly say that even though I had been expected to accomplish what I have, I had also expected that from myself; forcing myself to strive for excellence and when I achieved said excellence, it felt great. Now I see how these two different perspectives both play important roles in how one becomes who they are, and how one gets to where they want to be in life.

My answer to your question would have to be that since the comedian is a part of a minority, it is allowed by society for them to make fun of everyone around them, no matter what the audience’s ethnicity is; but since in this country the majority of the population being white, it makes it hard for people of the audience who are part of some minority to relate to what is being said from the white comedian. Being a first generation American, both my parents being born and brought up in Pakistan, I often see myself favoring the colored comedians over the white because the white comedians simply talk about things that have no relation to my life. The hardships that I have faced in my life are probably very different from what a white person may have experienced. Being a part of a minority, my upbringing is much more relevant and similar to that of someone coming from a colored family. When a colored comedian jokes about how when they were growing up, their parents were always threatening to beat them with whatever was in their hands at the moment, I can relate to this as my parents constantly did the same, to some extent. But that same joke coming from a white comedian wouldn’t have been as effective because the “parental violence” in this case, would never be associated with white people.
Also, different comedians basically cater to different races; for example in class a Russell Peters stand-up comedy skit had been shown and any avid follower of his would realize that probably 95% of his material is catered around minorities, directly correlating to his audience. That other 5% of his material dedicated to white people is never a long thought-out joke, but more of a little quip to throw in when he wants to. To prove this further, almost every one of my friends coming from a colored background is an avid fan of Russell Peters, while none of my white friends have ever heard of him. Being an Indian comedian, his fan base primarily lies around people who share his Middle Eastern background, and then through word-of-mouth, the white fan base may be enlightened…eventually.
So in conclusion, I believe that the tense feeling after a white person would say something originally meant to come from a colored person is felt because the final goal of a comedian is to connect with their audience on a very close level. If a white person starts to mention race within their act, the people in the audience coming from a colored background may feel that racial discrimination has turned its ugly head once again; that is why race is a very delicate subject when one wants to use it within a comedic act.

When thinking about how I classify myself, I don’t think I fall into just one particular classification; there are numerous categories that must be considered in order to fully understand who I am. Primarily, one must begin with my sex, something much different than the aspect of my gender. I, being a male genetically and physiologically, classify myself as a male and following social norms that society has placed upon me, my gender is one in the same. Regarding religion, I was born and will always be a Muslim, a Sunni Muslim to be more specific. Many of my friends share this characteristic, and I find it much easier to relate to someone when we follow the same faith. My parents had enrolled me in classes at the local mosque when I was young, and as I grew older I had accepted all of the teachings put upon me and tried to reinforce them within my everyday activities. Along with being a male following the Muslim faith, another classification that I feel I fall into would be in regards to my race. Both of my parents being born and growing up in Pakistan I see myself as one in the same but, being born in New York I realize that I have grown up in a much different manner than that of my parents. I see myself as someone in the middle of both cultures because, my parents being first generation immigrants to the United States, I had been brought up as any average upper class American; through the teaching I received in schools and around my friends I assimilated with my peers but in my home I experience life as a Pakistani, for example speaking our native language of Urdu. Regarding my occupation, currently I am a 20 year old student enrolled at Pennsylvania State University majoring in mechanical engineering; this being my full-time job title. Straying away from the typical classifications that many would consider, in regards to my hobbies i think one hobby of mine would help me reach within the spectrum of, being a “sneakerhead.” I currently own more than 100 pairs of sneakers, varying in brand name, and in New York this is my ticket into a very elite “club” if you will, of society. Secondly, I have been playing soccer since I was 3 years old so I would like to classify myself as a soccer player.
There are so many ways to classify one’s self; one that comes to mind would be “places I have visited.” This can narrow down the groupings based on past experiences, and for me the list is quite long; Pakistan, London, Switzerland, California, Florida, Michigan, Orlando, Manchester, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, and the list goes on. This is just one of many ways that I can classify myself and a way to differentiate myself from my peers.
So in conclusion, I would classify myself as a 20 year old Pakistani Muslim student from New York currently studying at Pennsylvania State University, who has a fondness for sneakers, soccer, and traveling across the globe.

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The reason we still have stereotypes is because we encounter them everywhere we go. As others have stated, media perpetuates these stereotypes and reinforces the fact that people must join in. And as much as I would not like to admit, stereotypes have been engraved within our culture, for example such beliefs as thinking all people of Asian descent must be talented in mathematics or the sciences; once an example surfaces of an Asian individual not fitting this stereotype, people look on in disbelief. This obviously should not be the right reaction to someone who doesn’t fit a stereotype but in today’s society, it is the only way to react according to the majority of people.

The fact remains that stereotypes play a very important role in society today and I think we are past the point of actually being able to eradicate them forever. As media plays its large role regarding stereotypes, individuals have no choice but to go along with it because the media makes it seem that whatever they are portraying is the right thing to do or the right way to act; basically transforming assumptions about particular groups of people into “realities”, thus perpetuating social prejudice and inequality.

If I were to turn on my television and scan a few channels, there is no doubt in my mind that I will see multiple stereotypes being reinforced in commercials, or even entire shows. For example, a show I had viewed about life in high school for a couple of students. Of the characters, the African American had been the athletic and sports-oriented individual; the Asian had been the smart and nerdy individual, while the white character was in the middle of the two, excelling in sports as well as academics. These choice of characters reinforce the fact that the media molds their programming around the obvious stereotypes that we would all like to see come to an abrupt halt.

As well as on television, stereotyping also takes place in the world of written or paper media. Women’s magazines are full of articles urging that if they can just lose those last twenty pounds, they will have it all- a rewarding career, the perfect marriage, along with loving children. By presenting an ideal goal that is difficult to achieve, the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits, thus rooting these stereotypical advertisements to fall within the spectrum of economics.

Along with these women’s magazines presenting a difficult to reach goal, perhaps the most disturbing fact is that the media’s images of female beauty is unattainable for all but a very small percentage of all women. Media activist Jean Kilbourne concludes that, “Women are sold to the diet industry by the magazines we read and the television programs we watch, almost all of which make us feel anxious about our weight.”