Blog #9

As Americans we strive for change in hopes issues like race and immigration can be pushed aside. What exactly is the right terminology? What exactly is the wrong terminology? (Real Question) It all depends on the perspectives people portray on other people. By digging deeper into the history of racial issues America has succeeded to change. I feel that the arguments in the article all have valid points when dealing with race and immigration and proper terminology amongst ones racial background.(Simple sentence with compounded verbs connected with ands) For example Rev. Jesse Jackson makes a clear statement saying, “Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to some land base, some historical cultural base. African-Americans have hit that level of cultural maturity.”

Demographics have shifted when dealing with race, the ideas of race and immigration have changed context for the meanings of words like African-American and Black-American,  HOWEVER, by making arguments like who is allowed to use those words or why they are allowed to use it just sends America flying backwards in time. (Use “however” in a correctly punctuated sentence)&(One Sentence Paragraph)

When examining the terms of “African- American” and “Black American,” we justify that they are two classifications describing an external feature of a human being. In my opinion, the analysis of these words cuts deeper than just external features. To many Americans today, the term “Black” is used in such a broad racial manner. It is extremely hard for a society built on different class levels to be able to understand and analyze such critical terms of what is the difference between “African-American” and “Black American.” (Long Sentence, punctuated correctly) Given that our country has gone through different contexts of these words it is hard to maintain a balance. I believe that in a public setting people should be educated with these terms. African American or Black American-they are American. (Dash to emphasize the last element of a sentence) Whether their past shows hardships in this country or not, we should all be treated equally, with equal opportunity. They are an American citizen for a reason, being American. Do we really need to repeat the past to figure out that we are all created equally? (Rhetorical question)

Ethnic labels are thrown out in American society everywhere with every race. Abdulaziz Kamus even wonders what ethnic label defines his own self in America. I agree with him because he brings up the concern for what is defined as African American in this country and what is not. He states that he is African, he is an American citizen, and he should consider himself an African-American. It makes sense; and he doesn’t dig deeper into the meaning of his own race. He states that if he walks down the street white people would see him as an African-American, not think about his family roots 200 years ago. As much as it pains for me to say it, Americans perceive other Americans externally firsthand, not internally.  Alan Keys brings up the definition of African-American differently. It should be used for only those whose families that endured the hardships during American slavery and segregation. That, I don’t agree with. (Short Sentence)Whether it being black family descents of slaves from the US or black immigrants, Barack Obama makes a clear point to ethnic labels. They share greater similarities THAN differences even through all the hardships. (Then and Than)