Defining a Realistic America: Now and Tomorrow

During our first week in class, Professor Grandson presented a slideshow of various magazine covers and assorted images related to race depiction and perspective from the general audience. One of the images was a magazine cover of the American flag consisting of varied colors, excluding the color white or any stars. The rows weren't neatly straight and almost implied (based off people's reaction in the class) of disorder if diversity/immigrants become the majority in the nation.

CNN website has a featured, "Defining America," which showcase various articles discussing the current day landscape of diversity being embedded (and embraced) among people, despite racial and ethnic discrimination that still plagues our society. Below are some links that stood out in regards to the topic:

A Different, Diverse America:
"The changing face of America"
"What will America look like in 2050"

Tolerating Interracial Relationships Today:
"Weddings blend cultures as well as families"
"His parents said, 'Not white a white girl'"
"Neither black nor white: Three multiracial generations, one family"

Whether this becomes an exclusive online conversation or one that trickles into our class, the implications of race highlighted in these articles are something to ponder, in relation to our field.

Two quotes that stood out to me from these articles were:

"Yes, it was white privilege that blinded me to the fact I might be the bottom of the barrel on someone else's race card. Perhaps even more so because I have been listening to the dialogue about how to make America more post-racial -- mostly as it pertains to black and white culture -- for so long that it never occurred to me that an Asian immigrant family might cry foul when their son fell in love with an all-American girl like me." - Source: "His parents said, Not a white girl"

Though the "United States is walking a path to greater diversity. And younger people are leading the way...," it is important, especially with excelling in education, that "diverse young people succeed because they will serve as a backbone of the national economy and will support social programs older Americans rely upon, such as Social Security." - Source: "The changing face of America's youth"