COMMENTS;
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What are you learning from this sample?
Yocheved Koschitzki
I’m
going to be honest, when we started talking about discrimination and how people
perceived Italian Americans, I wasn’t really interested. Personally, before
this class the thing I associated most with Italians and Italian immigrants was
food – pasta and pizza which are two of my favorites. Since my stereotypes were mild and mostly
positive actually, I didn’t really think there was such a big deal about how
people perceived Italians, so I didn’t think talking about it was going to be
enjoyable or productive. I just didn’t think there was what to discuss!
However, after going through the lectures and the texts we had to read, I began
to see why discrimination against Italians really is a big deal. The videos on
the Black Hand and the cartoons really helped me picture what could happen when
a whole group of people is associated with crime or violence. This has shifted
the way I think about other groups of people or other cultures – just like
there are things that I am sensitive too because they portray me or my “tribe”
in a bad light, there are things that hurt other groups and it’s important to
be able avoid doing those things. Because of my newly acquired background
information about the social and political situations surrounding Italian
immigrants, I am better able to analyze stereotypes and the damage they cause.
For example, a few months ago if I would have come across something portraying
Italians as dangerous, I might not have believed the stereotype but I wouldn’t
have thought it was such a big deal. Now, I can use my knowledge of how anti –
Italian rhetoric and stereotypes can be dangerous or even fatal, like in New
Orleans. When I come across stereotypes, I am able to see how they have the
potential to cause harm to the people represented, or rather misrepresented, by
the stereotype. My expectations have therefore changed, before I was expecting
to not find any type of discrimination against Italians, and now I expect it
will be easier for me to step into other people’s shoes and imagine what
stereotypes they might be living with.
The content of Yocheved's response is enlightening about the way his perception of Italian-American history and stereotyping has changed. He keeps his response brief and succinct. In comparison to my response, Yocheved is better able to reflect on what he has learned and how his thoughts have changed.
ReplyDeleteI think Yocheved did a great job at highlighting past, present and future. He clearly detailed how he though prior to the start of the course. He, then, explained the shift that occurred in his mindset after encountering the texts. Finally, He detailed how what he learned will help him in the future. His answer was straight to the point and encompassed everything.
ReplyDeleteThe past, present, and future technique you describe is definitely useful for reflecting on what we have learned. I will try to use this technique as a guideline for future prompts.
DeleteI feel the exact same way as Yocheved but he is able to articulate his thoughts better than the way I can. He explains how his feelings have changed throughout the course quite well. His answer was to the point with just enough details.
ReplyDeleteYocheved did a great job with explaining how this course has changed his perception on Italians and stereotypes in general. I have been surrounded by Italians for a some time, a lot of my friends are Italian and dating Italians in the past the topics of the mob and everything that comes with that has always come up but in reality, I do not think that Italian-Americans in today's society have any idea how difficult it was for their ancestors to give them this opportunity. It was a great way to explain what he thought of Italians before this course, and how he views them now.
ReplyDeleteYocheved does a great job expressing his emotions and reactions to the readings/lectures. He goes into depth with his reasoning behind his emotions. If I compare my writing to his I see that I don't pour my emotions out on paper. I don't think we should be comparing since everyone has a different writing style as well as writing strengths. I was never one to open up about my reactions to readings, but just be based on facts.
ReplyDeleteYocheved captured and realized the poison of stereotypes and how it can possibly affect his tribe. This is a reflection of Yocheved then, and now, and it underlines progression and growth of an individual that had never thought twice about something that is so deeply rooted in American culture. But this is also a comparative reflection, to understand the texts and lectures Yocheved fostered and facilitated a connection between his tribe and other tribes that, on a daily basis, face stereotypical prejudices by honestly expressing his feelings. His self-observations led him to honestly express the feeling that he developed into a well-written piece suitable for our class. Furthermore, more often then not my work does not show development from point A to Z, I can not say the same for this piece.
ReplyDeleteI think Yocheved learned how to empathize with other "tribes". You could read a negative article or look at one propaganda cartoon, but without knowing the consequences to them, you don't feel the weight of it. Because of this class, because we read fist hand about the Italian immigration tale, we're able to understand the outcomes of anti Italian rhetoric. We see the exact consequences of the anti Italian cartoons.
ReplyDeleteYocheved is able to apply this knowledge to her life today. She now understand stereotypes and how they can severely negatively impact a race of tribe. Sure you always hear "don't listen to stereotypes, they don't apply to the individual", but now after this class we have perfect examples. Just because there were a few Italians who were gang members, doesn't mean every Italian is a criminal.
Because we studied a small case study of the negative impacts of stereotypes on one specific tribe, we can apply that to all different tribes and races today.
I appreciate Yocheved honesty and I can agree. As an African American female and knowing the history of my tribe its hard for me to picture anyone else's struggle with discrimination before this class it just didn't exist to me. Never in my wildest if I did picture discrimination would I associate any other ethnic group to be paired with criminal act as viciously as is such because I see it so apparent for my ethnic group in todays time. If we go back to lombroscos theory I would say darker skin would be associated with crime and most Italians are fair skinned and passed by in modern days. The largest part that shocked me was the lynching, I have had this conversation with others about how shocked I am. Lynching happened to other ethnic groups is like unheard of coming from where Im from. I believe more people should be enlightened about this so that we can all have cultural appreciate for other ethnic groups beyond food and music. To add appreciation we must show the illness in history that will cause great discomfort so that people can Become more as one, so that people can become more citizen like that is what is American, togetherness, all for one and one for all.
ReplyDelete