A black and white picture

                Time to time, one particular being hears the usual criticism, but do they fall down to the ground and start crying like a baby? Not really, instead they lift their head up high and pretend nothing happened. Referring to the times from the past and the present, nothing has really changed besides the fact that people are able to chew on the criticisms and spit it back at the people who criticize them. Going back to the past, was anyone able to chew on the criticisms and spit it back out? Instead they just swallow it and pretend nothing happened. Why? Because those who were criticized had no power to fight for themselves. In racism, stereotypes, work fields, and education are the biggest obstacles to pass by.                 Stereotypes are embedded in each and every human’s brain. The stereotypical jokes are everywhere in the society today. Watching particular cartoon shows or the news; stereotypes are shown every day. Certain cartoon shows, like Family Guy or American Dad, are shown. We laugh and nod our heads at all the stereotypes shown on that broadcast. Why did we laugh? Is it because it was all true or was it because the scene was funny and we did not stop to think what the true meaning behind the scene meant?                 We laugh because what we see on the two particular cartoon shows are something we see every day and can agree to. Not realizing that that one particular character does not represent millions of that particular race. Another reason why we laugh is because “I would do the same if I saw that particular character” or “I’ve done that before”. Instead of answering those ridiculous thoughts, why not try to put yourself in that situation and see how you would feel if someone turned around because you were African American or Mexican. Or you wore a particular style like other negatively seen races wear. Looking through the news, a black male did this, a black male did that, are heard multiple times on the news; a white male did this, but was not sent to jail, are heard on the news also. Racism takes its play all around the neighborhood. Take an African American, for example, you suspect them to rob or mug someone because of what they are and what they wear. This includes how they talk and act towards others around them, what kind of people they talk to or interact with. Not all African American people act like gangsters who sell drugs and are up to no good. No one can pick on fish out of the pond and say that all the fish are exactly the same. African Americans try their best to be not seen as gangsters, rappers, or murders, but because of the stereotypes everywhere, they can never change many people’s minds.                 Same with the Mexicans or Latinos. You see them near Home Depot, in hopes of getting a job. Because of the stereotypes, many people think Mexicans get married and have multiple kids that look like they are growing a soccer team. Or that all Mexicans have jumped over the border and other excuses to put Mexican race down to the level of animals or worse. Or that Mexicans are taking everyone’s jobs so there are a lot of budget cuts. No one realizes who does the dirty work and gets paid, barely to feed and live up with. No one understands the hard work on feeding a family with such low money, living under a roof with a family, or sleeping with warm blankets at night. Because of the stereotypes today, which all started with racism, has ruined many races and lives. Not all white people are rich and spoiled, nor are all the black people poor and mean. Mexicans don’t take away other people’s jobs, or not all Asians become doctors or lawyers.                 White people, on the news, act just like a savage that appear on the news. They are nothing better or worse than everyone around that one person, but because of the stereotypes seen with white people, they have to be rich, riding in an expensive car, and are spoiled to the max. Now those people who criticize are just too jealous because they can never have all that fame, money, or power. Look around you, not all white people are in good positions either. Maybe time to time you would see a rich white person, but only because that’s all you want to see and hear. Everyone’s expects things that they want to see and hear.                 Asians don’t all become doctors nor do they become lawyers. Not all Asians are smart and go to IVY leagues; and definitely not all Asians have the right sort of mindset. Asians can be rude and too proud of themselves, while other Asians could be laid back and enjoying their life without having so many expectations. Some people always go to an Asian because they think Asians have all the answers and are smart. Look around you, look at that Mexican, top grades and nice, but you don’t want to go and talk to that person because they are not Asian. Take that African American sitting in front of you, very nice, helps you out in every situation yet you don’t want to copy answers from them because they are not Asian. Not all Asians are smart.                 Those dirty jobs like house cleaning, plumbing, or gardening, no one wants those jobs, but you need them. Why? Because you are so lazy to do it by yourself. And when you hire someone, you won’t trust a Mexican because they might take your stuff. You won’t trust an African American because they might take your jewelry. But you will hire a White because they won’t steal anything from you. Wrong! Just thinking like that makes you racist and you say to others that everyone should be treated equally. Well you just contradicted yourself. What shame did you put on your face, liar?                 Looking at the book called “A Lesson Before Dying”, all the black characters had to do the dirty jobs, besides Grant, only because they did not have an education. However, despite having finished school, Grant was still never treated equally as the Whites, but on a level a tiny bit higher than the Black characters. The image of Blacks were dark skinned who did all the Whites dirty work, who cleaned the house, took care of the kids, or took away white females as lovers. As those images passed on through the generations, the racism has become worse than ever. Blacks were nothing, but savages who took away White females away from the White males; Blacks were scary looking because of their skin and all you could see was their teeth and eyes.                 In some plays or theatrical appearances about the Whites and Blacks were always played by a White male, who exaggerates the skin color of the black. They are either murderers who catch up to a White females, in the end committing suicide from fright, or the stereotypical status in the household. Like the Mammy is always dark skinned, fat with big chubby lips, and the “boss” of the White children; or a Sambo who are always cheerfully happy, lazy, irresponsible, or carefree, but not all of the Black people acted like that. Maybe some personalities in this household or that household, but in the end, not every individual are the same.                 As times moved on with the stereotypes and racism, the most difficult obstacles that the African Americans had to pass by were education. Education, the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life; meaning everyone is judged by appearance and actions. Also meaning, no one can be free from the stereotypes seen all around the neighborhood, community, streets, or schools.                 Why must stereotypes ruin people’s lives? Why can’t anyone be able to live in a world where everyone is treated equally despite their race, skin color, and personality? Racism, in general, is the cause for stereotypes, then to work places and to education. Why must everything revolve around racism, when there are millions and millions of people who aren’t one of the stereotypes mentioned above? Each individual try their best to change their image of who they are or what they are. If heard a Mexican last name, anyone would think “Oh, he’s going to sleep with girls, then get them pregnant, have kids that look like a soccer team, and take away our jobs”. Or if heard an Asian last name: “Oh ching chang chang chong is all I hear in class, why can’t they speak English in school?” or “Asians are smart, we should go copy off of them”, or even “Asians are so smart, they get into the best schools and get better degrees for a job”. Many Asians are being limited into colleges because there are just too many of them, so they changed the rules that if an Asian, they must have extracurricular classes.                 Not every Mexican get babies that look like a soccer team, not every Asian are smart and go to good schools, not every African American steal from homes or sell drugs, and definitely not all White people are rich. Do not ever take one stereotypical individual and think that all the same races are the same. In most people’s thoughts, the stereotypes represent the whole race, but that is not true. Everyone has a different personality. Same with fashion or the way they talk. “Do not judge a book by its cover” because you will either like the book or not like the book. If you just judge by the fanciness of the cover, but the book itself is a pain then you have just wasted your time.                 Stereotypes, are not fun to hear, nor are they fun to talk about or is a topic to be talking about.  Everyone is different. May it be female or male, by age, personality, height, race, or religion; everyone is different. In a video called “Off the Pill- Judgement”, the video blogger, Ryan Higa, states: “…if it’s based on looks, or what you heard about them… If you don’t know the person personally, you have no right to judge them… Our minds automatically judge people” So take for an example: “Say that your walking down a street late at night and you see a little girl, just standing there doing nothing. Your initial thoughts are ‘Who is this girl? Is she lost?’. Replace the little girl with a big guy in a hooded jacket. Then your thoughts are ‘Why is there a big guy just sitting there? Maybe he’s a drug dealer…” Ryan Higa states a very clear point. What if that big guy in the hooded jacket has such a smile that can brighten your day? Maybe that big guy could be having a horrible time so he’s just sitting out on the side walk. Don’t judge people.