I´ve been
watching some of the episodes of a new series today. It is called "DEVIOUS
MAIDS". The series talks about some "latino" maids who
work for "white" families in Beverly
Hills. It is amazing how far American people go as
regards the differentiation of "races": The maids are
"latin", and they are not considered to be "white". (!)
So, that has
sprung two thoughts on me:
First of all,
it seems that all of us are not "white" for the standards of
Americans. The whole series tries to tackle one possible nightmare those
people may have: that all of their silenced, hidden maids and employees, would eventually
be playing "AGAINST THEM" and their interests. I mean, the hidden theory
states that these women would be acting against the poor, exploited and
helpless white people who are true Americans.
Secondly, I
try to apply the lesson to me, my country, my family: to which extent am I truly
equalitarian? Have I or Have I not, prejudices in my heart, as regards colour,
religion, culture? I made some sort of conscious exam, and I cannot say I am
fully innocent of being prejudicial.
As regards my
country: Is it really true that in Argentina we have no differences or
classes or "race divisions"? I think that is not true:
people involuntarily disguise their way of thinking. In fact, -for instance- we
tend to mistreat those people who come from our Northern borders, while we die
for shaking hands with whoever comes from America
or Europe.
I will have
my eyes opened as regards ME and my attitudes
, since at least I am responsible for myself.
Yes, Adela, I agree with you! Your post makes me reflect about my personal view! We always say don't discriminate other people, but this idea just stays in the words, it's very difficult to apply that phrase in our action. We tend to think that our point is the correct one and if other people have a different opinion, weconsider them as wrong.
ResponderEliminarAnother important thing is that from the term 'foreigner' we are stating that people coming from other countries are different from us!
quite shocking!!!!
ResponderEliminarso, let me see if I got it right... apparently, under American eyes, we would all be "black" people. (Since I get the impression that it is only they who are white and that being BLACK is a sin???)
I hate it!
I really want to say something about your last idea. Apparently, we have our eyes wide open when someone is doing something we don't like. In this particular case, when someone says something that goes against our beliefs in relation to discrimination, we easily notice it and start making judgments or comments. However, there are times, at least it happens to me, that I say things I don't truly believe. It seems those ideas are part of me and I don't wanna admit it OR it could also be that culture, society or whatever it is, express its ideas and as they (the ideas) are part of the environment I am part of, they consequently become part of me. (What a complicated sentence!)
ResponderEliminarAdela: I have watched some of the episodes of that T.V. series, Devious Maids and, I understand your point. The first thing that came to my mind was: Why do Americans ALWAYS place LatinoAmericans as maids? And also, as you said: We seem to be a different kind of race. We are white as well.
ResponderEliminarIn relation to prejudices; I think we all have some kind of a darker side in our souls, somehow. Even though some of us try not to make differences, there are general prejudices that we learn to follow ever since we are children. It is true that we tend to see people from the North of our country differently, and not in a positive way at all.
But, it is never too late to change our attitudes and be honest to ourselves! =)