Blog #9: A "Segregated Nightmare"
The American Dream is widely perceived by Americans, but it varies for every individual based on internal and external influences. In "Dreaming in Black and White", James W. Loewen asserts that, "We now live in two Americas at once...we live in an integrated America (on the job, on most college campuses, on American Idol, in the armed forces, in the White House, and in the Catholic Church), and we live in a segregated America (where we live and, too often, how we vote)" (73). Loewen addresses issues of race and segregation in regards to the American dream. The context of his chapter begins from reciting the history of African Americans and how they have always been subjected to Whites and their views of them. Loewen argues that African Americans have never had the same Dream as privileged Whites because of residential segregation. African Americans have been perceived by the people around them as to not have any civil rights which made those people around them disinterested in living near them. Whites thought they were above African Americans and didn't want to be associated with them, or even near them. This racial separation through residency, ever since the emergence of suburbia, has caused a division between races and a split in the American Dream.
All in all, racial segregation has impacted the American Dream.
African Americans have suffered constantly with poor conditions of public services than their White neighbors. Additionally, they realized that the White version of the American Dream was not something in reach for them. Loewen points out that they had to resort to "less realistic means of achieving it, such as crime or winning the lottery" (69). Loewen describes the hardships for African Americans; they faced judgement, discrimination, and racism. They could not even picture themselves living a good American life because they have based their visions soley on what they know. Loewen made me wonder if I am a contributing factor to this segregation; have I ever dreamed of a happy life with a husband and kids to share it with? Have I ever dreamed of living in a nice house in a nice neighborhood with nice neighbors? I have. I never considered that I might be adding to the continued segregation of this country, if my visions were eventually made into life choices further down the road.
It is clear to see that this division is an ongoing problem that needs to be amended. Whites have visions that need to be altered, if we were to change this continuous cycle of segregation. Leowen explains that Whites need to "dream outside the box", but this could mean anything. Does Loewen want just Whites to change their visions of the Dream? Or is it a two way road, where African Americans need to alter their visions of the Dream into something they never thought of before? Something that they only thought Whites could dream of? How do African Americans and Whites, alike, overcome the racial segregation barriers in their Dreams - is it just a matter of changing the racial geography or do their mindsets need to change, as well?
It is very important to "unracialize" (73) our Dream, in order to live in a country were we truly are all equal.
All in all, racial segregation has impacted the American Dream.African Americans have suffered constantly with poor conditions of public services than their White neighbors. Additionally, they realized that the White version of the American Dream was not something in reach for them. Loewen points out that they had to resort to "less realistic means of achieving it, such as crime or winning the lottery" (69). Loewen describes the hardships for African Americans; they faced judgement, discrimination, and racism. They could not even picture themselves living a good American life because they have based their visions soley on what they know. Loewen made me wonder if I am a contributing factor to this segregation; have I ever dreamed of a happy life with a husband and kids to share it with? Have I ever dreamed of living in a nice house in a nice neighborhood with nice neighbors? I have. I never considered that I might be adding to the continued segregation of this country, if my visions were eventually made into life choices further down the road.
It is clear to see that this division is an ongoing problem that needs to be amended. Whites have visions that need to be altered, if we were to change this continuous cycle of segregation. Leowen explains that Whites need to "dream outside the box", but this could mean anything. Does Loewen want just Whites to change their visions of the Dream? Or is it a two way road, where African Americans need to alter their visions of the Dream into something they never thought of before? Something that they only thought Whites could dream of? How do African Americans and Whites, alike, overcome the racial segregation barriers in their Dreams - is it just a matter of changing the racial geography or do their mindsets need to change, as well?
It is very important to "unracialize" (73) our Dream, in order to live in a country were we truly are all equal.
I really admired how you asked yourself if you were contributing to segregation with your Dream. It's definitely something that I had never thought of before reading this chapter either. When I think "American Dream", my first thought is a cozy house in a nice neighborhood, white picket fence and all. I never considered that my dream may not be "unracialized", as Loewen called it. I guess it adds to the idea that people have different American Dreams. Our culture and background affects the goals we have in life, and the lack of equity changes our American Dream greatly.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with the claim that residential segregation has caused White Americans and African Americans to end up having two different dreams. I think that back in history when one group was living in a worse area than the other that the hardships of a certain residency can cause people to develop different American Dreams and how they can achieve it. When a group of people are subjected to worse living standards it can cause them to alter how they want to achieve the American Dream such as using unrealistic means such as crime or the lottery. I think that if residential segregation was improved that the American Dream can become more similar for two different groups of people.
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