Racism In Popular Culture
Cofer’s passage reminded me of the many stereotypes that exist in popular culture today. Contrary to popular belief, electing an African American as President of the United States does not mean that racism is dead. Furthermore, Hispanics are not the only victims. While Cofer focuses mainly on the more obvious forms of racism, I’d like to call attention to the more subtle mentions. For example, recently I read an article for a class that discussed the racism faced by Middle Easterners in the United States. In the article, the author blamed popular culture for proliferating negative stereotypes. The Disney movie “Aladdin” was utilized as an example of such racism. Such racism can be seen in the lyrics of “Arabian Nights,” which states:
“Oh I
come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam
Where they cut off your ear
If they don’t like your face
It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.”
In my opinion, society and popular culture mirror one another. In order to break the cycle of racism that exists, one side or another needs to make an intentional effort to reject stereotypes.
“Oh I
come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam
Where they cut off your ear
If they don’t like your face
It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.”
In my opinion, society and popular culture mirror one another. In order to break the cycle of racism that exists, one side or another needs to make an intentional effort to reject stereotypes.