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Emily Chen

ENGL 102

Portfolio

1 May 2019

Contextual Analysis

The Simpson Movie: Similarity to Pollution

What is pollution? Is it just waste being thrown away and forgotten? Is it a big problem?

How is it causing damage? The satirical text, “The Simpson Movie” directed by David

Silverman, along with the article, “Pollution,” by National Geographic, both sources have a

pollution problem and a description of their own solution. Although in “The Simpson Movie,”

they portray it as a funny event, that can be easily solved with the EPA placing a dome around

Springfield and placing a bomb inside the dome, but logically speaking it’s impossible. In the

movie, “The Simpsons Movie,” Homer irresponsibility causes the pollution of Springfield Lake,

which results in trouble that was easily solved by the EPA, but the article “Pollution” by

National Geographic states it as a major world problem, giving examples of real-life pollution

situations that is causing problems. A closer perspective is that people shouldn’t take pollution

so lightly, due to the fact that it is causing serious problems all around the world, like the water

being polluted, lands being destroyed, and the air being contaminated, even though many people

are trying to reduce pollution but there are limits.

In the movie “The Simpsons Movie,” directed by David Silverman, it shows what

pollution can do to a small town if no one does something about it. Homer didn’t really care

about the pollution in Springfield, Homer’s irresponsibility action represents that:

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“Back at the Treatment Center, Homer is anxious; he drives off and ends up at

Springfield Lake. The lake is fronted by hundreds of "No Dumping" signs; Homer drives

straight through them all, including running down Hans Moleman with a "You Suck"

sign. He cuts the ropes on his car, dumping the silo into the lake. As it sinks, green

bubbles start to appear and soon the whole lake is green and bubbling.”

Homer’s carelessness resulted in the EPA getting involved, placing a dome around Springfield

and a bomb inside. Homer ignored the problem and ran off with his family, but later on came

back to help when his family left him. The pollution in Springfield Lake is just a little sample of

what pollution can do to a small town, imagine it being in a big city. Homer’s action of running

away and not facing the problem is the same as us (humans) ignoring the problems in real life.

Horatian satire is defined as using a voice that is amusing, tolerant, witty, and indulgent.

It causes a smile and it doesn't have any bitter or ironic judgement towards a person or institute.

I believe “The Simpsons Movie” have Horatian satire, since it views and makes fun of the

pollution in Springfield and how they eventually solved the problem. “The Simpsons Movie”

has many satires throughout the show, for instance the pollution happening in Springfield Lake.

Homer says, “I don’t know what to tell you, Marge. I don’t think about things. I respect people

who do but I just try to make the days not hurt until I get to crawl in next to you again.” Homer

didn’t feel anything about dumping his pigs silo in the Springfield Lake, all he cared about was

the easy way out. When Homer was in the quicksand he yelled out, “So long, losers,” like a

child who doesn’t understand the event that was going on. Due to his easy way out, Springfield

Lake was once again polluted after Lisa (Homer’s daughter) got the town to clean it up.

“The Simpsons Movie” it clearly addresses pollution can be the downfalls of towns and
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cities. In “The Simpsons Movie,” Russ says to President, “Pollution in Springfield has reached

crisis levels,” which result in the EPA placing a dome around Springfield. In the movie,

Springfield Lake was polluted and crisis started to happen making the town a dangerous place. I

believe the source is critiquing all the people that are bypassing the pollution that is happening

and the people that knows about the situation but not willingly doing anything about it. The

questions that are provoked are, how can you solve the situation, how can you fix the problem

that is already existing, and how can we spread the word and making people listen and care?

The claims I believe that are shown is that pollution isn’t as simple as placing a bomb and

killing the people and town within, as viewed in the movie. It is about how we can really solve

the problem as a whole, like the community try getting together to climb over the dome.

“Pollution” by National Geographic is an article with the subjects of Biology, Ecology,

Health, Earth Science, and Geography. There are three types of major pollution: water pollution,

air pollution, and land pollution. Pollutants are harmful materials that are caused by nature or by

humans. Animals and humans alike use the Earth's resources but with pollution threatening the

ecosystem, many lives are jeopardized. One of the examples given about pollution is, in the Gulf

of Mexico, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and caused oil to spill into the ocean,

resulting in the death of aquatic organisms and plants. Many people around the world are trying

to reduce pollution, including the government. Recycling is becoming more common; it reduces

the amount of trash that is going into landfills.

The reasons I pair these two texts together is because both sources gave examples and

somewhat of a resolution to pollution that is currently present or is being created. Both texts are

giving real-life examples of pollution, like in the movie, Springfield Lake was polluted by
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Homer. While in the article one of the examples, similar to the movie, “Chemicals and oils from

factories are sometimes dumped or seep into waterways,” Both pollutants were happening in the

water until it started to spread to land and air. I believe the movie informed us about what

pollution can really do to a small town, but ask yourself this, what will happen if this happened

in a city as big as New York?

“The Simpsons Movie” and the “Pollution” article are similar in many ways. In “The

Simpsons Movie,” Homer spills his pig filled silo into the Springfield Lake, it is similar to the

article when they explain how big oil company spills their oil into the oceans by accident as they

say. Homer also ignores the problem until it started to affect his own life, which is similar to the

article; no one really thinks about pollution until something tragic happens to them. Both texts

present events that are caused by pollution and how they dealt with the problem as a community.

Like how the article presents reducing “The Kyoto Protocol, a United Nations agreement to

limit the emission of greenhouse gases, has been signed by 191 countries.” And the movie, “The

town gets rebuilt and Homer are on the roof with Bart and fix the roof.” Both of the sources

have people reunited to fix something that was caused by one of their own.

As we watch “The Simpsons Movie” we laugh, and we joke about the events that are

happening. While when we read the article, “Pollution,” we get concerned and wonder what we

can do to make a change, but we only think it and never do it. In the movie, it shows how we

can pollute the water and how to clean it, however in the article it describes how water, land,

and air can be polluted and how it can be solved. The article gives you a broader range on what

is pollution and examples on what can cause it, “Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major

contributor to pollution of rivers and streams near coal mines. Sulfuric acid is also toxic to
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people, making rivers polluted by AMD dangerous sources of water for drinking and hygiene.”

The article goes into depth about the pollution that is created, while the movie has little to no

sources.

In my perspective, you can’t be irresponsible about something as big as polluting an

entire lake, just because it’s the easy way out, like Homer. It’s not worth all the trouble that will

soon follow because of your own mistakes. In “The Simpsons Movie,” the pollution in

Springfield Lake describes what can happen to an environment when it is polluted. It makes you

wonder that even in the movie it portrays it as funny because of Homer’s stupidity, but is it

really funny in real life or is it a serious problem that we are battling without knowing it? Both

sources gave great examples on how something so little, pollution in Springfield Lake and

throwing trash away, can result in something so much greater than you’ll ever think it will. I

believe more people should be exposed and hit with the facts of how pollution is causing serious

life changing events to Earth and themselves.

In “The Simpsons Movie,” pollution wasn’t viewed as a huge problem, but in real life it

can determine the future of this planet. Pollution isn’t something many people will think about,

but many should start, like recycling, reducing, and reusing on all the items you are throwing

away. In “The Simpsons Movie,” the author failed to reveal how the pollution was solved,

because placing a dome and blowing it up isn’t a real-life solution, in fact I believe it will cause

more damage. On the other hand, the article “Pollution” gave great examples on what will

happen if we started to recycle.

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Sites

“The Simpsons Movie/Transcript.” Wikisimpsons, simpsonswiki.com/wiki/

The_Simpson_Movie/Transcript.

National Geographic Society. “Pollution.” National Geographic Society, National Geographic, 9

Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/pollution/.

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Bibliographic Essay

Is it Racism??

A little background about slavery and the Old South: it started in America in 1776 and

ended in 1865, 20 slaves were brought into Jamestown, Virginia by Dutch ships. In the 17th

century, Europeans settlers viewed African slaves as a cheaper alternative in labor since most

were already poor. The Old South was the southern states of the US before the Civil War; it’s

known for being slaves states, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Georgia, and North and South

Carolina. After the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which

helped end slavery (Editors, History).

The movie Get Out was released in the year 2017 and is directed by Jordan Peele. The

film Get Out was a way for the director, Jordan Peele, to speak out about racism, and a way to

change people’s minds, about race, through the concept of horror movies. The film features

memories of African American slavery as well as addressing today’s current climate concerning

race. The show uses symbols and imagery that reminds us of the Old South, like the plantation

and the old looking outfits. The film shows satire of slavery and racism but how much did the

film show and is it accurate? There is so much racism happening today, and most networks show

harassment only towards African American, rather than whites. Whites are giving their own

belief in the topic; they believe they are the ones being accused and that they are the victims, but

is this true? Are whites American being wrongly accused in this matter?

Throughout the centuries, discrimination is all around, whether it be in the past or

present, but this matter will still be around one way or another. Discrimination is best defined as
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"the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the

grounds of race, age, or sex (Goode).” Get Out, mainly focuses on racism, which we see happen

in everyday lives, whether it be in the workplace, in school, in public, etc. The film gave small

clips about the slavery in the past and the Old South, for example, the plantation that was in the

back, the old southern clothing, black people working, auctioning black lives, and the cotton on

the chair. Many aren’t aware of what is happening around them, so the movie Get Out holds a

deeper meaning, it wants to express more about racism in the past, present, and the future.

In the book “Living with Racism: The Black Middle-Class Experience” by Joe R.

Feagin and Melvin P. Sikes, published in 1994. It gives the life of a black person living in white

America, which was described as “One step from suicide.” The book explains the everyday

racism blacks have to face, whether it be in the workplace, neighborhood, public spaces, and

education. Workplace salaries are different, even though everyone is working the same hours;

blacks are paid less while they work more and the white get paid more while they work less.

Having to find a good neighborhood and home can be difficult, and being in public can result in

discrimination. Life as a black person in American is hard and challenging, some people get push

to the point of committing suicide. In retail, discrimination for anti-blacks is high. Sales staff are

either hesitant to serve black customers, or they are suspected of shoplifting, shopping isn’t

leisure anymore.

Throughout history colored skinned people, mostly African Americans, are looked down

upon by most white Americans; for example when slavery ended, black people were forbidden to

be in public were whites are allowed. Everything was separated between a white and a black

person: schools, workplaces, trains, restaurants, and even bathrooms. Most African will only get
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jobs that are either dangerous or requires hard labor, for example, train track building,

construction, sewage, trash dumpers, etc. Salaries were different for both whites and black since

the wages were different. The movie Get Out shows a little bit about how the main character

lived; he had a hard life as a child after the death of his mother. He still manage to have a great

friend that saved him at the end of the movie.

In The Washington Post, “Shopping While Black: African Americans Continue to Face

Retail Racism,” by Michelle Singletary. She first off gave many great examples of racism, such

as a black student at Yale questioned by police for falling asleep while studying, two black

businessmen arrested for waiting in Starbucks for a business meeting, and two men working out

at a gym and having cops called in them. Singletary goes into further details about three black

teens shopping for prom and faced police after being accused of shoplifting from store

employees. Even though Nordstrom apologized and had promised to work on preventing such a

matter, they can’t change society.

People in society judge people based off their skin color and not how someone acts.

Seeing the color black, most view it was a dirty color, which results in unjustified judgment. The

example that was given in the article provided an excellent example of how people judge others

without thinking about it; some don’t even receive the consequences they deserve. Like how the

Starbucks company came out with an apology to the public after what has happened but didn’t

reveal the fact that the manager was fired or not. On the other hand, Nordstrom apologized and

promised to have training involve, so no similar happens again. Even if we train an employee to

not discriminate against people that are different from them, I don’t believe such training will
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work. People have their own belief in things so their minds can't be changed or have a hard time

too.

Even though racism can happen to anyone, whites believe they are the victims of racism

more than the blacks. In the article, “What Every Social Worker Should Know About

Immigration Law,” it pinpoints that both white and black members both agreed on the decrease

of anti-black racism in the last 60 years. However, white American are starting to believe that

anti-whites are increasing and it’s becoming a bigger problem than anti-black racism.

Researchers did a nation-wide test with 208 blacks and 209 whites, to indicate discrimination

against race and the results showed that whites do believe anti-white is increasing. Whites people

have rated racism against black on a 10 point scale to be a 10, while anti-white is calculated as an

11.

In today’s society, things aren’t as bad as in the olden days, but there are still outbreaks

over the black community, like cops killing and getting away with what they did, being accused

of things they didn’t do, heavier sentences, etc. While media is portraying what is happening to

Africans, white Americans have their own story to tell. They believe that they are the ones being

accused and wrongfully described and that they are the victims, rather than the culprit. There is

no hard evidence saying that the colored community is attacking whites, so without the evidence,

there isn’t much to prove that whites Americans are right. Throughout history, the media portray

that African or browns are being the victims, when are whites being shown as victims?

Author Eric Williams is a historian as well as a Prime Minister of Trinidadian, wrote the

classic book, Capitalism and Slavery, which was published in 1944. It outlines the slave trade

and why slavery occurred which was explained as, providing capital that financed the industrial
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revolution in England. Another author, Peter Kolchin, an American historian specialized in

slavery and labor in the American South before and after the Civil War. He wrote the book

American Slavery which address the slaves, and how they created their own culture (African

American) while adapting to the American culture. Even though they were under the controls of

their owners, the African American has formed its own religion without any white influences.

Slaves were forced into a situation where they cannot control, but they soon adapted and made

something they value.

Many people lack the knowledge of American Slavery; many know it was unjustified

treatment. The film gave examples of how African Americans body adapts to their environment

when forced too. Chris had to adjust to his situation after he started to notice strange things

happening. The film address the slave being bought and sold to the highest bidder can be an

example of Williams work. Slaves were traded for the benefit of money like in the movie, Rose’s

family auctioned Chris off to the highest bidder for his eyes. Slaves are bought and sold like

cattle, similar to the film. There were no regards on who was hurt in the process. The film, Get

Out, gives symbols of how whites want to use African American and be the only ones in control.

All sources hint about racisms by explaining the different treatments African American

has against whites. The intentions were for the audience to view how different lives live in

different ways and how they want more than what they already have. Racism can happen to

anyone, but the ones who have suffered the most are blacks, being as slaves in the past and now

in the present,​African American is being discriminated throughout these sources.

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Sources Cited

Feagin, Joe R., and Melvin P. Sikes. Living with Racism: the Black Middle-Class Experience.

Beacon Press, 1994.

Great Valley Publishing Company, Inc. “News.” What Every Social Worker Should Know About

Immigration Law, www.socialworktoday.com/news/dn_060311.shtml.

Singletary, Michelle. “Shopping While Black. African Americans Continue to Face Retail

Racism.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 May 2018,

www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2018/05/17/shopping-while-black-african-a

mericans-continue-to-face-retail-racism/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1949acb3bb18.

Editors, History.com. “Slavery in America.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 12 Nov.

2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery.

Goode, Evelyn. “Workplace Discrimination Vs. Workplace Disparagement | Explained.” Aegis

Law Firm, 4 Mar. 2019,

www.aegislawfirm.com/2016/12/14/distinguishing-discrimination-workplace/

Kolchin, Peter. American Slavery, 1619-1877. Hill and Wang, 1995

Williams, Eric. CAPITALISM AND SLAVERY. BY ERIC WILLIAMS. PUTNAM, 1966.

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Research Argument Essay

Discrimination and Race: Retail Racism

Going out to get a simple cup of coffee is something everybody does, but the experience

they have are all different. While white Americans are kindly greeted and their order is taken as

easy as saying the word “please,” African Americans have a whole different kind of experience.

While some are accused of stealing even though they are just trying to get a cup of coffee like the

everyday American. Others are being wrongly harassed even though they are doing something

that everyone does on a daily basis. This brings us to examine in depth of racism and

discrimination in today’s society as well as in the past. In today’s society, many are witnessing

discrimination and racism against African Americans within retail environments, but white

Americans are having another view over this matter, saying they are the victims rather than the

cause.

Specifically coming from the source, Get Out is a thriller movie directed by Jordan Peele,

implies that white Americans are the root of what defines discrimination. In the article by

ScreenPrism, the film was described as using critiques with racism happening today as well as

slavery in the past. The article suggests the film gave small clips of African American slavery as

well as addressing today’s current climate concerning race. The article also explains the symbols

and imagery that was in the film, which symbolize the late 1700’s, that represents the past of

slavery (old South, plantation, auctions). While some white Americans are questioning the view

of Jordan Peele’s movie, Get Out, saying it’s portraying white Americans wrongly. The facts are
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given with the climbing rate showing racism and discrimination is resulted in white Americans

inequality treatment towards African Americans, since throughout history until the present day,

white Americans are seen using unjustified actions toward African Americans and not the other

way around.

Furthermore, the movie, Get Out, symbolizes a little about African American slavery, so

a little information about the subject. From an article by History, slavery started in America in

1776, 20 slaves were brought in by Dutch ships into Jamestown, Virginia. As described in the

article, the slaves were sold as cheaper alternative labor, since slaves were already poor, to begin

with (Slavery). Slaves were auctioned off like cattle, place on a platform to view and judge by an

white American buyer and after purchase slaves were branded. Even in the past, slavery was

controlled by white American men who believed they are the ones who hold the power in

everything along with controlling the action by African American. According to the Organization

of American Historians, Peter Kolchin is an American historian that specializes in slavery and

labor in the American South before and after the Civil War. Kolchin wrote the book American

Slavery, which was about the slaves creating their own culture even with the dictation of white

Americans. In the book, American Slavery, it provided us with the information that even in the

past white Americans are thinking they are superior to those of different color and that they are

the ones that should be in power. So which is true, are white Americans being wrongly accused

or are they just saying that to make themselves look superior in other people’s eyes or society in

general?

Where there is proof of discrimination against African Americans based off of white

Americans action; they still believe otherwise. White Americans still strongly believe they are
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the victims instead and that Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out is wrongly illustrating white

Americans. Which brings us to one of many debates over the film, Get Out, which Armond

White critique in his own article, “Return of the Get-Whitey Movie” in Nationals Review. The

author addresses the movie as, “Get Out isn’t simply a revenge thriller; it’s a

state-of-the-divided-nation movie, ”(White) since the black protagonist kills an entire white

family one by one, that resulted in the cheering of the viewers. White says that the film is a

“state-of-divided-nation movie” (White) because killing people and cheering for them to do so

isn’t what the nation have in mind as a whole. The article also states that “Peele’s plot jacks up

that film’s existential paranoia, a modern response to the helplessness of enslavement that

politically naïve kids now dread as a modern American reality” (White). Based off Whites point

of view over the film, he is criticizing the movie on how it shows and corrupt kids in today’s

society, saying that they will dread the acknowledgment of slavery and not accept the fact over

the matter. In the article, White also addresses that “Peele exploits racial discomfort,

irresponsibly playing racial grief and racist relief off against each other, subjecting imagination

and identification to political sway” (White). Basically saying, Get Out, wanted people to feel

bad for the protagonist who happens to be an African American male against a white family.

In addition to the article by Armond white, another debate over white Americans being

shown wrongly in the public eye is voicing their thoughts. In the article, “Whites Believe They

Are Victims of Racism More Than Blacks,” featured in SocialWork Today, gave white

Americans perspective over the matter. The article shows data that both, white Americans and

African American, agreed on the decrease of anti-black racisms in the past 60 years. Near the

end of the article, they brought up that white Americans are now saying that anti-white racism is
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now increasing and is becoming a bigger problem than African American discrimination.

SocialWork showed the outcome from a nationwide test featuring 208 blacks and 209 whites,

which shows that whites Americans truly believes that anti-white is increasing. Which then the

article ended with white people rated racism against black on a 10 point scale to be a 10, while

anti-white is calculated as an 11. Based on the research that SocialWork constructed, white

Americans genuinely believe that in today’s society; they are the ones being mistreated and that

the numbers are rising higher than the discrimination against African Americans. But can they

provide any proof that they are the victims in this situation?

Nevertheless, there are many perspectives over discrimination within racism, whether

who is more right than wrong. From personal experience, I have witness discrimination against

African American or anyone of a different race from a white American. I have witness little to

none of such event happening too white Americans in general, therefore, I do not believe white

Americans are being portrayed wrongly. I’m not saying every white American are awful people

that mistreat people of different colors, but the majority are. Based off of many popular sources,

such as Facebook, CNN news, NBC News, Fox News, etc. have shown how white Americans

act, thinking they are the superiors when they see or are near African Americans. Even though

white Americans believe they are the victims, there is no proof of such event on television. Most

but not all networks will broad any type of major situation that results in the public discussion of

such events. Unfortunately for African Americans, they are the ones that are majority seen on

television, being victimized or wrongly treated, while white Americans are hardly or never seem

on T.V. being accused of something they didn’t do. Most events happen within public
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environments but I believe it occurs in something everyone does for enjoyment, which is

shopping.

Evidently, people of darker colors are the main focus in retail settings more than white

Americans. African Americans are targeted right when they set foot into a store like an everyday

person. In the article by Michelle Singletary, “Shopping While Black: African American

Continues to Face Retail Racism,” gave a great description of what African Americans have to

face on a daily basis. A setting like shopping can be more difficult for African Americans than

others, “retail settings are often sites where anti-black bias is made evident, requiring black

shoppers to navigate racial hierarchies while procuring goods” (Pittman qtd. in Singletary). No

one should be judge over the color of their skin color, especially when they are minding their

own business and nowhere near yours. Even though shopping is an everyday activity, the

experience can be a lot different to some people, whether it be good or bad. For example, “Three

black teens shopping for prom at a Nordstrom Rack in Brentwood, Mo., near St. Louis, faced the

police after store employees suspected they were shoplifting” (Siegel). Who would thought that

going shopping with a few friends would result in the police coming in and questions you on

what you are doing? On the other hand, if it was a white American shopper, employees will only

greet them and ask if everything is okay, not call the cops on them. These situations can be

controlled if people find it within themselves not to judge someone based on the color of

someone's skin tone. White Americans should come to the realization that they are the center of

attention when it comes to discriminating against African Americans and that they are not the

victims.
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Moreover, most discrimination against race happens within a retail environment, where

African Americans are out in public for white Americans to finds any excuse to make life

miserable. In a news article by Tim O' Connell, “Retail Racism: Caught Red Handed,” pages

9-14, the article prove that in retail environments African Americans are faced with

discrimination when they walk through the door. “What we found, Mr. Reilly later told reporters,

was deeply offensive and very troubling. We found a pattern of conduct of targeting people based

on the color of their skin” (O’ Connell 9), people in society judge people based off their skin

color and not how someone acts. Seeing the color black, most view it as a dirty color, which

results in unjustified judgment. It is heartbreaking that even being born, where everyone should

be treated with respect and equality, are treated differently based on the color of your skin.

Another example of discrimination in a retail environment is in the article by Jay Conner, “a mall

in Memphis, Tenn., in which a black teenager was arrested for violating a mall’s dress code. His

crime? Wearing a hoodie” (Conner). I believe this is a whole new level of discrimination against

African Americans because doing something as simple as wearing a hoodie that resulted in an

arrest, is just unprofessional and unmannerly. I find it that if you want to judge someone don’t

look on what is outside but rather what is inside. To look at someone and have the audacity to

judge them based on the color of their skin tone or what they are wearing, is something I find

revolting. On the other hand, if you become close with the person and is familiar with how they

act, then you can start judging on who they are as a person but not on the color of their skin.

Even a white person can act the cruelest and the meanest, it whole depends on the person rather

than their form. You have to experience the person yourself rather than the rumors you hear all

around, some information can be false no matter where it came from.

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In addition to the argument over discrimination against African Americans, there is yet

another study written by Melissa F. Pirkey about the issue. Many people are doing research over

discrimination against race and many are coming to the conclusion that African American are

treated wrongly in retail environments, “Studies spanning several years have found that the most

frequently perceived form of everyday discrimination among adults is being given poor service

at stores and restaurants, or being denied service entirely ” (Feagin, Hunt, et al., Safron and

Broman qtd. in Pirkey). To have so many research is done and all leading to the same conclusion

doesn’t it provide you with enough evidence that African Americans are the ones being

mistreated rather than white Americans. O’ Connell also provided numbers given in the news

article about the percentage of African American experiencing discrimination within a 30 days

period is astonishing. The news article shows us that the numbers were highest when African

American are out shopping, which ranges from 25% - 45%, depending on if you are a male or

female and age. The number provided I believe are very high for a 30 day period trial, people

shouldn’t have to face any type of negative treatment coming from another person since I believe

everyone should be created equal. Living in America is already hard enough but being a

completely different race and having a different culture than the ones are known to white

Americans can be hard, you are bound to have more difficulties than others.

Surprisingly on the argument about white Americans being accused of discrimination

against African Americans, Judith H. Katz wrote the book “White Awareness: Handbook for

Anti-Racism Training.” The book is a basic guideline on anti-racism training, which she

described as getting closer to the people of color. The training in her book defines the word

racism and the inconsistencies, confronting the reality of racism, dealing with feelings, cultural
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differences, the meaning of whiteness, and developing action strategies. Her proposition was for

white Americans to fight racism and create a more positive change in society.

“Racism is still very much with us today, and it has taken some new forms.

Although overt racism is still present (we see it in racial profiling, acts of

violence, and other obvious manifestations), a subtler form has emerged in the

attitudes, words, and behaviors of many people who would never consider

themselves racist. Indeed, most white people have such a negative association

with the word racism that we are loath to identify with it at all” (Katz vii).

Katz believes that white Americans needed a book with basic training of understanding racism

and make the society a better place for everyone that is living in America. For someone to write

such a book, giving guidelines on how to treat someone of a different race, shouldn’t it pinpoint

that there is a problem with how white people treat African American or people of different color

in general? The book mainly addresses the white community so it gives off the impression that

white is the main conflict of the climbing rate of discrimination today. White Americans should

come to the term that they are the least likely to be the victims of discrimination since they are

the main cause. If someone writes a book about how to treat someone of a different color, I think

that’s a hint that something needs to be changed.

In conclusion, based on the movie Get Out by Jordan Peele implying that white

Americans are causing the increase of African Americans racism and discrimination in the past

and the present. Along with popular sources giving example of discrimination between African

Americans and white Americans, it can justify the result that white Americans are not the

victims. Even though in today’s society, discrimination against race isn’t as bad as in the olden
 Chen 21

days; there are still outbreaks over the black community, like cops killing and getting away with

what they did, being accused of things they didn’t do, heavier sentences, etc., but mainly

discrimination towards African Americans happens in retail environments. Whether it be the way

you dress or how you look as an African American, white Americans find it out of their way to

discriminate. Even throughout history until the present, African Americans are the ones being the

victims in most tragic news stories, so I do not believe white Americans are the victims, rather

they are the culprit behind these actions taken.

 Chen 22

Sites

Connor, Jay. “Because We Live In a World In Which Hoodies Are Apparently Illegal, Two Black

Men Were Arrested for Nothing.” The Root, The Root, 10 Nov. 2018,

www.theroot.com/because-we-live-in-a-world-in-which-hoodies-are-apparen-183035816

8.

Editors, History.com. “Slavery in America.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 12 Nov.

2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery.

Great Valley Publishing Company, Inc. “News.” What Every Social Worker Should Know About

Immigration Law, www.socialworktoday.com/news/dn_060311.shtml.

Katz, Judy H. White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training. University of Oklahoma

Press, 2003.

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=yoFHSXoofoQC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq

=anti+white&ots=OJJDYnLveN&sig=QR0zehLz17Qz9Il28ZXtUjN4QY4#v=onepage&

q=anti%20white&f=false

Kolchin, Peter. American Slavery, 1619-1877. Hill and Wang, 1995

O' Connell, Tim. “Retail Racism: Caught Red Handed.” Apr. 2001, p. 9-14.

https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/docview/197842602/fulltextP

F/B5955668A4774383PQ/1?accountid=8360

Pirkey, Melissa F. Reinforcing Racial Stereotypes as We Shop: Using Focus Groups to Explore

the Retail Racism Experience, 18 May 2009, pp. Iii-74.

 Chen 23

https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy4.library.arizona.edu/docview/305142167?pq-origsit

e=primo

Siegel, Rachel. “Two Black Men Arrested at Starbucks Settle with Philadelphia for $1 Each.”

The Washington Post, WP Company, 3 May 2018,

www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/05/02/african-american-men-arrested-

at-starbucks-reach-1-settlement-with-the-city-secure-promise-for-200000-grant-program-

for-young-entrepreneurs/?utm_term=.ff8bef4557e0.

Singletary, Michelle. “Shopping While Black. African Americans Continue to Face Retail

Racism.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 May 2018,

www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2018/05/17/shopping-while-black-african-a

mericans-continue-to-face-retail-racism/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1949acb3bb18.

ScreenPrism. “ScreenPrism.” Get Out Explained: Symbols, Satire & Social Horror,

screenprism.com/insights/article/get-out-explained-symbols-satire-social-horror.

“The OAH Distinguished Lectureship Program.” Organization of American Historians: Peter

Kolchin, www.oah.org/lectures/lecturers/view/995.

White, Armond. “Return of the Get-Whitey Movie.” National Review, National Review, 13 Mar.

2017, www.nationalreview.com/2017/02/jordan-peeles-get-out-trite-get-whitey-movie/.
 Chen 24

Final Reflective Response

Being in college is different than being in high school, the work you dedicate your time

to is a lot different than in your past educations. There are more assignments and many quizzes

and exams that have to be taken and you are stressing more than ever. Procrastination comes to

play as well, that’s what college is. Looking back at this class, English 102, I realized that I have

been taught many things about writing but the main thing I will remember from this class are the

satires we have discussed. The three major essays I have written were not my best work, because

from the very begin I was already struggling with satires because to start I didn’t really have a

clear understand of them. I would say I’m in the lower level of writing because I have many

struggles in producing essays and I’ll be procrastinating a lot.

In English 101, the professor that I had was very lenient on our assignments, they were

mainly about life experiences that we had. I have received A’s on all my papers that I have

written in English 101. So I believe before coming into this class, my strength I believe is self

writing; like literacy narrative. I believe another strength that I had before coming into English

102 was conducting research on a topic I did not know about. Most of the research assignments

that I have written, I have received a high grade. My strength came into play on all three of the

major assignments since all the essays needed some sort of research before I could start the

process of writing. Like for the first essay, Contextual Analysis, I did a little research about The

Simpson Movie, on how the movie can be a satire about pollution. On the other hand, the

Bibliographic and Researched Argument essay required a very high research process, since we
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needed to find sources that backed up our argument and research as well as other sources that

oppose of the argument. I felt confident in composing the paper because I had created an outline

that pinpoints the main details that I had to add to the essay, it helped me stay on track of the

topic, rather then rambling.

Overall the semester, the research and writing I had the most difficult time on were

translating what I found into my own words and giving my own thoughts about it. My thoughts

are always jumbled up and I always second think myself on what I should be writing down.

Another difficulty I felt was finding a good satire to write my papers on, I didn’t want to produce

something similar to the other students, but in the end, the sources I decided weren’t very good. I

couldn’t really find sources that were specifically about the issue I was addressing or the

counterargument wasn’t as strong as I had hoped for. By not having a good source to base off of I

was struggling to come up with ideas that will help lift my paper. Like for the Bibliographic

essay, my source was Get Out; I viewed it as slavery in the past and the discrimination that was

happening in today’s society. I had a hard time determining what I should be writing about since

I didn’t know if I should be incorporating both into my paper and if the topics ties together. By

the third essay, Researched Argument, I was certain about what I was writing about but I

couldn’t find any scholar sources that supported my counterargument all the way through.

I know writing isn’t my strong point and I have a lot of places I have to improve on. So

my primary goal in going forward on my writing is finding confident and some sort of enjoyment

in producing a paper of any sort. I should stop procrastinating because if I do then, in the end, I’ll

be rushing and producing un-quality work. The skills I want to sharpen are my grammar and the

way I produce a paper. To fulfill my goals, I would keep on practicing my writing whether it be
 Chen 26

research, argument, or any types of paper. And I will have other peer edit my work, so I can get a

better understanding of what I still need to work on.

All in all, I have learned many things about myself in this short period of time. I have

learned that I tend to overthink and over procrastinate on my papers. I always worry about

making the essay perfect, which tend to stress me out, resulting in a mediocre paper. This

portfolio doesn’t just point out the strong points I have on paper, but the mistakes that I have

produced as a writer. Throughout this semester I have learned that I write better when there is an

outline, it keeps me focus on the question at hand so I don’t add unnecessary information in my

essay. In this course, English 102, I have learned many things about the way I write and that I

shouldn’t have to worry about my papers being perfect because no one has a perfect paper as I

have learned from the Professor in this class.