This week’s topic on race is something that I was very excited about. I love hearing different persons views on race and how it is or isn’t a thing. While reading the AAPA and AAA article my attention was immediately grabbed by a quote. “If races did not exist they would have been invented. Since they do not exist they need not be invented, they need to be understood.” I agree with this very much because a lot of people try to separate everyone by placing a race on the person as if that is the main thing that makes you different from anyone else. To be understanding is to educate yourself on the matter and learn from it and I find that many do not. I am understanding that we all are raised in different types of environments and have different types of definitions on race, but enlighten yourself to review others meanings as well. I also feel that people try to pretend like race does not exist, but only when it is beneficial for that individual.
Whenever we hear or read something about race it is generally based on what someone can immediately see such as skin tone, hair, etc. I was surprised to read about the Terry collection in regards to the black, white, and Indian skull discriminant function. This form of testing according to the article was basing judgments about race from previous determinants. I also read about the Big Three and how these three categories are ideally the foundation of finding out what race a person may be. This is very odd to me because for one you’re labeling someone based off of certain diagnostics, but what if someone who identifies as white has “black” features or characteristics. I wonder how many people are misidentified using this method. This method is so broad and just to categorize a group of individuals into a slim category seems unlikely. For example if a person is being studied based upon one category how difficult can these results be if you have a combination of the two? I would like to know the additional measures a person would have to take in order to get these results.
Explaining the non-existence of race I would firstly touch on the fact that there are more biological differences within one specific group than another. All humans generally have in common that we come belong to the categorized group of Homo sapiens. Everyone’s views on race are different depending on where we are from. Same as skin tone. If I am black and have a darker skin completion the likely hood of my ancestors residing in warmer climate could result in this.
This week’s material has really enlightened me on how now only I view race, but how others can as well. Slapping a race on a person is not going to solve an issue it will only add fuel to it. We are consistently trying to separate individuals based on physical features when in all actuality we may be more like someone who is not in our racial group than someone in our own.
Hello! I found your blog post so helpful and informational. I really agree and like how you included that quote about race from the article. It is true that the term race was invented for something but the term race is not fully understood. Race refers to a person’s physical characteristics such as eye or hair color.But while reading the articles they both made it very clear that there may be several races but those races are all equally human. There is no such thing as the pure race like people may have thought in the past. Lastly, I love the ending that slapping race on a person is not going to solve an issue. That is so correct, I see it all the time someone talking about a kid on the news and how he commited a crime. But as soon as the teens race is revealed its a whole another story. I have even heard oh wow he did that crime just because he is from a black neighborhood. Race is a socially constructed term and all races are equal.
Hi Briana!
I loved reading your post, you seem so genuine and understanding. I also loved how you included the quote from the article, the same quote really grabbed my attention too. I totally agree, and believe the same as you do, that it is beyond important to realize we are all raised in different environments. Since race is socially constructed, being raised in one environment compared to a contrasting environment could make a huge difference in a person’s opinion on race. Reviewing others’ meanings of race is crucial, as long as it’s done in a respectful way. I also found the Terry collection to be quite odd and possibly unrealistic. I’m not sure how much the Terry collection is used now, but I think with time it will be used less and less.
Hello Brianna! The quote you mentioned in the first paragraph is also something that caught my eye. Race is made up in order for people to separate themselves. It is one thing to try and become different from one another, but another when negative impacts start to play a role. I found it very interesting this week that the lectures and reading clarified what it means when we hear the word “race”. Physical features, aka the phenotype of people. However, race is so much more than that, as you have mentioned, and a topic that people should educate him or herself on. My take on explaining non-existence of race would also be to describe the biological differences. The easiest way for people to understand race is through understanding the DNA of humans.
Hello,
I really appreciate your review on the AAPA and AAA statements and the line that caught your attention the most. That is such a great point you explained to understand how the environment you are raised in is not the same as everyone else’s and one would have to learn how to be open minded to other meanings of race when included how you are brought up to society. I would agree that while there is a set definition on race, we have an example here between two anthropology societies where their statements on race were different from each other, and everyone should respect different definitions as you put it, in the end. I find it interesting that you notice people act like race does not exist, but I think that is something that contradicts to what you said how everyone has a different definition of race. If people act like it does not exist, then statements wouldn’t have to be made or these viewpoints that entirely based on how people differ from the majority and have terms such as “being a minority.” Otherwise I see what you mean how everyone has a different background and we have to be aware of that.
Hey Briana,
I too was very excited about this week’s topic on Race! I’ve taken various classes that surrounded its whole existence on this topic, so I felt I had a lot to offer on this week’s blog post! I agree as well with the quote you posted. Its very helpful to why some people can’t imagine there being a non- existence to biological race. I also feel this quote is important because of the same reason you feel its important. Society likes to separate people by their “race,” creating a lot of barriers for other “races.” I feel some education on this topic can help one learn why this is not okay, and define “race” a little better for that individual.
Great job on the post Brianna very insightful.
Hi! I loved reading your blog post for week three. I find it so interesting how everyone has a different take on race and I enjoy reading everyone’s post. Something unique about having these weekly assignments and having to discuss a topic which can be controversial at times is that with the blog post online, debates are arguments can’t occur so people can simply just think about how others view a topic rather than trying to argue for their take on it. Anyway, although it is fact, race is something that was created by humans and now it is a prevalent issue in our society. It’s funny how we created this darn thing and now it’s tearing us apart. I know there are far more interesting things about everyone than their race and although it may be something that a stranger will first notice, I don’t think it needs to be seen as a barrier to anyone.