The “Love Has No Labels” video was honestly adorable! I
loved the message it sent out about not discriminating and just letting people
be. In chapter six, “The Cycle of Socialization”, it begins with talking about
the different ways society categorizes and separates individuals in society
based on characteristics, both physical and non-physical, such as skin color,
ethnicity, religion, class, gender, and so on. Bobbie Harro makes the obvious
point that everyone SHOULD “appreciate differences and treat each other with respect”
and although many people jump to that conclusion, they do not realize that they
must put in the work too to erase oppression (Harro, 2013). Throughout our lives,
we will inevitably fall into the stereotypes society, and especially those in
power, groups us in even if we do nothing to feed into the actual stereotype.
Eventually “our discomfort becomes more powerful than our fear of insecurity…compel[ing
us] to take some action”, which I noticed has been happening lately with movements
all across the country. Only through educating yourself can you reach that new
level of awareness.
In the video, “Park Avenue”, they talked about the troubles
of college for those coming from a lower-class background. For example, among
the people that reside in a low-income area, such as the Bronx, the
unemployment rate sits at 19%. Those who come from a higher class often think
that the reason for high unemployment rates is because people choose not to work
when in reality that is not the case at all. Since 1980, college tuition has
gone up 500% (Gibney, 2012). Individuals who come from a disadvantaged area
typically only have a high school diploma which cannot guarantee them
high-paying jobs, so most of them work in a place where they receive a low
wage. Because areas like this are saturated with people from similar backgrounds
it does not leave many open job opportunities for the rest. In fact, there is a
7 out of 10 chance that someone with a high school diploma does not have a
full-time job (Gibny, 2012). How does the government always complain about
people using the system by choosing not to work when the government itself places
multiple obstacles in front of the oppressed?
Hi Melanie!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree regarding the "Love Has no Lablels" video. I wasn't expecting to be crying over a 3 minute video in front of my roommates but it definitely happened. I like that you included the quote from Harro about our "discomfort becoming more powerful than our fear of insecurity," as I like to think of this as one of the reasons we are all Social Workers. A lot of us have realized at a pretty young age that oppression is very real and we want to do whatever we can to break the cycle of socialization. I just have to wonder, how long will it take for everyone to be on the same page about this? When will our collective discomfort become strong enough so that society can see major changes? Hopefully sooner rather than later. What you said about the government complaining about people using the system is also spot on. Many Republicans I know complain about the welfare system and completely deny the government's responsibility to help those in need, but after this video it is clear that we have more than enough to provide help for those who need it. Frankly I found the amount of money that is used in this country to essentially control the government and maintain power to be pretty disgusting. If someone has millions of dollars to hand to politicians to ensure that they can remain rich and not be burdened by taxes, why can't these people reach out and help the people down the road who will never be able to go to college because of the situation they were born into? This video was a shock to me, and really made me realize more than ever that the "American Dream" was simply not a reality.