Malcolm X Post 3

Elijah Muhammad's huge influence on Malcolm is obvious. Malcolm is completely aware that he would be willing to do whatever Elijah thought to be right, at all costs. The Nation of Islam has done great things so far for many Black people, bringing them out of addiction, helping them become morally strong, and instilling family values. But the extreme loyalty these people had for Elijah is kind of scary. Not so much yet, but it seems like people are beginning to trust him as if he is God. I don't think any one person should have that kind of hold on a large group of people because it can become dangerous. One wrong decision or miscommunication and you have the whole Nation of Islam, not thinking for themselves, doing something they may not usually do. It reminds me of stories I've heard about cults and how people have committed mass suicide because their leader, who they thought was God, told them to. Jonestown, a colony of the "People's Temple," had this happen to them because they were brainwashed. (www.infoplease.com/spot/jonestown1.html) At this point, I don't see the Nation of Islam like this, and Elijah seems to be a good person, but the leader of Jonestown, Jim Jones, probably seemed the same way. Before he showed he was a fraud, what made him different than countless other people who called themselves prophets or messengers of God? Almost every religion was started by a charismatic man with this description. I wasn't brought up religiously, and that's probably why I think this way. I'm not against religion, but I wouldn't know where to start. I can't chose between Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or anything because I don't see how one is better than the other. It might take a desperate time in my life for me to turn to religion, just like Malcolm did, and I may find comfort in any beliefs. As of now, I'm agnostic, which means I don't feel like at the present moment it's possible to know the truth about the existence of a God, or what it is like. I need proof for myself to believe anything, its just the way I am. 

Malcolm X Post 2

In Chapters 11 and 12, Malcolm has completely been opened up to understanding history and starting to think about what's going on in society. Influenced by his reading and Elijah Muhammad, the white man has begun to appear to him as the devil, because throughout history he has done nothing but oppress people of color and exploit them. Being white, it feels a little weird to hear that I'm the devil just because of what other people who look like me have done. It's almost like a reverse racism, and even though I disagree with grouping everyone together, I can see why Black people would feel that way. It reminds me of how some older Jewish people avoid buying German cars, because they connect them to the Holocaust. I don't agree with it, but it's easy for me to say because no German has ever done anything wrong to me personally. I've had friends from Germany at camp, who actually were personally hurt if anybody confronted them about the Holocaust. Seeing that made me realize that the hate in Germany is no longer prevalent, and the people are genuinely trying to get past it. Although I hadn't disliked Germans beforehand, my thoughts were similar to Malcolm's in Africa, realizing some white people are genuinely good, and trying to prove they are not like their ancestors. Americans at the time of Malcolm X were generally not genuine,  and deserved his criticism, or at least his mistrust. Although I hold no grudges with Germans, some people more closely connected with Holocaust victims may find it harder to forgive and forget. In this article (www.posner.com/articles/VWDay.htm) a Jewish guy explains why he once refused to buy German cars. It might seem crazy to some people, but if you knew someone who was forced to do slave labor for Volkswagen during the Nazi rule, it might make more sense. I think it's important to try not to judge somebody for what their ancestors did. It's an understandable feeling, but to get past racism both sides need to try. 

Malcolm X Post 1

I'm amazed that Malcolm has even survived up until this point. He's not only been nearly shot more than once and put a loaded gun to his own head, but he's been on drugs throughout all of it. But through all his run-ins, a lot of stories have shown some interesting things about society in the 1940's. I have always known that upper-class, prominent people can not only be corrupt, but also can be perverts or criminals, as shown by this story about a perverted government figure:

 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574.html) 

I never knew, however, that in the 40's when segregation and racism was extremely common, rich white people commonly used, and even paid Black people to act out their fantasies. Not only were these people corrupt behind the scenes, but as racist as they were, they couldn't get enough of Black people. Malcolm learned this working to help get customers at a brothel, as well as through stories he heard from other hustlers. This ties into how white people would also flock to Harlem at night to enjoy the "Negro Atmosphere." Even white women would secretly have relationships with Black men. I though this was really hypocritical, but also was just another example of racism. I would have been disgusted as a black person, since the whites would look down on them in public, but behind the scenes admire their culture and want to experience it. White people blatantly used them only when it was convenient, then used segregation to keep an edge. Black people played into it for some money to survive, but must have felt resentment underneath. 

This reminds me of how Jewish people were exploited for labor around the time of the Holocaust. While they were physically forced into it through violence, and Black people chose to do it for money, it was similarly one of the only options they had. Black people may not have been physically forced into these acts, but were socially and culturally limited in their options for work. Therefore, they had almost no choice but to do these odd jobs for rich whites, just as Jews had literally no choice but to build cars, and various other jobs the Germans forced upon them. 

I've never been truly exploited or used for being Jewish. The closest thing to it that I've experienced is the Jewish jokes or subtle anti-Semitic comments. It's so common that I don't get bothered, but sometimes I do. And when I do, it's not because of what was said, it's because the person felt like I wasn't worth not saying it around. I get more mad at getting personally disrespected than at my race being insulted, as long as the comments are in a joking manner, not a mean-spirited, racist way. If the intention was to get a reaction out of me, I feel disrespected, but if it was just to be funny, and my ethnicity happens to be the subject of the joke, I never have a problem with it. 

Malcolm X Ch. 1-6

During the whole story, Malcolm uses experiences he had to either expose the details of racial inequality or to show others how to deal with it. His tone shows that he has resentment for white people for their treatment of him and his family, and yet he caters to them and even dates a white woman for his livelihood and as a symbol of status. It shows how the world was really impossible to survive in at the time without getting along with whites, the dominant race. 

At one point, Malcolm shows how Black people were becoming experts at getting money out of the whites' pockets. He explains that, "white people are so obsessed with their own importance that they will pay liberally, even dearly, for the impression of being catered to and entertained" (Haley 78). He also says that Blacks were becoming expert psychologists of the White attitude, using their egos to get better tips. I found that interesting, since I've never thought about the situation like that. I'm sure no white people ever thought they were being taken advantage of, and always thought they were in a position of power, but Black people were actually faking their eagerness to serve, and White people unknowingly tipped better because of it. 

I also found it interesting how big of hypocrites white people were. They would treat Blacks like animals and openly discriminate against them, yet at night they flocked to Harlem to be around the Black "atmosphere." It's weird how they can be racist and admiring at the same time. 

Ethnic Notions

Watching this video made me realize how ridiculous stereotypes of African-Americans were in the past. I always knew people saw them as stupid, and incapable of being successful on their own, but they were so exaggerated that it seemed hard to take seriously. People must have been brainwashed by all the stories, pictures, or actors that made Blacks seem like animals. 

Stereotypes that still exist today remind me of ones in the video. The mammy, an overweight, unattractive black woman who was the head of the family, still somewhat exists. In movies, Black women are portrayed as powerful and hardworking in the household. 

The brute is probably the most common stereotype of Blacks. In the past, he was aggressive, dangerous, and uncontrollable if freed from slavery. He would concentrate on chasing white virgins, and was depicted as a savage beast with no civilized morals. Now, it is the Black criminal, who is dangerous and likely to end up in prison. It is a similar idea, but equally wrong in that the poverty is what leads to crime, not race. The urban coon, who gambles on the street and can't hold a respectable job, exists today in almost the same way. The stereotypes are slowly fading away, but will probably be around for a while longer.