The Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights - 909 Words

At the turning point of the century came the rise of the industrial age in America, and with that, came the rise of multiculturalism. The promise of the money and jobs brought people from all over the world. Free-market enterprise had people enamored with â€Å"The American Dream,† the idea that freedom enabled every hard-working individual with the opportunity for prosperity in success. Because of this, no other nation has such a rich blend of cultures. However, with this culture of diversity one could claim makes America great, comes a series of convoluted identity politics. In the novel Covering: The Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights, Kenji Yoshino talks about the dichotomy between the True Self and False Self, and the concept of covering,†¦show more content†¦Ironically, today it is almost the opposite. Covering is enforced not by federal law, but by one’s own inhibition. This makes it seem like its in one’s own head, like it’s his or her fau lt and not societal expectations for being to scared to be his or her true self. People still feel the need to cover from our higher-ups and peers, despite the law protecting their civil rights. The need to cover has become more social than legislative, and therefore, more dangerous. Because it seems covering is imposed only by oneself, it acts invisible to the uncritical eye, and separates oneself from societal responsibility. About this, Yoshino says, â€Å"The real solution lies in all of us as citizens†¦ These reason-forcing conversations should happen outside courtrooms - in workplaces and restaurants, schools and playgrounds, chat rooms and living rooms, public squares and bars. They should occur informally and intimately, where tolerance is made and unmade.† Many, like Yoshino, refute this watered-down way of obtaining social equality. If one has to change to equal, he or she is not truly equal. â€Å"We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller,† says Nigerian feminist novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her â€Å"We Should All be Feminists† TEDx talk, â€Å"You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you will threaten the man.† No one should have to dilute their personalities so to gain acceptanceShow MoreRelatedThe Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights1121 Words   |  5 Pages Yoshino describes covering as the new threat to civil rights in the country; in regards that it negates the possibility of authenticity. Though he sees the positive aspects of assimilation in regards that it enhances fluidity in social interactions, he begrudges covering which is borne out of the assimilation process. His article â€Å"Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights† discusses his struggles with maintaining authentic Japanese and American culture, and shifting between the two culturesRead MoreThe Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights1485 Words   |  6 Pagesaside in order to reach success. Assimilation is only a part of reaching success because there are also personal identity and culture which can determine how much a person works or wants to achieve as well. In his essay â€Å"Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights†, Kenji Yoshino, who was once a Yale Law School professor, believes that people are sacrificing happiness and conformity and making room for assimilation on the basis of national origin (race), religion, sickness, and even sexual orientationRead MoreThe Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights1742 Words   |  7 PagesEvery snowflake that has ever fallen from the sky to the ground is different in some shape or form, like our own identities, no two are the same. Some aspects of our ident ity may be similar to others but in some way it will always be different as we perceive things differently. Our teachings, religion, culture, thoughts, etc†¦ are what defines us and sets us apart from the rest of the world. Kenji Yoshino a Japanese American, as a child was torn between two identities of being Japanese or an AmericanRead MoreThe Hidden Assault On Our Civil Rights2104 Words   |  9 Pagesthat a person does not feel comfortable with about their own body that leads them to hide it. These things could be aspects of their identity or their physical features that they feel must be hidden away in order to fit better into the mainstream. In his essay, â€Å"Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights† Kenji Yoshino discusses the effects â€Å"covering† has on marginalized groups in the United States. He defines â€Å"covering† as the ability â€Å"to tone down a disfavored identity to better fit into theRead MoreThe Detrimental Nature Of Co vering Sexual Orientation1249 Words   |  5 PagesZach Farley Professor Victoria Kill Uncovering Civil Rights 14 October 2014 The Detrimental Nature of Covering Sexual Orientation Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights, a book by a Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law, Kenji Yoshino details a specific version of assimilation called covering. Yoshino defines covering as â€Å"[toning] down a disfavored identity to fit into the main stream† (Yoshino ix). As a gay man of Japanese descent living in the United States, YoshinoRead More`` Border Arte : Nepantla, El Lugar De La Frontera1577 Words   |  7 Pagesmoving from one place to another, when changing from one class, race, or sexual position to another, when traveling from the present identity into a new identity.† (Anzaldà ºa 180) This state of nepantla is the middle of the crossroads in moments in our lives. It identifies the middle section in between two locations or destinations as its very own. For example, a person could be in a situation that calls for them to go from Point 1 to Point 2 in any kind of situation. Nepantla would be seen as PointRead MoreEssay about date violence1678 Words   |  7 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Among the best web sites related to the issue of dating violence are the following: â€Å"Teen Dating Violence† web site of The Houston Area Women’s Center, â€Å"Dating Violence and Acquaintance Assault† web site by Herbert G. Lingren, and â€Å"Dating Violence† web site by ACADV. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Teen Dating Violence† web site was developed by The Houston Area Women’s Center. The web site contains several sections and is quite informativeRead MoreEssay on Rock and Roll1295 Words   |  6 PagesThe emergence of Rock and Roll was one of the most pivotal moments of our nation’s history. The impact that this genre of music made is still evident in our culture. However, before this genre was able to gain momentum, it faced many cultural conflicts. The book, All Shook Up: How Rock ‘N’ Roll Changed America by Glenn C. Altschuler analyzes the impact that rock and roll music has made on American culture. It explores how the Rock and Roll culture was able to roughly integrate and later conflictRead MoreThe Problem of Domestic Violence1600 Words   |  7 Pageswere property of a husband or father and this male could do whatever they wanted to with them as they pleased. Property of another means there are no civil rights to speak of and being at the mercy of another. This form of property is closely related to that of slavery. People have only become educated on equality since the 70’s when the Civil Rights Movement occurred. Laws enforcing strict punishment on domestic violence has only really evolved over the last twenty years. The legal system is laggingRead MoreThe Brotherhood : The Aryan Brotherhood Essay1333 Words   |  6 Pages One of the most infamous prison gangs is the Aryan Brotherhood. Few details about their earliest days are known, but they quickly became known and feared by the 1970s. They are ruthless, dangerous, and brutal. Founded during the civil rights movement, white supremacist inmates at the San Quentin prison created a gang of their own for protection. Over time, as their power grew, so did their criminal activity. Also known as The Brand, they are among six major prison gangs that are recognized nationally