A) Do you think celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday helps Americans reduce or eliminate racism?
B) Does media influence young adults to be racist?
2007-02-19 12:44:49 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
No! n! No! but racism is built in the American Psyche. it will take another 400 years to eliminate it.
2007-02-19 12:49:06 · answer #1 · answered by tewarienormy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is not celebrated to reduce or eliminate racism, it is celebrated to honor a man who who lived and died for peace and equality. It is a day to remember the pricipals that he stood for and what we should all continue to strive for - equaltiy for all races, religions, sexualities, social classes and nationalities.
I do believe the media infliuences young people, but no more so than parents, friends, teachers, neighbors and society in general. For instance, the internet is filled with anti-black, anti-white, anti-gay, anti-muslim sites, its whether or not young adults chose to look at them that make the difference. Music, television and other forms of mass media only have power over youth if young people chose to pay attention to it and that all depends on what the people around them have told them is acceptable.
2007-02-19 13:16:10 · answer #2 · answered by Jeannie C 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It was not design to reduce or eliminate racism. But to remind us of the man's accomplishments and struggles . Media does not influence people to be racist parents do.
2007-02-19 12:50:29 · answer #3 · answered by Sugar 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A) No, but it honors a Civil Rights leaders achievements and that is not only noble but necessary.
B) In some ways I would agree that the media influences young adults to be racist and in some cases, self-loathing.
2007-02-19 12:49:49 · answer #4 · answered by fade_this_rally 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think remembering his legacy is important in reminding oneself of the values he suffered and eventually died for. By remembering the values he struggled and fought for, one can use that as an inspiration for positive change.
The media has a negative tendency to stereotype people in movies, images in the news, etc which can lead people to have stereotypes and incorrect assumptions about different ethnicities/races. For instance, how many times have you heard the phrase "Islamic terrorist" or "Arab terrorist" in the news? It's easy for someone take what they see in the media, and use that to justify hatred or intolerance/racist against entire groups of people. It's much more difficult to look beyond stereotypes and racism because that requires effort, education, and acceptance.
People always fear what they don't know, and the media sometimes feeds off of that. If you take away the unknown through education, you take away the fear. Racist people hate what they don't know about, and love stereotypes. So while the media doesn't cause racism per se, it can definately lead one to have stereotypical views if they don't educate themselves enough.
2007-02-19 13:55:12 · answer #5 · answered by tmonet20 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I really don't think people who are racists would celebrate King's birthday and no it would not reduce racism at all.
2007-02-22 17:53:32 · answer #6 · answered by andyt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What? If that's the case why do we celebrate Columbus day, or presidents day or veterans day? MLK made history in America so it is American history. White people just don't consider it American history, and label it as black history. If America would put more history of African-Americans in white American history we wouldn't need Black History Month. There are so many blacks that accomplished history in the world that you wonder if whites did anything.
2007-02-22 11:04:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A) No. I think people who appreciate what he did will still appreciate, and people who hate will still hate. Hate is a feeling that is easiest to feel, and easiest to show, but the hardest to change.
B) If it's negative, then it could add to the young adult's negative thinking towards that race. If they hear from their parents that a certain race is a certain way, then they hear the same thing from their friends, then the media confirms the same statement, then that young adult with believe it's true. A statement was then turned into a fact in that person's mind.
2007-02-19 12:53:17 · answer #8 · answered by CaliGurl 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why not
Should have nothing to do with racism
He was a great man.
Freedom of choice to celebrate any one's Birthday comes into bearing here.
2007-02-19 12:49:38 · answer #9 · answered by witchfromoz2003 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, the more we learn about MLK, the worse it gets. The narcotics, interracial prostitution, plagarism, etc., makes his credibility nil.
The media is inflencing racism through white guilt and the portrayal of the caucasian male as being inferior through commercials.
2007-02-19 19:21:42 · answer #10 · answered by revjohnfmcfuddpucker 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋