Chapter 4

Summary

Chapter 4 is about the diversity in America that has come from immigration.  Many different minority groups are discussed in this chapter. Each has gone though struggles of acceptance. These struggles are pointed out and the chapter describes how they have affected the family life.

First, African American families are discussed. Gender roles in particular are different in the black community than they are in the white community.  Not all families are led by the male of the household, sometimes, instead it is the female and other times, both have equal power.  This comes from the poverty that has plagued the black community forcing both males and females to work.  Many families are single mother families with fathers that either chooses to not be around or fathers that have passed away. Early passing of African American males from diseases related to stress is common because of how hard they have to work to provide for their families.  33% of blacks live in poverty making child rearing and education at times difficult. However, there is strength in the African American community though churches, families, and work ethics that they are able to survive.

Next, the chapter discusses American Indians.  62% of American Indians live in Alaska.  They fear losing their culture as less and less Indians are able to speak their native languages. Gender roles are virtually nonexistent in their culture, as both mother and father feel the responsibilities of the household are on their shoulders equally.  Children are special to the American Indians and it is very important for the parents to instill life lessons on their children such as respect for elders and other longstanding traditions.  Elders are a very important part of the family. They have earned the respect of the tribe through the years and are treated well. The continued deterioration of the American Indian culture is seriously detrimental to the well being of the youth, in particular.  Suicide and alcohol related deaths are prevalent between the ages of 18 and 35.

Latino families can be any family that has a Spanish speaking background, so this includes Mexicans, Spanish, and the Dominican Republic.  Because of immigration patterns it is difficult to define the typical Latino family. It also becomes difficult to define gender roles, however, one important point is how the men are portrayed.  They are supposed to be overly masculine and therefore often take over the rule of the household.  Mothers also hold a very traditional place in the family and put being a mother before work.  Latinos, in particular Mexican immigrants, are important to the U.S. economy.

Asian Americans are discussed next.  Asian Americans include Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipinos, and Asian Indians.  Like the Latino Families, structure is difficult to define because of how many different regions the Asian families come from.  Many Asian families follow a structure that puts women at the bottom of the social tiers.  They are to obey their father, brother(s), and husband above all else.  Children are put above all else and in return for their parents sacrifices they are expected to follow their parents rules and be well behaved. Parents do not physically punish their children but guilt them into behaving different the next time the situation arises.  Asians are often referred to as the “model minority,” because they are intelligent, disciplined, successful, and respectful.

Middle Eastern families can also be from a variety of countries and regions.  All Arab nations are considered Middle Eastern along Israel, Iran, Pakistan and the like.  Family is very important to Middle Eastern families, as is the ceremony of marriage. Most marriages are arranged. Gender roles are very strict. The men are the breadwinners and the women are the homemakers.  Children are very close with their parents and with each other. Girls are expected to closely follow their parent’s rules when it comes to dating but boys are given a lot more freedom. Many Arab Americans are well educated and wealthy.  However, they suffer from serious discrimination especially since 9/11.

What I learned:

I found the section about the “model minority” particularly interesting.  They Asian American culture has such a strong history of wealth and success and I find it impressive that they have maintained a sense of discipline in their children.  I think it is definitely something that all Americans can learn from.

Questions for discussion:

I found this chapter to be very opinionated.  Texts books should be a lot more neutral when it comes to subjects such as this.  Although it is hard not to feel for the much racial discrimination, I was expecting to read about the different families, not the hardships of the cultures.  This was discussed in class on September 19th, but I was wondering if we could find similar situations of discrimination when the Eastern Europeans immigrated to America?  I know of stories that my grandfather has told me of discrimination towards his father in particular for being Italian and how important it was for them to learn to speak English.  I wonder how much my family has changed since they moved to America from Italy and Slovakia. I also wonder how families that still live in tight knit communities (such as the Italian community in Bloomfield and South Oakland) have stayed the same since immigration.

Gina Zidek