Essay # 2 revision

I've always been told that America is a place of equality & opportunity.

If that's so, than why is the white man hired over the black man?

Both of them have high degrees in education & both posses similar skills.

Don't you think that race has anything to do with it? Many Americans today

tend to believe that racial discrimination does not play a role in class mobility,

but education does. Equality is not a reality in the American society. Education &

especially race does hinder someone's social standard.

There is ample evidence that racial inequalities remain when it comes to employment. Statistics have shown that the unemployment rate for black men with college degrees was nearly double, as opposed to white men. Luo's article shows that in 2009, black men with a college degree had an unemployment rate of 8.4% compred to 4.4% for their white counterpart. Unfortunately, a college degree cannot close the racial gap and inequality isn't a matter that should be looked passed.

What caught my attention in Paul Krugmans, "Confronting Inequality", on page 323, he said, "The small landowners are the most precious part of the state." He has a very strong point because many people look down upon those of a lower class. The rich either get richer and "the poor" get poorer or stay in the same position. But, who's to say that they want to remain in the lower class group? Individuals still tend to say that the people make their own place in society, but sadly that's not the truth. If that was the case I don't think there'd be much people in the lower class area. If you truly believe that all Americans are entitled to an equal chance and want to ignore the simple fact that it's all fictitious, than that's just cruel and ignorant. The working class of our society are the one's who shape the social pyramid.

In the past 30 years the government's policies have strongly encouraged social disparacy. What are the low income workers being affected so much? We are going through a very tough era and yet the higher class are still making money while sipping their wine and flying across the world in their private jets. WHY AREN'T THEY BEING AFFECTED!? They don't have to worry about joggling 2 jobs,children, and increased taxes. On the opposite end of the social scale, the median income of tax filers had fallen 2 percent between 2000 and 2005, with fully half of the population struggling to get by. The rich don't have a sense of the reality that really goes on within the people. I asked an individual what they thought about social inequality and they replied, "The people that are above with always remain above and those who are at the bottom sadly have to struggle because they're always going to be looked down upon because they're from a different background or race, that's the reality even though people try to deny it".

post # 4

I've always been told that America is a place of equality & opportunity.

If that's so, than why is the white man hired over the black man?

Both of them have high degrees in education & both posses similar skills.

Don't you think that race has anything to do with it? Many Americans today

tend to believe that racial discrimination does not play a role in class mobility,

but education does. Equality is not a reality in the American society. Education &

especially race does hinder someone's social standard. There is ample evidence

that racial inequalities remain when it comes to employment. Statistics have

shown that the unemployment rate for black men with college degrees was nearly

double, as opposed to white men. Luo's article shows that in 2009, black men with

a college degree had an unemployment rate of 8.4% compred to 4.4% for their white counterpart.

Thinking About Work

When I think about work, I think about the amount of energy a person uses just to get by day by day. Now a days it's just WORK WORK WORK. BILLS BILLS BILLS! But unfortunately, we can't just sit back and expect money to fall out of the sky. I mean that would be nice, but let's think realistic here people. xD I've just realized how much my mom must go through in order to put food on the table and to take care of me. At first I'd think to myself, "Is her job really that bad or is she just complaining a lot"? LOL But, now I understand why she comes home so stressed out at times. Stress(work) + Stress(Home)= STRESS OVERLOAD! Since we do need money to survive, people are willing to stick it out where ever they are just to get by. Because believe me it ain't easy.

My mom is the first born out of 6. She was raised in Brazil and ever since the age of 6-7 years, she's been working each and every day of her life. It was hard for her because since she was the first born she had a lot on her sholders. She had to help grandma take care of the other 5, while the other children would run along with there lunch boxes away to school. It was really hard for her because she didn't have the lifestyle of the other children, better yet a CHILDHOOD. Could you imagine a child at that age not have time to play with their friends or ride bikes, because they had to help their parents gather food to feed the family? Wow as I'm writing this, it's all hitting me now. Sometimes I really don't appreciate some of the things my mother does. I do love my mother very much, but it has now come to an understanding of why she treats me or acts a specific way with me. There are certain things that mothers go through that people will never understand because they've never gone through it. Mommy tells me all the time that I will never understand until the time comes for me to work, pay bills and live for myself. Up until this day my mom has clothed me and kept me in pristine condition and I really admire her for that. Even though my parents still come through for me til this very day, I'd have to say that Mommy has put in an extra 100% for me. She is really an inspiration. She does it all herself. Takes care of bills,work,her personal life and ME! I mean I can be a handful at times, I'll admit =P

I work and I plan on having a stable career so that someday I can give her at least half the things she never had and believe me what ever it takes I will do it for this woman and for my happiness. She's perfect and one day I hope to be at LEAST HALF the person she is!