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September 28, 2020

Dear Professor Crowe,

We live in a country of unfortunate preference. Growing up in America, I subconsciously picked up on the ideals, whether it be from the media, television, microaggressions, etc. even when it went against who I am and those who are like me. It accelerates when it is something that people pick up on after the first impression becoming even more extreme and frequent. There are so many layers to this discrimination.

People from diverse backgrounds are subject to a disturbing pressure to assimilate to White-American ideals and ‘culture.’ They might befriend you if you ‘act white’ but for the benefit of using your relationship to defend themselves against those who call them out for being racist. You will often hear them say: ‘I have a black friend; I’m not racist,’ but then they’ll reject any behavior that is too culturally different for them.

Reading “Nobody Mean More to Me than You” by June Jordan and Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” truly help me put words to something I’ve witnessed and experienced for all of my life. There are so many versions of English that deserve equal acceptance as the standard white English. It was heart-breaking to read Jordan’s anecdote of her students reacting to the use of Black English in literature because it proves how drastic white-idealistic suppression has adversely affected the mindset of black students and their language. They mocked and criticized the writing of an author because even though that is the way that they speak themselves, it seemed odd when written on paper because of the fact that Black English is not the language asserted in the classroom setting. Their immediate reaction was to ridicule the language because their education taught them that there is a right way to speak English catering to the language of white America. This instant rejection, unfortunately, is the way most differences are taught and handled in America.

My mother’s experience always resonated with me because of the way, even in my childhood oblivion, I was able to feel the reality of the state of equality in America even through nuances of microaggressions. Her accent fueled way too many people with the arrogance and entitlement to belittle and disrespect her. Accents are one of MANY things that, for some reason, come with their onslaught of derogatory jokes and degrading behavior. I know my mother is not alone in this in any shape or form. America is composed of people who are different from any established ideal. There is an ominous and unspoken suppression of diversity even though it’s an expected constant. America would not be America without this mix of people, of culture.

Sincerely,
Samiha Hussen

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