This blog sets out to bring together issues and concerns within the discourse of multiculturalism and social texts which i define as texts that generate public interest including news, editorial, popular literature and other popular texts in the media such as songs, advertisements, videos and movies. The coming weeks and month will present opportunities for me to draw on the discussion of multiculturalism from various parameters including ethnic studies, gender studies and cultural studies to facilitate how multiculturalism can be a useful tool to study social texts, and what these texts inform us of the state of our diverse world.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

GOP candidate and the face of Multiculturalism in American

I recently read the article about the GOP presidential candidate's comments about Islam, and the role of Muslims in America. The article is an important reminder of the true face of multiculturalism in American and the sheer lack of recognition accorded for its minorities especially Muslims. As Herman Cain says:

"The role of Muslims in America is not to convert the rest of us to the Muslim religion. That I resent. Because we are a Judeo-Christian nation, from the fact that 85 percent of us are self-described Christians, or evangelicals, or practicing the Jewish faith. Eighty-five percent."

The sensitivity and care given to the other faiths is a necessary prerequisite about living amongst many faiths. But when American political figures speak about their Christian faith, they seem unabashed of the discriminatory tone they take towards others especially Islam. In addition, the irony here is that the pro-assimilation stand is now preached not only by White America. The 'bearers of culture' have shifted to the Other in society, the African American who less than 50 years ago were subjected to various forms of discrimination and prejudice in the hands of their white counterpart.

Read the article.

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