American History X Essay

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American History X, is based off the narration of Daniel Vinyard

explaining the story of his brother Derek Vinyard. Derek was convicted for murdering two black men that attempted to steal his car. Derek’s prejudicial attitude toward non-whites stemmed from racial narratives and communications expressed by his father and culminated with the murder of his father at the hands of African Americans who attempted to rob him. Derek established a white supremacist group after the death of his father; his beliefs and antics enticed his younger brother Danny to grow up just like him and share his racist beliefs. In an interview with a local news channel Derek is recorded giving his perspective on his father’s murder. Derek refers to minorities as “parasites” (Kaye, 1998).) Derek proceeds to denigrate nonwhites during the interview he states that his father was murder putting out a fire in the Nigger neighborhood he should not have even given a shit about. He got shot by drug dealer who probably still collects a welfare check. Socially, he feels as though problems like welfare, AIDS, and

immigration are problems that blacks, Hispanics, and Asians communities face but they are not white problems. He uses the example of the millions of European immigrants and

how in a generation they flourished but these minorities cant.

” frames are used interchangeably and with significant rhetorical incoherence (look at Data Sources- 12, 13). He describes the styles of colorblind racism as “How to talk nasty about minorities without sounding racist”, as his third chapter is titled (53). Bonilla-Silva describes the “race talk” of colorblind racism as the way in which this racial ideology allows users to legitimate themselves individually and the system of white supremacy/privilege/complicity as a whole (53). The stylistic elements include: whites’ avoidance of race talk altogether; “semantic moves” to save face; the role of projection, or “blaming the victim” instead of whites taking responsibility, being accountable for, or at least acknowledging their place in the social hierarchy; the role of diminuitives to “candy-coat” racial ideology; and finally rhetorical incoherence when asked to clarify racial beliefs (Bonilla-Silva 54The stereotype

(Kaye, 1998) Dereks stance also

showed the night them D.O.C rallied up in front of Archie’s Ranch Market and

vandalized the store for an Indian guy buying the store and hiring “forty boarder

jumpers” (Kaye, 1998) subsequently pushing out two of his friends that joined him that

night in the madness. Some of the guys out of the group pulled the cashier on to a counter

and fondled her. Terrorizing this poor women they grabbed salsa and stuffed it into her

mouth. Also smothering what looks to be applesauce and then followed by milk on to the

cashiers face. The comments one of the guys stated, as the poured milk on her was “This

bitch smells like fish, chips, and guacamole Lets clean her up... Oh that’s a good color for

her. Maybe she can get a white woman job now.” (Kaye, 1998)

Derek and his crew felt oppressed by the minorities in their city. The reason Derek

founded the D.O.C was so that white kids didn’t have to walk around scared of their own

neighborhood. He felt like having this group this gave a little piece of neighborhood back
According to Bonilla-Silva, the U.S. has scarcely moved beyond the era of segregation. He argues that all whites today rely more on cultural rather than biological analogies to explain racial inequalities.
Skin color has played a vital role by determining the legal and social structures throughout American History. From slavery when whites recognized slaves because of their skin color into the civil rights era race plays an important role in our economy. Therefore, racial considerations shade almost everything in America. The ideology of white supremacy still exists throughout our economy. It still exists throughout the American society and
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