The United States of America is known for its diversity and the millions of immigrants that come to our country annually. Our country is literally a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures.
However, if this is the case, why is the nation so ignorant when it comes to race and ethnicity? Far too many people in the U.S. seem completely unaware of people who are different than they are, which leads to cultural insensitivity. Whether this is intended or not, it’s wrong and brings to the surface issues we have never really resolved.
When people think of the word ignorant a number of thoughts come to mind. First, one might think of someone who is not bright, but when one uses the term in reference to cultural insensitivity it means a lot more. It means idiocy, stupidity, and bigotry. It’s understandable that people don’t want to be associated with this term no matter the context, yet many fail to realize that in some aspects and issues of society they can be ignorant. However, not all ignorance is intentional. In lighter words, it simply means that one lacks knowledge or awareness, that they’re generally uneducated or unsophisticated.
I often have to remind myself that, for many people, their ignorance isn’t intentional, they just have not been exposed to a world outside of their own. The mass media doesn’t do the best job imparting cultural knowledge to those who are simply unaware of surrounding cultures. The media tends to portray many cultures through the common stereotypes society has placed on them, leading to a greater ignorance for others. So, if all a person ever knows of another culture is what’s seen on TV, in movies, or heard in music, they are only exposed to a fraction of what makes up a culture.
It still amazes me that anti-Semitic groups such as The Klan and other organized hate groups can still legally exist simply because “the Constitution allows it.” That argument – though legal – utterly disregards the moral compass that America claims to possess. We scream “United we stand, divided we fall,” yet our country is divided and segregated just like it was back in the day.
The only way we can become the country we claim to be is by educating ourselves. The media certainly plays a part in learning about others, but it also adds to the issue. The answer is simple: education. Yes, this means listening in school and learning, but it also means going out and experiencing things for yourself. To truly combat ignorance, we must expand our comfort zone, engage with others, and open our eyes to the world around us.