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Austin Beauchamp Mrs. Diana Watkins English Comp II 1 October 2013 So a Black, a White and a Mexican Walk Into a Bar Chances are that at some point in our lives we all have heard a joke that had started out very similar to this. Normally the joke would begin with the teller looking around to see if any of the other races he or she mentioned were around, then the joke telling would commence. Some of these jokes are gut-bustingly hilarious, and some of them might make people turn away in disgust. However, the cold fact is that they not only support racism to a certain degree, but also stereotyping. Its a sad truth, but jokes like this are just the beginning. Stereotyping can be very dangerous, yet it is present in almost all forms of media today. Books, magazines, movies, and even newspapers are guilty of stereotyping people. We start seeing it the day we open our eyes for the first time. To catch a glimpse of just how early our youth is exposed to gender stereotypes, all you have to do is pick up a random childrens book or watch a cartoon. In the vast majority of childrens media, gender stereotypes are strongly enforced. You will typically see the mother as the caring nurturing figure who does the dishes, cleans the house, and makes sandwiches for her husband when he returns home from work. As for the father, he is typically portrayed as the stern breadwinner who works long, hard hours to provide for his kids.

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As kids grow into teenagers the stereotypes still surround them. With access to more media outlets such as movies and TV shows kids are opened up to more harmful and negative stereotypes such as racism, prejudice and sexism. In the news for instance, we always hear about terrorists. These terrorists are almost always shown as Muslims in full dress. We also hear about gang crimes that are always shown to be black. It seems we are always seeing the stereotypes enforced which just makes us believe them more and more. It has come so far that shows are being scripted to enforce these assumptions. Shows such as Jersey Shore, Buckwild, and the vast majority of other reality TV shows focus on a certain type of people, and reinforce the stereotype they seem to fit into. Speaking from firsthand experience, shows that make certain groups of people all seem the same are irritating. As a man of Italian and Native American descent, I get stereotyped as being a drunk party animal with a big nose, simple mind, greased up hair, and no respect for anything or anyone. However, if you were to just look at me then you would find none of those things to hold true. I know for a fact that I am not the only person who feels this way, many others sense the negativity that stereotypes bring. I have also felt it from growing up in an area that is considered to be Redneck Country. Just because I say words such as yall and aint in my everyday speech doesnt mean Im dumb. Just because I drive a lifted truck doesnt mean I dont care about the environment. Just because I enjoy having a beer with my buddies doesnt mean Im a drunk. People nowadays assume too much by just looking straight at

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something, they dont take the time to open the pages and see what were all about. (Hunter 2011) By driving a big truck and looking like a farm kid, Colt Hunter gets stereotyped on a daily basis. Whether it be someone accusing him of trying to make up for something hes lacking, or someone thinking he isnt the sharpest tool in the shed. These stereotypes actually couldnt be further from the truth. He is currently enrolled in The University of Oklahomas Medical program in hopes of becoming a leading surgeon. People have given him a hard time his entire life, and he admitted that it is starting to take its toll on his dreams. These preconceived ideas arent only hurtful to anyone who has been labeled by them, they can also be very destructive to society. Two men walk up to you and ask for a dollar, one dressed as a bum, the other in a suit. You would assume the bum is wanting to buy smokes so you give it to the suit guy. Little did you know, the man in the suit bought two gumballs while the homeless man lies in an alley dying of starvation, 13 years sober. (Lisenberg 2011) This is how David Lisenberg described stereotyping when asked how it was harmful. He went on to tell about how the homeless man was a friend of his that was a decorated war hero in the navy. His friend died the next day. This story illustrates how stereotyping can destroy lives, and over time it can turn societies against its own people. In the early 1930s Germany, one of the worst possible outcomes of stereotyping happened. A man by the name of Adolf Hitler began exterminating Jews because of his beliefs that they were all subhuman. Now this is an extreme case, and yes some stereotyping is

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necessary to keep ourselves safe, but we as a society do not need it in our everyday media or in our everyday lives. Next time you see something that stereotypes people, think about just how true it is or isnt. Then think of people you know that dont fit it. Small acts such as these may help keep our heads on straight and reduce the effects of stereotyping. So next time a white, a black, and a Mexican do walk into a bar together, they wont get made fun of.

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Sources
"Our Nations Problem." Interview by Phillip J. Fry. Express Education. N.p., Dec. 2011. Web. Sept. 2013. <expressedu.gov>. "Redneck Views." Interview by Austin L. Schmidt. Southern Livestock Jan.-Feb. 2011: 11-12. Print. "Stereotypical Interview." Interview by Ray C. Reilly. KKOD, Broken Arrow, AK, n.d. Radio. "The Holocaust: An Introductory History." An Introductory History of the Holocaust. N.p., 9 May 2008. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.