This article posted on the Arab American Institute's website relates to race classification in relation to Arab Americans and the way government and society views them in the country. The title "Not Quite White" is quite fitting. I have a hard time believing that race is real. The is a lot of discussion on it being a social construction and I would have to say that I lean more towards that understanding. I would rather classify people by ethnicity which has a much broader spectrum than race and isn't so limiting. However, not everyone thinks this way which would explain Arabs identifying with black Americans as a person of colors because they are treated as such. Overall, I think this article gives a lot of great insight on the history and reasoning behind the racial dilemma we face in America.Furthermore, I think that these closing questions are worth pondering:
"The dynamics of identity itself demands further attention. Will past experiences with prejudice and exclusion, and the perception of American policies at odds with the Arab homeland, continue to influence the development of Arab American ethnic identity? What role do Arab-Jewish relations have in the inclusion of Arab ethnics into structures set up to promote diversity? Do we anticipate convergence or divergence between those who relate more comfortably with white ethnics and those who see themselves as people of color? What demographic factors influence each affinity and how dominant is religious affiliation in these trends?"
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