How minority groups are discriminated.

1. Portfolio​ ​Entry​ ​#8:
Belonging​ ​to​ ​Minorities
Subject​:​ ​​Written​ ​Expression​ ​IV
Year​:​​ ​4​th​ ​​
(Forth)
Teacher​:​​ ​Saubidet,​ ​Stella
Student​:​​ ​Rodríguez,​ ​Ramiro
Year​:​​ ​2017

2. Belonging​ ​to​ ​Minorities
When​ ​we​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​minorities,​ ​we​ ​may​ ​think​ ​about​ ​Ethnic​ ​minorities,​ ​Political​ ​minorities
and​ ​even​ ​Sexual​ ​and​ ​Religious​ ​minorities.​ ​Even​ ​though​ ​we​ ​are​ ​living​ ​now​ ​on​ ​an​ ​age​ ​when
differences​ ​are​ ​seen​ ​as​ ​signs​ ​of​ ​where​ ​we​ ​are​ ​from​ ​or​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​of​ ​showing​ ​our​ ​roots,​ ​or​ ​an
expression​ ​of​ ​free​ ​thinking,​ ​sometimes​ ​those​ ​minority​ ​groups​ ​are​ ​not​ ​seen​ ​with​ ​good​ ​eyes.
​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​The​ ​most​ ​traditional​ ​discriminated​ ​group​ ​which​ ​has​ ​existed​ ​since​ ​old​ ​times​ ​is​ ​the
Sexual​ ​minority.​ ​Homosexual​ ​people​ ​have​ ​not​ ​always​ ​or​ ​never​ ​been​ ​accepted​ ​mainly​ ​because
they​ ​were​ ​considered​ ​ill​ ​people​ ​with​ ​mental​ ​disturbances.​ ​In​ ​spite​ ​of​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​in​ ​these
modern​ ​times​ ​homosexual​ ​people​ ​are​ ​accepted​ ​and​ ​respected,​ ​they​ ​have​ ​had​ ​to​ ​struggle​ ​a​ ​lot
in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​have​ ​their​ ​rights​ ​acknowledge.​ ​Before​ ​the​ ​21​st​
​ ​century,​ ​homosexual​ ​people​ ​had
been​ ​discriminated​ ​and​ ​even​ ​forced​ ​to​ ​live​ ​a​ ​heterosexual​ ​lifestyle​ ​against​ ​their​ ​will.​ ​The​ ​only
way​ ​in​ ​which​ ​they​ ​could​ ​live​ ​their​ ​true​ ​loves​ ​was​ ​by​ ​hiding​ ​of​ ​the​ ​eyes​ ​of​ ​their​ ​families,
friends​ ​and​ ​their​ ​entire​ ​communities.​ ​To​ ​make​ ​matters​ ​worse,​ ​when​ ​an​ ​homosexual​ ​person
strongly​ ​refused​ ​to​ ​turn​ ​his/​ ​her​ ​desires​ ​away,​ ​he/​ ​she​ ​was​ ​​ ​sent​ ​to​ ​an​ ​asylum​ ​or​ ​to​ ​live​ ​a
religious​ ​life​ ​as​ ​a​ ​priest​ ​or​ ​a​ ​nun.​ ​As​ ​the​ ​Elton​ ​John's​ ​song​ ​“All​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​like​ ​Alice”​ ​sings:
-​”Raised​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​lady​ ​by​ ​the​ ​golden​ ​rule,
-​ ​Alice​ ​was​ ​the​ ​spawn​ ​of​ ​a​ ​public​ ​school
-With​ ​a​ ​double​ ​barrel​ ​name
-​ ​In​ ​the​ ​back​ ​of​ ​her​ ​brain
-​ ​And​ ​a​ ​simple​ ​case​ ​of
-​ ​Momma-​ ​doesn't-​ ​love-​ ​me​ ​blues”.
This​ ​song​ ​expresses​ ​the​ ​cruelty​ ​and​ ​persecution​ ​homosexual​ ​people​ ​had​ ​suffered​ ​during​ ​all
the​ ​past​ ​centuries.​ ​Nowadays,​ ​when​ ​somebody​ ​declares​ ​him/herself​ ​a​ ​homosexual,​ ​that
person​ ​is​ ​generally​ ​accepted,​ ​although​ ​not​ ​everybody​ ​is​ ​still​ ​happy​ ​of​ ​seeing​ ​or​ ​being​ ​in
contact​ ​with​ ​a​ ​person​ ​with​ ​a​ ​different​ ​sexual​ ​orientation.
Another​ ​classical​ ​type​ ​of​ ​discriminated​ ​minority​ ​group​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Religious​ ​minority.​ ​History
shows​ ​us​ ​cruel​ ​fights​ ​in​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​Faith.​ ​Violent​ ​combats​ ​with​ ​persecutions​ ​and​ ​deaths,
martyrdoms,​ ​crucifixions​ ​and​ ​tortures.​ ​Victims​ ​that​ ​afterwards​ ​had​ ​turned​ ​into​ ​aggressors.
Fanaticism​ ​that​ ​has​ ​extended​ ​through​ ​the​ ​centuries.​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​since​ ​the​ ​medieval​ ​age​ ​the
Christian​ ​religion,​ ​especially​ ​the​ ​Catholic​ ​one,​ ​had​ ​domain​ ​over​ ​other​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​religion,
restricting​ ​their​ ​performances.​ ​A​ ​good​ ​example​ ​of​ ​this​ ​is​ ​when​ ​the​ ​Christians​ ​had​ ​persecuted
everybody​ ​who​ ​had​ ​refused​ ​to​ ​join​ ​them​ ​during​ ​the​ ​religious​ ​crusades.​ ​In​ ​these​ ​modern​ ​times
the​ ​most​ ​recent​ ​persecution​ ​we​ ​had​ ​was​ ​during​ ​World​ ​War​ ​II​ ​which​ ​took​ ​place​ ​last​ ​Century.
There,​ ​the​ ​German​ ​Führer​ ​Adolf​ ​Hitler​ ​chased​ ​and​ ​executed​ ​millions​ ​of​ ​Jews​ ​accusing​ ​them
of​ ​corrupting​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​Even​ ​though,​ ​the​ ​Christians​ ​had​ ​rejected​ ​other​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​religions,​ ​that
had​ ​not​ ​stopped​ ​them​ ​of​ ​having​ ​divisions​ ​among​ ​them,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Catholics​ ​and​ ​Protestants
who​ ​fight​ ​each​ ​other​ ​fiercely.​ ​Those​ ​two​ ​religious​ ​groups​ ​are​ ​famous​ ​for​ ​having​ ​wars​ ​in
Ireland.​ ​Ireland​ ​is​ ​divided​ ​in​ ​Northern​ ​Ireland,​ ​dominated​ ​by​ ​the​ ​British​ ​and​ ​forming​ ​the
U.K.,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Southern​ ​Ireland.​ ​There,​ ​the​ ​British​ ​Northern​ ​part​ ​has​ ​Protestant​ ​religion​ ​and

3. the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country​ ​is​ ​Catholic.​ ​The​ ​war​ ​between​ ​those​ ​parts​ ​has​ ​damaged​ ​the​ ​country
politically​ ​and​ ​economically.​ ​This​ ​war​ ​inspired​ ​the​ ​vocalist​ ​of​ ​the​ ​U2​ ​group,​ ​Bono,​ ​to​ ​write​ ​a
song​ ​called​ ​“where​ ​the​ ​streets​ ​have​ ​no​ ​names”.​ ​The​ ​song​ ​sings:
- “The​ ​city​ ​is​ ​a​ ​flood,
- And​ ​our​ ​love​ ​turns​ ​to​ ​rust,
- We​ ​are​ ​beaten​ ​and​ ​blown​ ​by
- The​ ​wind,
- Trampled​ ​in​ ​dust,
- I'll​ ​show​ ​you​ ​a​ ​place
- High​ ​on​ ​a​ ​desert​ ​plain
- Where​ ​the​ ​streets​ ​have​ ​no
- Name”.
This​ ​song​ ​referes​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Irish​ ​streets​ ​because​ ​they​ ​do​ ​not​ ​have​ ​names​ ​but​ ​numbers.​ ​And​ ​there
you​ ​can​ ​guess​ ​the​ ​religion,​ ​wealth​ ​and​ ​the​ ​beliefs​ ​of​ ​the​ ​people​ ​only​ ​by​ ​knowing​ ​what​ ​street
they​ ​are​ ​from.
One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​serious​ ​cases​ ​of​ ​discriminated​ ​minority​ ​group​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Ethnic​ ​minority,​ ​because
that​ ​one​ ​is​ ​the​ ​one​ ​which​ ​suffers​ ​more​ ​discrimination​ ​and​ ​division​ ​than​ ​any​ ​other​ ​minority
group.​ ​By​ ​Ethnic​ ​minority​ ​we​ ​mean​ ​people​ ​from​ ​other​ ​countries​ ​or​ ​communities​ ​living​ ​on
places​ ​where​ ​their​ ​customs​ ​or​ ​traditions​ ​are​ ​not​ ​the​ ​same.​ ​Although​ ​it​ ​is​ ​generally​ ​true​ ​that
the​ ​American​ ​countries​ ​were​ ​founded​ ​by​ ​European​ ​foreigners,​ ​nowadays​ ​some​ ​of​ ​these
nations,​ ​mainly​ ​U.S.A.,​ ​are​ ​receiving​ ​foreigners​ ​but​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​providing​ ​them​ ​good​ ​and
healthy​ ​life​ ​conditions.​ ​Foreigners​ ​are​ ​generally​ ​used​ ​to​ ​do​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​cheap​ ​jobs​ ​because
they​ ​are​ ​considered​ ​low​ ​category​ ​workers.​ ​To​ ​begin​ ​with,​ ​with​ ​undocumented​ ​foreigners,
bosses​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to​ ​pay​ ​them​ ​as​ ​little​ ​as​ ​possible​ ​and​ ​also​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​forced​ ​by​ ​law​ ​to​ ​provide
them​ ​services,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​medical​ ​insurance​ ​and​ ​as​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​hired​ ​by​ ​contract,​ ​foreigners​ ​are
not​ ​able​ ​to​ ​make​ ​legal​ ​demands​ ​if​ ​their​ ​bosses​ ​exploit​ ​them.​ ​They​ ​are​ ​just​ ​sacked​ ​and
replaced​ ​by​ ​other​ ​foreigners​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​a​ ​job.​ ​In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​this​ ​employment​ ​cruelty,​ ​ethnic
groups​ ​are​ ​recognized​ ​by​ ​keeping​ ​their​ ​language,​ ​traditions,​ ​beliefs​ ​and​ ​customs​ ​within​ ​that
new​ ​community,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​natives​ ​of​ ​that​ ​community​ ​generally​ ​do​ ​not​ ​like​ ​it​ ​when​ ​strange
foreigners​ ​impose​ ​their​ ​customs​ ​on​ ​their​ ​society.​ ​The​ ​musician​ ​Sting​ ​has​ ​written​ ​a​ ​song
called​ ​“An​ ​Englishman​ ​in​ ​New​ ​York”​ ​reflecting​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​foreigners​ ​keeping​ ​their​ ​own
customs​ ​are​ ​not​ ​accepted​ ​on​ ​other​ ​countries.​ ​The​ ​song​ ​has​ ​lyrics,​ ​such​ ​as:
- “I'm​ ​an​ ​alien,
- I´m​ ​a​ ​legal​ ​alien,
- I'm​ ​an​ ​Englishman​ ​in​ ​New
- Yooooork”
- “If​ ​manners​ ​maketh​ ​man​ ​as
- Someone​ ​said
- Then​ ​he's​ ​the​ ​hero​ ​of​ ​the​ ​day
- It​ ​takes​ ​a​ ​man​ ​to​ ​suffer

4. - Ignorance​ ​and​ ​smile
- Be​ ​yourself​ ​no​ ​matter​ ​what
- They​ ​say…”
Finally,​ ​the​ ​most​ ​cruelly​ ​and​ ​violently​ ​treated​ ​of​ ​the​ ​minority​ ​groups​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Political​ ​minority.
Of​ ​course​ ​not​ ​everybody​ ​inside​ ​a​ ​country​ ​would​ ​agree​ ​on​ ​the​ ​same​ ​political​ ​style​ ​of
government,​ ​but​ ​always,​ ​as​ ​much​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​as​ ​in​ ​these​ ​modern​ ​times,​ ​political​ ​differences
have​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​violent​ ​struggles​ ​inside​ ​a​ ​community​ ​that​ ​have​ ​ranged​ ​since​ ​simple​ ​discussion
to,​ ​even,​ ​civil​ ​wars​ ​and​ ​tyrannies.​ ​Democracy​ ​consists​ ​of​ ​people​ ​choosing​ ​their​ ​own​ ​leaders,
but​ ​with​ ​time,​ ​that​ ​open​ ​system​ ​of​ ​leadership​ ​has​ ​turned​ ​into​ ​the​ ​prime​ ​reason​ ​of​ ​struggling
for​ ​people.​ ​When​ ​a​ ​leader​ ​is​ ​chosen,​ ​he/​ ​she​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​govern​ ​as​ ​fairly​ ​and​ ​responsibly​ ​as
possible,​ ​fulfilling​ ​his/her​ ​promises​ ​and​ ​taking​ ​care​ ​of​ ​the​ ​town​ ​which​ ​has​ ​chosen​ ​him/​ ​her.
Sadly,​ ​the​ ​political​ ​candidates​ ​are​ ​not​ ​always​ ​as​ ​honest​ ​and​ ​sincere​ ​as​ ​they​ ​seemed​ ​to​ ​be
during​ ​the​ ​election​ ​times​ ​and​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result,​ ​the​ ​town​ ​feels​ ​betrayed​ ​and​ ​makes​ ​struggle​ ​and
strikes​ ​against​ ​that​ ​governor​ ​who​ ​thinks​ ​in​ ​his/​ ​her​ ​own​ ​benefit.​ ​Of​ ​course,​ ​not​ ​all​ ​presidents
are​ ​dishonest,​ ​sometimes​ ​the​ ​country​ ​is​ ​so​ ​ruined​ ​that​ ​any​ ​leadership​ ​action​ ​is​ ​good​ ​enough​ ​to
save​ ​the​ ​country,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​times​ ​it​ ​can​ ​happen​ ​that​ ​a​ ​candidate​ ​to​ ​president​ ​is​ ​so​ ​hated​ ​that
the​ ​town​ ​votes​ ​his/​ ​her​ ​rival​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​his/​ ​her​ ​victory.​ ​And​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result​ ​of​ ​this​ ​action,
a​ ​president​ ​is​ ​chosen​ ​who​ ​people​ ​have​ ​no​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​which​ ​his/​ ​her​ ​plans​ ​are,​ ​and​ ​another​ ​wrong
election​ ​is​ ​made.​ ​Furthermore,​ ​people​ ​are​ ​free​ ​to​ ​express​ ​their​ ​ideas​ ​for​ ​or​ ​against​ ​the
government,​ ​the​ ​problem​ ​rises​ ​when​ ​censorship​ ​takes​ ​place.​ ​When​ ​a​ ​leader​ ​is​ ​cruel​ ​enough​ ​to
be​ ​considered​ ​as​ ​a​ ​tyrant,​ ​he/​ ​she​ ​performs​ ​military​ ​actions​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​struggles​ ​or
strikes​ ​against​ ​him/​ ​her.​ ​A​ ​good​ ​example​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Chilean​ ​dictator​ ​Pinochet​ ​whose​ ​actions
inspired​ ​the​ ​song​ ​“They​ ​dance​ ​alone”​ ​also​ ​by​ ​Sting:
- “Why​ ​are​ ​these​ ​women​ ​here​ ​dancing​ ​on
- Their​ ​own?
- Why​ ​is​ ​there​ ​this​ ​sadness​ ​in​ ​their​ ​eyes?
- Why​ ​are​ ​the​ ​soldiers​ ​here?
- Their​ ​faces​ ​fixed​ ​like​ ​stones.
- I​ ​can't​ ​see​ ​what​ ​it​ ​is​ ​that​ ​they​ ​despise”.
- “They​ ​are​ ​dancing​ ​with​ ​the​ ​missing,
- They​ ​are​ ​dancing​ ​with​ ​the​ ​dead,
- They​ ​dance​ ​with​ ​the​ ​invisible​ ​ones.
- Their​ ​anguish​ ​is​ ​unsaid.
- They​ ​are​ ​dancing​ ​with​ ​their​ ​fathers,
- They​ ​are​ ​dancing​ ​with​ ​their​ ​sons,
- They​ ​are​ ​dancing​ ​with​ ​their​ ​husbands.
- They​ ​dance​ ​alone”.
- “Hey​ ​Mr.​ ​Pinochet

5. - You've​ ​sown​ ​a​ ​bitter​ ​crop,
- It´s​ ​foreign​ ​money​ ​that​ ​supports​ ​you.
- One​ ​day​ ​the​ ​money's​ ​going​ ​to​ ​stop.
- No​ ​wages​ ​for​ ​your​ ​torturers.
- No​ ​budget​ ​for​ ​your​ ​guns.
- Can​ ​you​ ​think​ ​of​ ​your​ ​own​ ​mother
- Dancing​ ​with​ ​her​ ​invisible​ ​son?”
In​ ​conclusion,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​say​ ​that​ ​there​ ​have​ ​always​ ​been​ ​oppressed​ ​minority​ ​groups.​ ​Some​ ​of
them​ ​suffer​ ​more​ ​than​ ​others,​ ​some​ ​differences​ ​have​ ​been​ ​overcome​ ​with​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​while
others​ ​remain​ ​unaccepted.​ ​It​ ​seems​ ​sometimes​ ​as​ ​if​ ​the​ ​world​ ​had​ ​not​ ​changed,​ ​but​ ​if​ ​we​ ​pay
attention,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​be​ ​sure​ ​we​ ​are​ ​not​ ​as​ ​close-​ ​minded​ ​as​ ​we​ ​used​ ​to​ ​be​ ​on​ ​the​ ​medieval​ ​age.
Time​ ​has​ ​opened​ ​doors​ ​to​ ​some​ ​minorities​ ​and​ ​it​ ​can​ ​do​ ​it​ ​again​ ​if​ ​we​ ​take​ ​the​ ​responsibility
of​ ​fighting​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rights​ ​of​ ​the​ ​minorities​ ​from​ ​our​ ​place.​ ​​ ​And​ ​by​ ​doing​ ​this,​ ​perhaps
someday,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​live​ ​in​ ​a​ ​perfect​ ​world​ ​where​ ​the​ ​racial,​ ​political,​ ​sexual​ ​or​ ​economic
differences​ ​do​ ​not​ ​exist.
Bibliography
● Elton​ ​John.​ ​“​ ​All​ ​The​ ​Young​ ​Girls​ ​Love​ ​Alice”​.​ ​By​ ​Bernie​ ​Taupin​ ​&​ ​Elton​ ​John.
Goodbye​ ​Yellow​ ​Brick​ ​Road.​ ​​Music​ ​Corporation​ ​of​ ​America​,​ ​1973.
● Sting.​ ​“They​ ​Dance​ ​Alone”​ ​(Cueca​ ​Solo).​ ​By​ ​​Gordon​ ​Matthew​ ​Thomas​ ​Sumner
(Sting).​ ​Nothing​ ​Like​ ​the​ ​Sun.​ ​​A&M​ ​Records,​ ​1988.
● U2.​ ​“Where​ ​The​ ​Streets​ ​Have​ ​No​ ​Name”.​ ​​Bono​,​ ​​The​ ​Edge​,​ ​​Adam​ ​Clayton​​ ​&​ ​​Larry
Mullen​.​ ​The​ ​Joshua​ ​Tree.​ ​Island​ ​Records,​ ​1987.
● Sting.​ ​“Englishman​ ​In​ ​New​ ​York”.​ ​By​ ​​Gordon​ ​Matthew​ ​Thomas​ ​Sumner
(Sting).Nothing​ ​Like​ ​the​ ​Sun.​ ​​A&M​ ​Records,​ ​1988.