Topic > An Issue of Racism in America in Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez

Luis Valdez mixed art and politics in his writing, “Zoot Suit,” which focuses on the Zoot Suit riots that occurred in Los Angeles in the 1940s. The Zoot Suit Riots were a series of violent clashes between U.S. military personnel who attacked young Latinos and other minorities. “Zoot Suit” by Luis Valdez is proof that racial prejudice is part of American history and still continues to exist. In prejudice, people defend the privilege of position and therefore find themselves gaining emotionally, culturally, socially and economically from a prejudicial attitude towards others. This privilege that prejudice rationally defends is a product of racism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "Zoot Suit" focuses on a group of pachucos who were in the middle of a dance when the cops arrive and interrupt it, "Hold it there, boys! ... Stop or I'll shoot!". The authorities interrupted a dance , which they did not care about, and threatened to shoot teenagers just because they did not fit their perception and dressed in a certain way which for them represented a threatening attitude from street thugs, gang members and young delinquents. In the way American society is currently structured, most whites have no idea or direct experience of the lives of minority communities, such as African Americans or Latinos. The continued norms of separation and segregation that hold people of different racial groups apart /ethnic groups to interact with each other in a meaningful and positive way perpetuates this ignorance of groups, which in turn gives rise to prejudiced attitudes. We cut to Pachuco and Henry who are now in prison, where Henry talks about going to the Navy and "fighting for his country." Pachuco, however, does not agree with his decision: “Because this is not your country. Look what's happening around you... the mayor of Los Angeles has declared all-out war on the Chicanos. On you! Do I care?” The problem is that for too long in American society we have given meaning to physical characteristics such as skin color, hair texture, gender, age, sexual orientation; or on social differences such as religion, ethnicity, language and social class. Henry's mother does not approve of the clothes her son wears: “Ay si, drapes, muy funny, verdad? And what do the police call them, huh? They put you in prison so many times. You know what? I'll send him all your clothes!". Dolores, Henry's mother, is so afraid of these baggy, flashy clothes because of what others think they represent. Wearing these clothes made the kids understand that this society did not allow them to express themselves, because it was like putting a target on their back to be attacked/beaten violently. The United States is a multicultural nation, but it is also a nation in conflict with its values ​​of liberty, equality, liberty and justice for all. Meaning is in the culture and values ​​passed down from one generation to the next. This results in an ideology of supremacy that justifies positional power by attributing negative meaning to perceived or actual biological/cultural differences. This forms the basis for prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory actions, which result in racism.