Elpidio Javier

English 113A
Professor Batty
12 December 2014
We Are One (Revised)
On September 11, 2001 a group of terrorists from the Middle Eastern nation
attacked the United States by hijacking airplanes and crashing two of them into the World
Trade Center, killing over 3000 people that day. People who looked Middle Eastern were
a main target in America after the horrific events that happened on the day of World
Trade Center destruction. Americans perceived them differently due to the people who
hijacked the planes that were the same race.
A political cartoon picture illustrated by The Red Phoenix shows a drawing of an
arm that has the American flag as a sleeve holding the destroyed twin towers as a pen and
drawing targets on the Middle Eastern people. The picture shows the individuals walking
away with their backs turned to the picture with a target on them, which showed that
everyone would have a negative look towards them and to watch out for wherever they
went. After the horrific event, the Middle Eastern were being put down and judged by
Americans due to the terrorists being the same. It says, Muslim Americans faced an
upsurge in negative stereotypes expressed by the larger society and Muslim immigrants,
more than any other immigrant group, were met with negative attitudes (Khan1). This
pointed out that many people that were Middle Eastern had to deal with the pain of being
attacked by everyone. The negativity and judgments towards them made it hard for the
Middle Eastern people to live in society and cooperate with others.

The purpose the political cartoon was trying to tell was that it was hurting
innocent peoples lives who were Middle Eastern in America, making them have a hard
time living in society and also being treated differently at work. It says, Many of these
people are innocent hardworking people who because of this terrorist group who happens
to be associated with their race are now stereotyped and discriminated against because of
their race and ethnicity (Brettassalin1). This pointed out that their own co-workers were
treating Middle Eastern people who had a job in America differently. They would have to
deal with the hatred and bitterness from people, and having trouble taking care of their
family due to being put down at work. In the reading by Gloria Anzaldua says, If you
want to be American, speak American. If you dont like it, go back to Mexico where you
belong talks about how they want people to be just like Americans and not your own if
you were a different race. It compares to the political picture because since the Middle
Eastern people resembled the terrorist that hijacked the planes, Americans thought of
them differently and not of their own and treated them with hatred and disrespect.
What the author was trying to convey in the picture was that Middle Eastern
people were not appreciated in America after the event. Americans had disgust towards
them just because they had a resemblance with the terrorists and innocent people were
not treated with any respect. Those that lived in America must have felt horrified that
they were being striked at and also betrayed. In the reading of Civilization Oliver
Goldsmith says, But if were not, I must own, I should prefer the title of the ancient
philosopher, viz. Citizen of the world, to that of an Englishman, a Frenchman, a
European, or to any other appellation whatever. points out that everyone should respect

any race or ethnicity no matter what the cause is. Just because everyone thinks of
something that seems hurtful doesnt mean it is really true to believe but people decided
just to discriminate those who resembled the terrorists and not have any respect for those
who were innocent and didnt do anything. Every race has a stereotype that everyone can
talk about and discriminating people will just hurt them and affect them emotionally.
In the reading of The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority by Ronald Takaki, he
quotes saying, Most Asian Americans know their success is largely a myth. They also
see how the celebration of Asian Americans as a model minority perpetuates their
inequality and exacerbates relations between them and African Americans. is explaining
about how Asians know that people perceive them as something stereotypical such as
being very intelligent and successful, but its not true for everyone who is Asian. This
relates to the Middle Eastern because people viewed all of them, even the innocent, as
terrorists or a threat to America. They know what people think of them as are just
stereotypes and not true, but they have to keep dealing with it and not let those threats
affect or hurt them. The author wants to tell us that judging others for what they hear or
because it would resemble them isnt right and itll just end up hurting someone.
Middle Eastern people have to go through a lot in their lives living in America.
They were viewed as being a threat to America, discriminated for whom they are and had
to deal with the negativity from Americans, and being put down because they resembled
the terrorists who hijacked the planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center and
different areas in the United States. Everyone should respect any race or ethnicity and
shouldnt be judgmental because nobody wants to feel put down or not being accepted for
who they are.