Response to Suburbia

The United States of America is a country known for providing the American dream, but many people do not know that the American dream comes with many conflicts that add on to the destruction of global warming. According to a mini clip provided by Sprawl City, “The Impact of Immigration Policy on the Environment,” many people immigrate to the United States of America to live better lives. Leon Kolankiewicz, an environmental planner from the mini clip, “The Impact of Immigration Policy on the Environment,” visited Honduras and witnessed a great level of poverty. Many of them immigrate to the USA to follow the American dream, but they do not know that their causing an increase of pollution. Of course immigrants are going to take any job they can get to keep their family breathing, but the jobs that most of them take are factory jobs. Not only is it Americans who cause global warming by hiring them, but it is also immigrants that cause it by working there everyday. It isn’t their fault because they are just trying to make a living. There is nothing wrong with trying to make a living except for an addition to global warming. Kolankiewicz states that the population increases by two and a half million every year. Most of the population comes from countries all around the world that believe that the American dream is here for them.
Furthermore, whites and blacks that live in America are a huge accumulation to global warming as well. Everyday there is another argument about racism. However, people need to understand that racism is an existing problem that will never end. Slavery still exists, but it is just in a form that blinds many people. According to a video provided by YouTube, “Gangs and White Flight,” the 1950’s was a time of gang violence. Compton was a very segregated place that allowed many people to start gangs. White people formed a click called the spook hunters, who believed in white supremacy. They kept alive a slavery tradition that they followed for generations, which gave whites the opportunity to beat blacks. This on going gang violence still exists until this day, but now this white and black division has added on to global warming. Whites did not want to live in the same communities as blacks, so whites moved out to areas that later became known as the suburbs. This means that new roads have to be created, which make whites drive more when they want to get to their destination. All the gas that is used causes carbon dioxide, which also causes global warming. This on going racism conflict has cut short the American dream for many Americans because many people have to worry about where they are going before they can get there. I don’t know how any one can reach their American dream without coming face to face with a racism hardship.
The community separation between whites and blacks has left behind a trail of global warming that no one can reach. Where I’m from the minority makes up the majority of the urban community; however, if you go to the suburbs you see the exact opposite. Whites make up the majority of the suburbs. The majority of those white people work in many places around urban communities, which reject many opportunities for the minority. The minorities now have to struggle to find a decent job. Whites rather drive hours from the suburbs to urban communities to work. According to the You Tube video, “Radiant City: Commuting,” an average North American spends about 55 eight hour workdays driving. Due to racism, global warming increases on a daily basis because whites do not want anything to do with blacks, and vise-versa. This question is asked everyday: what is the American dream? It’s different for everyone, but one thing I do know is that the American dream does cause an increase in global warming, which has to be abolished.


Viewing: “Sprawl City”
http://www.sprawlcity.org/

You Tube:
“Radiant City: Commuting”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyXNb1uifds&feature=channel
“Gangs and White Flight”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVHMJzoIYQM