Culture Clash Read Online Free PDF Page B

says, checking KJ once and for all.
    “What I mean to say is that I’m curious as to why America would want to melt away the uniqueness of each culture. There’s very little individuality in this country, if you ask me.”
    “Good point, Emilio,” Mr. A says proudly. He loves it when his students think before they speak, as he states all the time. “Any counters?”
    “Yeah, I’ve got a counter,” Jeremy says, sitting his tall frame erect in his seat, ready to give my new crush a run for his money. “This is one country with one constitution and one people, thus one culture. We can honor the various customs of the people within our society. But America is one melting pot.”
    “And the people living here should either accept that or roll out.” Matt has been pissed with me since our discussion at the drama club meeting the other day. And I see he’s chosen our debate class as the perfect forum to vent his frustration.
    “But some of the people who are here didn’t exactly have a choice in coming to this land, so we should be able to live our culture freely. Isn’t that also a part of our constitution?” Emilio looks across the room at me and smiles. Mr. A also smiles at my statement; obviously proud that at least one of us is speaking the truth. Other than Ms. Toni, everyone else in the administration would shudder at my words.
    “Oh, here we go with slavery again. It’s the end of Black History Month, we know. Can we please move on from the past?” Candace says, sounding like the privileged white girl she is.
    “Candace, it’s not in the past. That’s the point. The racism from times of captivity may have been more blatant, but the institutionalized racism is worse, because everyone can’t see it and some people actually choose to be blind,” I say, turning my focus to Jeremy. This is an argument we’ve had many times before and will continue to have as long as he thinks with a stick up his ass about the subject.
    “Why are y’all always so angry?” Candace asks, silencing every black student in the previously bustling room. If we weren’t afraid of suffering the consequences, I think we would all be down for locking the door and giving her a proper ass-whipping right here and now. But we’ll have to settle this battle with our words instead.
    “Because we’re always referred to as ‘y’all,’” I say. For the moment it doesn’t matter that Misty, KJ, and I don’t get along. Mickey and Shae even look at each other, ready to jump the white girl together if need be. Instantly, all the black students are unified against the others in the room. And they know it. Like my very first week at South Bay High as a sophomore, when a notorious skinhead wore a racist shirt on campus and promptly got his ass beat, we join forces when need be.
    “That’s why we need a black history class, because y’all fools up here don’t know shit about being black,” KJ says heatedly. I don’t usually have anything nice to say about my pompous ex-boyfriend. But today I’m proud of him.
    “We need our own club,” I say, speaking the first idea in my head. Mr. Adewale looks at me, his hazel eyes sparkling as if I said exactly what was on his mind, too. The bell rings, momentarily saving the white people in the room from having to discuss the subject any further.
    “Good class today, and don’t forget to read the next chapter in your textbooks and have a valid response ready for tomorrow’s class,” Mr. Adewale says, rising from his desk and walking over to where I’m seated, still hot from the conversation. I don’t know why I always let these people up here get on my nerves. It’s not like the administration would ever teach true tolerance and respect, because they don’t have to. According to them, anyone who’s not white is the minority in every way, damned with how unjust their melting pot is.
    “Jayd, if you’re serious about forming your own group, I’ll be happy to consider being your