Media Stereotype "Traffic"

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Media perpetuates stereotypes that lead to the formation of the dominant ideologies in a society, resulting in the discrimination of the minorities in order for the dominant class to maintain their status. Mexican Americans have been the victims of discrimination throughout time, just as other minorities were and still are. In most films, “the Mexican is portrayed as the bandido, clown, or dark lady. By the 1930's he adds two variations to his repertoire: the caballero and the gangster. On the whole, however, he remains a subject—someone to be killed or mocked, seduced or redeemed by Saxon protagonists.” (Pettit, 132) Not only are they given these stereotypical characteristics in films, even cartoons and advertisements utilize this image to make a statement. The short and chubby cartoon character wearing a Mexican hat with a mustache on his face, dancing to a cheerful tune and talking with an accent may come across to the viewers as funny, but in fact the stereotypes portrayed are the result of the hierarchy and class system in society, even up till this day. In the United States, Mexicans have been categorized as a lower working class who are lazy and not serious about their work, and much of this phenomenon is credited to the United State's media system and its stereotypical portrayals of the minorities. These stereotypes lead to the public's assumption that members of the Mexican race are just as depicted in these films. In the film Traffic (2000) directed by Stephen Sodeberg, some historical Mexican representations apply to this contemporary film to affirm the stereotypes. At the same time, the film also depicts changing attitude towards the mainstream ideological views on the Mexican Americans. Throughout film history, we have been shown that the Mexicans are the villains on horses, stealing and taking valuables belonging to others. This image of the bandit

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