How Jews Became White Folks

In the article “How Jews Became White Folks” Karen Brodkin talks about how Jews became privileged mainly because of the G.I. Bill that paid for their housing, provided them with jobs, and paid for their education. Jews moved up into the middle class and African Americans and other people of color were being discriminated against.
“European immigrants, including Jews, had been largely assimilated into the white population.” The European races were divided into in Nordics, Mediterranean, and Jewish people. The peoples’ definition of a “real American” consisted of being white and having a background from northwest Europe. Jews were the first to enter college which put them in a privileged category. Jews tended to be discriminated in the work force such as not being able to become corporate managers and corporate employed professionals. The G.I. Bill of Rights that came out in 1944 became one of the largest affirmative action programs in American history. Although the G.I. Bill was intended to help all people, it discriminated against African Americans, for the most part, and other ethnic groups. African Americans were dishonorably discharged so they would not be able to qualify for the benefits such has education and jobs. Also, the African Americans were affected by the red line which meant they were forced to live in areas that were predominately black because they would not be able to afford the houses where the white people lived. Realtors discriminated against the African Americans even when there was laws passed saying discriminating against people was illegal.
Over time things got better the different ethnic groups. Why do some people believe that affirmative action today should not be allowed? Why did the African Americans get treated in such a way where they were not allowed to be equal like everyone else? It seems like affirmative action today is helping those ethnic groups who were oppressed. The people who were not discriminated against were the white males. Now that they are not in a privileged society they feel they are being treated wrong even though other groups had it 1000 times worse then them. As soon as people are put in an underprivileged category they tend to be offended.
I thought the reading actually made me think about our society today. Affirmative action and the issues in the past have changed over time, but in the end people still feel like they are discriminated against such as homosexuals. I think that there will always be someone discriminating against a group of people.