Persecution of Hispanics Exposed in David Hernandez’s...

Persecution of Hispanics Exposed in David Hernandez’s Pigeons The word â€Å"outsider† is typically used when describing someone or something that just does not fit in. An outsider is different and distinct, but not always valued or appreciated for its diversities. Quite the opposite of being appreciated, the outsider is usually castrated from whatever society it might have appeared in, and looked down upon for its differences. Sadly, outsiders are frequent in humanity. Whether the purpose for their outsider status relates to gender, race, religion or even economical standing, the fact is that there are outsiders in today’s society. When one is made into an outsider, the bias they experience is terrible and unjust, and they†¦show more content†¦Pigeons don’t look the same as doves. â€Å"Pigeons have feathers of a different color / [†¦] so they are not accepted anywhere† (Hernandez 1023). Pigeons could never pass as doves, because even if â€Å"they bleach[ed] their feathers white / [†¦] their acc ents [would] give them away / when they start to coo† (Hernandez 1023-24). Because of mere aesthetic differences, pigeons instantly become known as outsiders and are stereotyped to fit into society’s generically created cage that they will have difficulty escaping from. As a result of such shallow prejudice, pigeons then tend to be economically poorer, because â€Å"Nobody wants to give pigeons a job.† All of the good jobs go to the more socially acceptable, and the outsiders are cast aside in favor of the insiders. Hernandez says,â€Å"[Pigeons] can’t afford to fly south / or a Florida winter home,† describing how outsiders are poorer and unable to have the funds for the luxuries that others are able to afford because they are not given the opportunity to prosper and make a living for themselves (1023). Because of their poverty, the pigeons are also forced to live in â€Å"wooden cages / on rooftops that look like huge / pigeon housing projects / where they freeze during the winters / and get their little claws stuck in tar / on hot summer days† (Hernandez 1024). Their living arrangements are hardly acceptable, but it is all they have. Perhaps if they were given