706 words
Is it ethical for a person to be judged solely upon the color of their skin? Such happens daily to those who have been uncontrollably born of color. Yet, it has been justified by our society and those who inhabit our nation. As a nation we have definitely come a long way in fighting racial discrimination and its downfalls. However, Americans have become satisfied with this opinion and are limiting their efforts towards uniform treatment for everyone within our nation, regardless of class, race, or gender.
Racism occurs when people discriminate against others based on the color of their skin. It is the reason why colleges and prisons have racial populations that are not proportionate to local populations. For example, many private colleges in New England have an 84% white population among students while New London has less than 45% whites (not minorities, which would include African-American, Asian American, Native American also known as Amerindians, Arabs, and Latinos). Among college professors the gap is greater where the faculty is 90% white and 10% minorities. This is due to an institutionalized and historical process of racism that has produced an unequal distribution of resources, not only in the form of money or salaries, but also access to other resources such as education, medical services, and bank loans, among many others, creating a significant disparity.
The majority of US people in prison are minorities, not because they are innately criminals but because the process of racism pushes them intentionally in that direction. It is true that crime is a product of ignorance, as well. Therefore, by not giving our minority populations proper access to formal education, we are breeding people who choose crime to get what they think they deserve.
Our whole history has been a product of injustices against other races due to malignant prejudices or plain ignorance. In a country that has shied away from facing racism, it is crucial that we go against it at this time in history. We as a nation, have given back to other races that have a history of mistreatment. The prime example of this is Native Americans. Due to their history of extreme abuse, the United States has attempted to reimburse them by providing their descendents great benefits, usually in the form of preferential treatment in admission to colleges and in hiring practices as well as great financial prosperity.
Having read The Debt, I can see that Blacks are frustrated with their positions in society and their minimal ability to control their lives and destinies. They are still victims of their situations, unable to strive in America. Author Randall Robinson strongly believes that blacks require aid in order to advance in society. He contends that they are victims, no different than the Jews in the Holocaust. In ignoring the race problem in America, we are becoming more and more stubborn and backtracking from our consistent history of success and progress in obtaining a nation of equality. As reform for blacks in America is delayed, blacks are becoming more and more angry and discouraged. It is our duty as white Americans to provide minorities with all the necessary means to suceed and live self-fulfilling lives. Many Americans cannot see the racial disparities that exist within our nation. However, denial is not a reflex of logic and it is comfortable only temporarily.
The majority of people of color in this country live in intolerable conditions of poverty, suffer from staggering unemployment, and are faced with limited social opportunities, due not to laziness or genetically inferior capabilities, but because of structural racism, which is the cause of their marginal cultural existence in American society. Over a century after the end of slavery, black Americans are still poorer, less educated, and earning less than their white counterparts. Statistics reveal that they lag behind whites in just about every aspect of mainstream American life. It is ironic that within a nation built upon the pronciples of equality, many groups are targeted for being different and are not provided with the same benefits. We must begin laying the foundation for a viable, racism-free society today. It is vital for America to continue its period of progression, getting closer and closer to acquiring a racism-free future.
Blair Said:
on March 19, 2007 at 3:53 pm
The majority of people of color in this country do not live in “intolerable conditions of poverty.” Most are solidly middile class. Only a small percentage live below the poverty level. Minorities are disporportionately poor, but , in actual numbers rather than percentages, there are still more poor non-Hispanic whites than poor African Americans or Hispanic Americans.
Poor African Americans and poor Hispanic Americans are eligible for the same benefits as poor white Americans. The primary difference is that African Americans and Hispanic Americans, no matter their income status, are targeted for affirmative action while poor white Americans are not. The academic success of Asian Americans, who outperform non-Hispanic whites at every level, including college admissions, demonstrates that people of color have equal access to education. In fact, African Americans and Hispanic Americans are much more likely to gain admission to elite univeristies than non-Hispanic whites with comparable academic records.
Some Native Americans receive federal aid not available to other races or ethnic groups because of treaties signed between sovereign tribes and the U.S. government. The unintended impact of these treaties is to bind American Indians to reservations. The practice of permitting Native Americans to operate gambling casinos in areas where gambling is otherwise illegal has made reservations adjacent to large population centers relatively prosporous, but most reservations lack job opportunities and are breeding grounds for poverty and alcoholism. Ending the reservation system would force Native Americans into the mainstream of America’s economy but would destroy the tribal culture. They would become like Irish and Scottish Americans who abandoned their clans or Hispanic Americans who share European as well as Native American cultural heritage.
adavis Said:
on March 30, 2007 at 1:36 pm
The issue of racism remains -and will probably always remain- a difficult issue to deal with. You use some strong statistitics to get your point across. What is needed is an anecdote about a person of color today experiencing this institutionalized racism.