Race is not biological but rather a term that has been socially constructed. Race has been socially constructed as a way to put individuals into racial classifications that are made up of groups thought to share particular distinctive physical characteristics, such as skin color and facial features. Race has been created and made to be physically different as a way to fuel beliefs of superiority and inferiority. Racial issues have become less prominent in modern society than in earlier decades in America. There have been many laws, acts, and movements to help gain equality for all of the people in America. Although this has been done we still deal with racial issues today. In a general overview, race relations are improving however America
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In 2009, our 44th president became Barack Obama who is the first African American to hold office. At the start of his term many Americans became hopeful that racial harmony would occur but that was not the case. Since President Obama has been in office the ‘race’ issues in America have become worse. Racism and acts of discrimination have become more prevalent, ‘normal’, and similar to the Jim Crow Era. For instance, the shooting of the church in South Carolina in 2015 can be related to the church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, which killed four little black girls. For a long time, African American people haven’t had to deal with the extent of racism that is going on now but history is now repeating itself. I think that many people were angered that a black man was able to become president so they feel the need to express their anger and commit vicious acts. “In 2008, before Obama was first elected, 60% of blacks said race relations were generally bad. That number fell by half soon after Obama won office. Seven years later, the number had jumped to 68% -- the highest recorded since the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles”(Blake). So essentially under a black president we have seen close to a rebirth of Jim Crow, so in essence things have gotten worse and not better, even after having a black president, which we thought would be hopeful in improving race …show more content…
I think of it as a yo-yo that fluctuates during different time periods. Before Obama became president race relation issues were pretty good and steady for years, however once he got in office race relation issues became more prevalent again. Based upon topics we haven gone over thus far in class I’m quite on the fence between being optimistic or pessimistic about our future. I believe what needs to occur is another replication of the Civil Rights Movement to allow Blacks to fight back again and help to diminish racial discrimination. Until this is done, we will continue to have police brutality with no justice occurring. Not only police brutality, but racial discrimination socially, economically, and publicly. It may be illegal it certain contexts but without concrete proof it is often thrown under the rug. Despite slavery and Jim Crow laws being nonexistent the attitudes from those eras still exist today in
In 2009, our 44th president became Barack Obama who is the first African American to hold office. At the start of his term many Americans became hopeful that racial harmony would occur but that was not the case. Since President Obama has been in office the ‘race’ issues in America have become worse. Racism and acts of discrimination have become more prevalent, ‘normal’, and similar to the Jim Crow Era. For instance, the shooting of the church in South Carolina in 2015 can be related to the church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, which killed four little black girls. For a long time, African American people haven’t had to deal with the extent of racism that is going on now but history is now repeating itself. I think that many people were angered that a black man was able to become president so they feel the need to express their anger and commit vicious acts. “In 2008, before Obama was first elected, 60% of blacks said race relations were generally bad. That number fell by half soon after Obama won office. Seven years later, the number had jumped to 68% -- the highest recorded since the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles”(Blake). So essentially under a black president we have seen close to a rebirth of Jim Crow, so in essence things have gotten worse and not better, even after having a black president, which we thought would be hopeful in improving race …show more content…
I think of it as a yo-yo that fluctuates during different time periods. Before Obama became president race relation issues were pretty good and steady for years, however once he got in office race relation issues became more prevalent again. Based upon topics we haven gone over thus far in class I’m quite on the fence between being optimistic or pessimistic about our future. I believe what needs to occur is another replication of the Civil Rights Movement to allow Blacks to fight back again and help to diminish racial discrimination. Until this is done, we will continue to have police brutality with no justice occurring. Not only police brutality, but racial discrimination socially, economically, and publicly. It may be illegal it certain contexts but without concrete proof it is often thrown under the rug. Despite slavery and Jim Crow laws being nonexistent the attitudes from those eras still exist today in