Racism is the idea or belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. It is prejudice, discrimination or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Racism has been an unsubsiding issue in the world for a long time, dating as far back as the 17th century. Many people believe that race is created by society, rather than an actual classification based on genetic characteristics.
As humans, it is in our nature to fear what is different, but it is what we are later taught that shapes our opinions on that difference. No one is born with an aversion …show more content…
It is a continuous struggle for equal opportunities by people of different racial/ethnic groups. People of color face large disadvantages in every day life, discrimination is very adamant in the work force. Studies show that people of color are the last to get hired and the first to get fired. In February 1995, the unemployment rate for African Americans was 10.1% as compared to the 4.7% for Caucasians. There are still many active racist groups in existence today including the Ku Klux Klan, and racist hate crimes occurring all over the country, every day. Police brutality is one of the many rising topics today, as it seems the only victims of police brutality today are people of different races/ethnic groups. Within the past year alone there have been an abundant amount of examples of racially motivated police brutality. Sandra Bland, a woman of color for example, was pulled over for not using a turn signal which further lead to her arrest. Video footage showed Bland refusing the officer’s unnecessary request to put out her cigarette, which resulted in the officer asking Bland to step out of the car and escalating the situation. Expressing her right to stay in the car due to lack of probably cause, the officer became outraged. Accused of becoming “argumentative and uncooperative”, Bland was unlawfully arrested for assault of a police officer, while both officers used …show more content…
White privilege is real, white people have a much easier time progressing through life than people of color. To claim oppression or empathy would make you a bigot. We are not the United States, we are separate and unequal and denying racism is a form of racism just as well. As President Obama stated “Race relations have clearly improved in our lifetimes, but we are not cured of racism and it is not just a matter of it not being polite to say n***** in public. Slavery and discrimination cast a long shadow, and that’s still part of our DNA that’s passed on.” Phrases like “white guilt” referring to people of color making white people feel guilty for being white are pejorative phrases, just “feeling guilty” does not help the problems and inequalities that people of color face every day. You can feel guilty for the innocent people of color losing their lives, such as Sandra Bland, but you can’t imagine yourself in her shoes – because you know there is a far lesser chance of it happening to you or your
As humans, it is in our nature to fear what is different, but it is what we are later taught that shapes our opinions on that difference. No one is born with an aversion …show more content…
It is a continuous struggle for equal opportunities by people of different racial/ethnic groups. People of color face large disadvantages in every day life, discrimination is very adamant in the work force. Studies show that people of color are the last to get hired and the first to get fired. In February 1995, the unemployment rate for African Americans was 10.1% as compared to the 4.7% for Caucasians. There are still many active racist groups in existence today including the Ku Klux Klan, and racist hate crimes occurring all over the country, every day. Police brutality is one of the many rising topics today, as it seems the only victims of police brutality today are people of different races/ethnic groups. Within the past year alone there have been an abundant amount of examples of racially motivated police brutality. Sandra Bland, a woman of color for example, was pulled over for not using a turn signal which further lead to her arrest. Video footage showed Bland refusing the officer’s unnecessary request to put out her cigarette, which resulted in the officer asking Bland to step out of the car and escalating the situation. Expressing her right to stay in the car due to lack of probably cause, the officer became outraged. Accused of becoming “argumentative and uncooperative”, Bland was unlawfully arrested for assault of a police officer, while both officers used …show more content…
White privilege is real, white people have a much easier time progressing through life than people of color. To claim oppression or empathy would make you a bigot. We are not the United States, we are separate and unequal and denying racism is a form of racism just as well. As President Obama stated “Race relations have clearly improved in our lifetimes, but we are not cured of racism and it is not just a matter of it not being polite to say n***** in public. Slavery and discrimination cast a long shadow, and that’s still part of our DNA that’s passed on.” Phrases like “white guilt” referring to people of color making white people feel guilty for being white are pejorative phrases, just “feeling guilty” does not help the problems and inequalities that people of color face every day. You can feel guilty for the innocent people of color losing their lives, such as Sandra Bland, but you can’t imagine yourself in her shoes – because you know there is a far lesser chance of it happening to you or your