Reflection Essay on Racism in America

The purpose of this research is to show the effects of racism in America. Racism is defined as one group assumes superiority over other groups that develop attitudes of arrogance and ignorance. Despite many laws and legislation attempts to eliminate the evils of racism, the problem focuses on the cultural differences of race, color and biological supremacy. Racism comes in the form of ethnic cleansing, hate groups, discrimination and restraint of equal rights.
Over the last decade the media has become one of the major contributors of racism in the 21st century. The media have displayed labels on people of color from high- profile crime shows such as Law and Order and CSS, and lately from the George Zimmerman / Tradition Martin trial. With the 9/1 1 attacks on America new racial views and violence began to surface targeting Arabs and people of Middle East descent. Latino has now become an immediate target of racism due to the fear of taking Jobs away from Americans.
With the selection of Barrack Obama as president, most Americans believed that the nation was entering a color-blind society and racial healing, but that did not eliminate racism in America it only intensified it. In order for America to unite on the issue of racism, racial healing is important. In order for Americans to embrace post-racism and accept people of different cultural backgrounds, Americans through programs such as affirmative action, empowerment through education and positive cultural images of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans and Latino displayed by the media can help solve the problems of racism.

By attacking the issues of racism positively and proactively we as a society of diverse cultures can eliminate and solve the reoccurring of racism in America. Key Words: racism, coordination, affirmative action, diversity, equal rights, culture The issues of racism still exist in America today due to the different perceptions from different races. Regardless, of the conscious intent of the American public, everyone is somewhat conditioned, affected or infected daily by racism. Racism is when one group assumes superiority over other groups that develop attitudes of arrogance and ignorance.
Racial discourses were created socially by people beginning to perceive ideas and unfamiliar faces not recognizable. With the constant immigration of Africans, Latino, Asians and Middle-Easterners and there ethnic groups yearly escaping political and economic sanctioned countries found acceptance in America socially difficult. The media has become the major contributor of racism in the 21st century. Since the sass’s the media has given people of color labels from crime shows such as Law and Order and CSS, and lately from the George Zimmerman / Tradition Martin trial.
Prior to the passage of the Civil Rights Act (1964) racist legislation such as the Jim Crow Laws mainly in the Southern states, enforced segregation legislation that imposed legal punishment on people interacting with other races. The passage of the Civil Rights Act and other coordination laws only soften America’s stance on racism. Racism and racial violence still exist in the 21st century. The 9/1 1 terror attacks in America brought forth new racial views and violence on Arabs and people of Middle East descent.
Even Latino who was not an immediate threat to America has become under the radar of racism. This form of racial acts and ethnic scrutiny is called racial racial profiling. With the choice of Barrack Obama as president, most Americans believed that the nation was entering a post-racial America, becoming a color-blind society where the scars of racism can begin to heal if not dismissed. Despite the hopes of eliminating racism in post -racial America, racism still exists and thrives. In order for America to unite on the issue of racism, racial healing is important through education and treatment.
Media in 21st century post-racial America has fiercely fought to change their format and character of racism to become more political correct. Americans has become more educated and subtle in mainstreaming its views of racism. Social barriers of economic and political disadvantages that were invisible to the American public still exist. It is still a continuous struggle for the unwanted truth of racism and prejudice o become embedded within the hearts of the American society. Past and present leaders of the civil rights movement who fought and died for equality, Justice and social-political change (Dry.
King and others) will continue the fight against racism, while other groups who offer resistance to change of racism, prejudice and discrimination will seek to support the things that they are (Continue, 2011). The domination of power, economic and social control by groups that are deemed superior to over cultures will not change because racism is an institutional ideology. Improvements will be made if America as a nation must work toward eliminating schism and move to a post racial society.
Legislative acts such as the Alien and Sedition Act (1798) was the first legislation of prohibiting racism in the United States to protect French immigrants. The Native American Party (1845) was created to protect Native Americans who feared Irish immigrants who immigrated to America for a better life. Southern states in 1880 began legislation to illegally block African- Americans seeking political positions, the right to vote, segregating public accommodations and public transportation which called for the illegal enforcement of the Jim Crow Laws.
Racism has a long continuous history in America that began from slavery to the passage of the Civil Rights Act (1964). There are many forms of racism: open, violent and covert. Open racism focuses on individual freedom to express racial thoughts and speech. Open racism exist in America because of an individual’s freedom of speech derived from the first amendment (Doe, 2012). Societal use of open racism in America is declining and found unconstitutional and politically incorrect. Violent racism is a form of racism that the use of violence is exhibited through imposing fear from racial groups to express their agendas.
Covert racism is the most common type of racism used today. The covert racist is unaware that they are racist. Covert racists’ uses this tactic to intimidate groups or cultures that are inferior to their culture. Individual racism is a form of racism that has one person discriminates against another. Institutional racism is a form of racism when institutions discriminate against a race for unfair and biased reasons, the same reason the individual racist would do (racial profiling).
Lastly racism is in the form of people displaying attitudes about other races and cultures. Since post 9 / 1 1 attitudes toward Arabs has increased because of the attitudes of the American society that all Arabs are considered terrorist. Racism is a disease that has become a serious epidemic in America today. This research examines the evils of racism in post racial America. This paper examines the racial acts of prejudice and discrimination against African-Americans, Hipic-Americans and Arab-Americans.
African-Americans and Racism Since the institution of slavery African-Americans has fought to gain acceptance social changes and racial equality in the United States. Slavery was the most noted Oromo of racism in the United States. The institution of slavery that stigmatize African-Americans created the beginning of Anti-African racism that still exists in the United States today. African -Americans were and are still treated as second class citizens. The Jim Crow laws were the creation of statutes that called for the legalization in the sass’s.
The stories of racism in American laws found in several Supreme Court cases have shaped societal views on race and equality (Welsh, 2009). The effect of slavery, racism and the struggle for civil rights has continued to shape he laws of the country and society (Welsh, 2009). The Supreme Court ruling Peoples v Ferguson stated that separate facilities for blacks and whites were unconstitutional and called for the passage of discriminatory laws and legislations that would strip the political and economic gains by blacks after Reconstruction.
With the success of the African Movement institutionalizing of significant gains since the sass’s Blacks has become an important voter bloc participant at higher rates than white voters of the same socioeconomic status and the number of black political leaders rapidly rising. Although the socioeconomic gap placed between blacks and whites remains the same. With significant progress made against overt forms of racial discrimination, in education and employment gradually becoming evident (Fast, 2008). Sadly the majority still do not have access to most political, economic and cultural resources in the United States.
Because of these factors the majority of African-Americans have been relegated to reside in impoverish conditions while being exposed to social ills such as police brutality, poverty, illiteracy, diseases, unemployment, crime, and drugs (Fast, 2008). With the turn of the 21st century the violent acts of racism has not stopped in America. Racial profiling is now in the new version of racism of blacks and other races because of the color of skin. Racial profiling is an illegal tactic used by law enforcement to stop, question, arrest and search individuals, groups and cultures based on race and ethnicity.
Racial profiling was limited to Africans and Hipics, but since post 9 11 1 Arabs has become one of the most profiled ethnic groups in America. The history of the United States have shown that African Americans have always fought for social change and racial quality that addresses the illegal practices of racial discrimination, institutional racism, biases and racial intolerance’s that are exhibited by law enforcement. The African-Americans quest for equal Justice can be traced in the rich traditions of religion and spiritual history.
The fear of racial indifference and the self interest of the African-American culture make the value in the pursuit of racial equality and social Justice diminish. Civil rights activist such as Dry. King and others has paved the way for social Justice and racial equality. Since the later part of the sass’s crimes omitted by African-Americans has been a central issue in the political arena of American politics. White Americans think the crime issues in America bring about the racial fears, the fear of becoming victims of black offenders and fearing that their communities and neighborhoods will be integrated by African-Americans.
African- Americans are often the victims of violent hate crimes but the fear of reprisals of them being victims creates fear at high levels among the white society in America. African-Americans are more likely to become victims of violent hate crimes more than any other American culture. Police profiling has led to the killing and shooting of African-Americans that whites. This issue has been debated that blacks has a higher rate than whites. Law enforcement illegal practices of racial profiling is not only done on streets but practiced in institutions.
Racial profiling practices by law enforcement agencies involve three types of situations: the war on drugs, stopping citizens that seem out of place in a specific neighborhoods and the crackdown of violent and property crimes. Most African-Americans feel that all police / law enforcement offices are racist or prejudice. This assumption is based on the officers’ attitudes and behaviors. The main focus in stopping racial profiling is the reduction of police misconduct against African Americans and other ethnic minorities.
In order for racial profiling to be eliminated law enforcement agencies must be willing to teach their officers about cultural competency. Organizations such as the UCLA and the Human Rights Watch have pressured national, state and local governments to adhere to the standards of fair treatment of victims and defendants. The UCLA expresses a fear that developing a repressive state will warn against the implementation of anti- pendant, anti-police and pro-prosecutor measures that may undermine any presumptions of innocence and the burden of proof.
The due process will be severely challenged if defendants and victims are denied pre-trail release. The powers of the states will alarm civil libertarians to safeguard the defendant and victims’ constitutional rights while maintaining checks and balances (Daces, 2009). Hipics, Latino, Mexican -Americans and Racism The massive explosion of immigration, Hipics from Mexico and Latino has caused an Anti- sentiment among the American people in regards of the issue of illegal immigrants. Immigrants that come to the United States daily are of Mexican Latino descent and live in extreme poverty.
A large amount of the American population does not support the immigration of Hipics and Latino. Those Americans with Anti-Hipic/ Latino sentiments have the fear that the Hipic immigrants come to this country to take their Jobs. Many Hipic and Latino immigrants are classified as illegal but most are American citizens who came to this country legally. There are the binaries of racism that has caused concerns that needs to be surpassed in order to eave an accurate account of social injustice and political practices of racism (Shelley, 2009).
The black [white binary has misled the American public into thinking that color-coded racism is the model for all types of racism. The race/ ethnic binary cannot Justify the lived experiences and social identity of Latino and Hipic that lives in the United States with the promise/ threat binary that offers distorted views of political situations of Hipics and Latino and Mexican- Americans (Shelley, 2009). Discrimination and hate crimes still remain against Hipics, Latino and Mexican- Americans. The building of the American -Mexican border fence is a good example of racial discrimination and racism.
With the condition of the economy advocates feel that racism and discrimination and unemployment issues against Latino, Hipics and Mexican-Americans may increase. As with African Americans Hipics and Latino are victims of racial profiling by law enforcement officers largely due to drug trafficking and gang violence. Racial profiling, unlawful detainment’s and illegal deportations are some of the racial tactics used by law enforcement agents to Rooney detain and arrest Latino, Hipics and Mexican-Americans.
Police and law enforcement officers using racism as a tool for traffic stops have led to greater incidents of racially profiling, harassing and brutalizing Hipics, Latino and Mexican- Americans. Hipics, Latino and Mexican-Americans continue to be unfairly targeted by the police in illegal traffic stops and searches. Daily routines Hipics do are subject to intimidation and abuse from law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers profile people of color daily while driving, working, in neighborhoods and shopping.
Hipics, Latino and Mexican-Americans have become daily targets of racism, discrimination acts and hate crimes. Human rights watch groups such as the UCLA and the Civil Liberty Union continue to fight to maintain international human rights, to become advocates for racial equality and continue to fight discrimination and racism at all levels. Hipic communities are reported to have higher rates of crimes than other communities nationally. Hipics and Latino have developed a unique experience about police that shapes their attitudes toward law enforcement officials.
Several factors explain patterns of racism twine Hipics, Mexican-Americans, Latino and police range from difficulties understanding English by non English speaking Hipics that develops communication problems with police and do not report crimes of racism. Hipics fear that calling the police will expose criminal acts within their communities. Members of Congress and Senate agree that racism and racial profiling is unconstitutional. Most Americans have the fear that Hipics and Latino are gang members, drug runners and take Jobs from Joe America.
However in the 21st century racism, hate crimes, discrimination and racial profiling continues to remain a national robber that impacts the daily lives of Hipics, Latino and Mexican-Americans. Arabs, Muslims and Racism Muslim minorities are subject to racism and racial profiling by virtue of their perceived Muslim culture. Arab-Americans and Muslims are met with less sympathy than gaining acceptance socially and politically than other religious minorities globally.
Jewish groups are also victims of racism discrimination and hate crimes. The anti -Muslim sentiments and cultural racism displayed in the media give the world alleged misrepresentation of the Arab culture that contributes to the world’s countermanding and creation of sentiments against Arabs and Muslims (Mere & Mood, 2009). The conceptualization of racism assures the protection afforded to racial minorities is conceived as involuntary constituted and should not be extended to Muslims because of their religious identity.
Society may find being sympathetic with a minority that is categorized by society as disloyal or associated with terrorist ideology hard. Americans and the world view Arabs and Muslims as threats rather than a disadvantaged minority subject to increase pernicious discourse of racial discrimination (Mere et al, 2009). The effects of 9 / 11 points out several disturbances socially, economically and politically against people of Middle-East and Arab descent.
A Scuff prospective was created based on the trends and responsibility of humanity globally to encounter the prospective of racism with practical applications of universal value. The basic principles of peace and harmony inherent in the foundation of Islamic culture, along with the power of remembrance are fundamental to the quality of harmony and the need of reflection in the Muslim culture (Rasher, 2011). Americans must renounce the tragedy of post 9/1 1, as a world filled with story, prejudice, discrimination and racism by putting racial healing into practice for the betterment of mankind.
When good and fresh ideas began to flourish, and when principle actions along with the commitment of a common cause, the necessity of embracing cultural is a challenge and blessing off pluralistic nation and inter- connected world ( Rasher, 2011). Since 9 / 11 and the war on terrorism, Arabs and Arab-Americans has become one of the most racial discriminated cultures in the world. Arabs and Arab-Americans continue to experience higher volume of hate crimes, violence, racism and discrimination than African Americans. The Ft.
Hood shooting (2009) by an Army officer of Arab descent caused increased hostility, violence and anti-Arab sentiments against Arabs of Muslim descent. The media through television and movies has portrayed all Arabs and Americans of Arab decent as terrorist, Jihads and the main enemy of the United States. The media and Hollywood give Americans and the rest of the world the false negative image that all Arabs are considered terrorist. Since the 9 / 11 terror attacks Arabs and Arab- Americans has been falsely labeled as being brutal, heartless, and whose main objective is to destroy the United States through Jihads or Holy wars.
Racial profiling and racism is the most used method against Arab-Americans today. Police and law enforcement officials use racism and racial profiling as a tactics to identify and arrest Arabs and Arab-Americans as suspected terrorist because of their ethnic and cultural identities. Since the attacks of 9/1 , the attacks on Arabs and Muslims worldwide have dramatically increased. We as Americans must note that the culture of Islam is not a race nor is being a Muslim. Americans and other nations must embrace the religion, customs and ideology of the Arab culture instead of resorting o racism, prejudice and violence.
Racism in America is a societal disease that affects the lives of cultures through bigotry, hate crimes, prejudice discrimination and violence. As a controversial problem in America, racism is a social and political concern that a dominate individual, culture or group generates the moral issues of racism that can only be solved through political legislation. In the book Souls of Black Folk W. E. B. Du Bois asks the question of ; How does it feels as Black folk (people) to be a problem”. Lenten & Tattle do not give an answer to Du Bois question but provides critical study called the crisis of multiculturalism discourse.
It is the primary means by which minorities today cast as problems of cultural integration and racism (Fem., 2008). Du Bois showed how the failure of multiculturalism has been recorded in a post-racial America. The over emphasis of cultural differences rights of victims play an important role that results in the unintended consequences of social segregation, urban unrest, religious extremism and communal patriarchy ( Quicksand, 2012). Acts 10: 34-35 Peter replies “l see very clearly that God do not show partiality. In every action he accepts those who fear him and do what is right” (Holy Bible N I V).
Racism has been a controversial issue in America since the arrival of the European colonist. The thought of lore the practice of racism in America is the domination by a group that think it is superior than another group that degraded or debased with the use of intimidation and violence to other cultures. In order for the elimination of racism in America people of all colors and cultures must treat each other with respect, humanely and dignity. If not then racism will continue to be a societal disease in post racial America . References Safe, J. (2008).