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Racism has been one of the most hotly debated issues not only in the United States but all over the world for years. Racial discrimination in the United States is mainly projected to the Black Americans, or rather, the African Americans. Racial discrimination is primarily mistreating or antagonizing someone of a different race (Banton, 2018). It can range from being denied the basic needs, being isolated from the rest of the society, being hated to being physically abused. The African Americans have endured a lot of suffering, such as living in poverty and having the highest levels of imprisonment, as a result of racial discrimination. The importance of discussing racial discrimination is to create awareness of its consequences while trying to solve this problem. This paper seeks to discuss in depth, the issue of racial discrimination against the African Americans in the United States, its impacts on the society, its origin, as well as how it can be solved. What is more, this paper will discuss how to implement the solution to racial discrimination.
The issue of racial discrimination against the African Americans in the United States in depth
To start with, racial discrimination is that practice of mistreating someone because of their skin colour. In this case, the African Americans are discriminated against because they are black or have a darker skin tone compared to their White counterparts. On the other hand, the Whites are the perpetrators who mistreat the African Americans who live in the United States. Racial discrimination against the blacks in the U.S has hit the headlines in the recent past whereby the police officers have been killing and harassing the African Americans in large numbers. Generally, the Criminal Justice System of the United States seems to favour the Whites while it discriminates against the Blacks. The Blacks are one of the minority groups in the U.S yet, they are the most arrested and compose the largest percent of the jail population. Apart from the Criminal Justice System, the Black Americans are denied a wide range of employed opportunities. Employers, especially the Whites prefer hiring a White graduate even when there is a Black job seeker who has higher qualifications. Even when a White and a Black worker have the same qualifications and are working on the same level, the White worker is often paid more.
Nevertheless, this is not the first time that racial discrimination is happening in the history of America. It began long ago in the early 20th century and it was even worse during the slave trade where the Whites could not mix with the Blacks since racial integration was considered an offense. Currently, the African Americans who live in the U.S can mingle freely with their White counterparts and go about their normal duties as American citizens. Even though it can be said that racial views have changed for the better over the past few decades, a significant number of Whites in the United States, 1 out of 10 oppose the White-Blacks intermarriages.
We can do it today.
The impact of racial discrimination against the blacks in the United States
Socioeconomic backwardness and instability
The African-American community, despite being one of the minority groups in the United Sates, is also, considered as one of the poorest. This can largely be attributed to racial discrimination in the sense that the Blacks have the highest rate of unemployment, which is a big determinant when it comes to financial stability (Marable, 2015). Financial instability leads to inaccessibility of the basic needs, such as food, housing, clothing, and education. The African Americans have also, the highest illiteracy rates since most of them can barely afford quality education, as a result of being socioeconomically deprived. The high level of poverty linked with the Blacks has overall effect on the economy of the United States; it increases the overall percentage of the unemployed people in the country. As such discriminating against the blacks does not only affect them but also, the nation as a whole.
The source of the problem
Racial discrimination against the African Americans originated from the concept of White supremacy. White supremacy suggests that the Whites are superior to the other races merely because of their skin color and to a large extent, because they are more civilized (Banton, 2018). As such, it justifies that all the other races are inferior and that the Whites deserve better treatment and resources. White supremacy also made the Whites to treat other races, especially the blacks, as lesser humans.
In addition, slave trade played a significant role in promoting racism. Since the Whites outnumbered the Blacks and they were more resourceful, this made it easy for the African Blacks to conform to the White rule or else they would be killed (Lauren, 2018). Conforming to the White rule made the Whites see Africans as inferior and helpless hence, justifying the White Supremacy concept. In other words the helplessness nature of the Africans made the Whites more racists in order to remain superior and exploit the Blacks as much as they could.
Possible solution to racial discrimination against the African Americans
One of the major ways in which racial discrimination against the Blacks can end in the United States is through continuous activism. Activism brings to light how racial discrimination affects the Blacks who have the right to be treated as equals with their White counterparts (Goldberg, 2016). Perhaps, continuous activism can also change the U.S Criminal Justice System which can in turn, reduce racism by enacting laws which will enable the African Americans to be treated as equals with the Whites.
How the problem might be improved with the implementation of the solution
Continuous activism against racial discrimination against the African Americans can mobilize the people who are in power and who can make the necessary changes in the Criminal Justice System. When the Criminal Justice System is corrected, at least the Blacks might have the opportunity to be given fair trials in court, and this can reduce the number of Blacks imprisonment. On the other hand, police officers might reduce their harshness towards the Blacks on the streets and individuals who physically hurt the Blacks might be punished severely (Goldberg, 2016).Activism can change the minds of racist employers who might give more opportunities to the Blacks.
Overall, racial discrimination against the blacks originated from the concept of White Supremacy, which justified discrimination against people of colour and special treatment for the Whites. Socioeconomic backwardness is one of the main impacts of racial discrimination against the African Americans. Ending racism projected towards the African Americans requires continuous activism that can make the necessary changes on the U.S Criminal Justice System.
- Banton, M. (2018). The concept of racism. In Race and Racialism. Routledge. Pp. 17-34.
- Goldberg, D. T. (2016). Racial subjects: Writing on race in America. Routledge
- Lauren, P. G. (2018). Power and prejudice: The politics and diplomacy of racial discrimination. Routledge.
- Marable, M. (2015). How capitalism underdeveloped Black America: Problems in race, political economy, and society. Haymarket Books.