Racial discrimination

Racial discrimination

The current society has been divided into social groupings based on factors ranging from wealth, social status, and the color of the skin. The social constructs in the society have created aspects of the people that are in the superior and inferior positions. One aspect of the social construct in the community is based on race, where the white race has been considered superior to others. In the ancient western nations, the aspect of the white race being superior was successfully passed as the truth across the universe. Institutions of slavery and colonization allowed for the concept of race to be established further in the community, with the black people being considered lowest in the hierarchy. Even so, the biological researches by various experts have proven that race is not a genetic issue rather a social construct. Racial discrimination is defined as the concept of one race being regarded as better compared to others which are established through political and economic institutions thus leading to power based on the race while the inferior races are continually denied of their rights and freedoms within the societies; even so, racial discrimination is expressed as being essential in economic development, racial purity, and culture preservation although it remains a vice to be fought and discouraged in various community.

Racial discrimination is ideally the aspect of one rave being defined as higher in terms of social hierarchy as compared to the others. According to the oxford dictionary, discrimination is “The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.” The unjust discrimination of a minority group based on the social definition of wrong and right is at the core of bias and unfair treatment. Racial discrimination is such treatment based on the aspect of skin color. Overall, the white skin color has been defined as being superior to others. White people in different western cultures have grown and lived in societies where they are allowed privileges that others do not encounter. In a research of race in the medical industry, a researcher highlights that some of the participants were quick to point out that “I have been taught since an early age that people of my own race can become doctors or During college and medical school, I never struggled to find professors and academic role models who shared my race” (Romano 262). The comments collected in the research illustrate the nature of the privilege extended based on the skin color, especially for white members of the society. The aspect of racial discrimination has been based on the white race being at the top while the black people are placed at the bottom. The concept of the hierarchy can be traced back to the 17th and 18th centuries during the establishment of slavery and expeditions that led to colonization in different parts of the world.

The origin of racial discrimination is traced back to the institutional development of slavery and colonization. The racial disparity between whites and other races is linked to technology advancement and the power to acquire labor. As an author of the Guardian newspaper explains, “For much of the period from the 15th century till now, during which Europeans and Africans have been connected through trade, empire and migration, both forced and voluntary, Europe has viewed the people of Africa through the distorting veil of racism and racial theory” (Olusonga). In that, the stereotypes of backward and naivety of African people and people of color were used as a factor of creating a hierarchy of humans. The concepts of people of color and brown being backward as also used as justification for the inhumane actions of the slave traders and colonial governments. The creation of the belief that some people were better and superior to others is propaganda used by members of the European traders to create a narrative that suited their practices. Despite being the justification for traders and greedy merchants, racial discrimination has been the cause of the loss of thousands of lives both in the past and present times. Unfortunately, the beliefs and social construct have gone beyond the slavery and colonization periods to modern society.

Racial discrimination continues to be revealed in the US and other western nations in the economic and social institutions hence limiting the progress of people of color. Racial bias and prejudice have defined the societies in the form of socioeconomic privileges. The white community has been able to get economic opportunities through access to good education, housing, and employment opportunities. The social classification limits the ability of people of color to have a good income hence generational poverty. According to research completed in 2018, “black Americans and American Indians have much lower rates of upward mobility and higher rates of downward mobility than whites, leading to persistent disparities across generations” (Hendren et al.). Hence, the white members of society have been able to develop and progress their wealth based on the profoundly held ideas of race. The privileges cause the community to afford proper housing and schools that aid in the progress of families and generations. In different cities in the US, the minority races live in the federally provided shelter, attended underfunded schools, and their societies are characterized by crime. As a result, the economic setting in the homes and communities limits their ability to be the best they can be in education or attend college. In the long run, the children are bound to minimum jobs, thus allowing the aspect of poverty to be passed from one generation to the other. Racial discrimination has allowed African American communities to experience different forms of generational poverty as compared to the white race. Unfortunately, the case is not isolated to the African American society alone as it is revealed in other nations in the world where the racial privilege allows one community to be tied to generational poverty as the other prospers.

Moreover, racial bias has allowed the black community to be denied various rights and freedoms that are enjoyed by the white counterparts. Racial discrimination in western nations has permitted the aspect of racial profiling to be evident in the community, thus allowing more people of color to be held behind bars, denied to vote and live in constant fear of being arrested. The US has been often accused of the crime and hate on people of color as harassment and imprisonment of youths of color continue to be on the rise. As contributors in the American Progress organization explain, “Over the centuries, even as the nation struggled to prohibit the most repugnant forms of exclusion and suppression, it neglected to uproot entrenched structural racism…The inability to fully participate in the democratic process translates into a lack of political power” (Solomon et al.). The African American community in America has been denied continuously several forms of freedom by various systemic prejudice, thus leading to the advancement of denial of fundamental rights such as voting. One systemic way in which the rights of African Americans are expressed is the constant harassment by police and arrests based on skin color. After the arrests and a person has a record, they automatically cannot participate in the process of voting. The systemic form of racism in the US and other western nations such as the UK has led to the people of color taking the backseat in the participation of democratic rights and the control of their destinies. The constant harassment leads to the people living in constant fear of being arrested and imprisoned for extended periods; thus, their rights to live free are automatically curtailed on racial grounds.

Even so, the sociologists in support of the concept illustrate the development of the economy attached to racial discrimination. That is, the discrimination based on race in different nations has been essential in the advancement of the economy as people of different races work in various fields. Although “an increase of racism by one standard deviation is correlated

with a reduction in GDP per capita by between 3.47 percent to 2.83 percent,” slavery and other systems of racial bias allowed the economy of the US to be established (Bonick and Farfan-vallespin 36). The institutes that allowed for racism to take root were significant in the establishment of the European and American economy. During the development of the industrial revolution, the American economy was able to sustain the farming and harvesting of the needed raw materials by the support of the slaves. The racial discrimination at the time allowed the economic prosperity in society. In the same way, racial bias has ensured that several low-income jobs are occupied, such as cleaning jobs that aid in the advancement of a sustained economy. Although racial bias has led to an increase in the struggles of certain members of the society, it has allowed the advancement of a sustained economy in the majority of the western nations.

Moreover, racial bias has aided in the development of racial purity and cultural preservation. Racial discrimination, as expressed in some of the most inhumane systems such as apartheid, allowed the members of different races to integrate less; thus, the cultures remained intact. The institutional segregation in South Africa and other parts of the world allowed the different races to avoid intermarriage hence preserving the culture. As research on the concepts of intermarriage indicates, “Marriages between immigrants and natives are thus underrepresented and ethnically endogamous marriages overrepresented in most populations” (Dribe and Lundh 300). The majority of people in places of mixed ethnicity and race prefer to marry within the ethnic group. In places where several races are found, it is critical to ensure the bloodlines are pure in terms of marrying within the race. Moreover, it allows for the children to emulate the culture and pass it to the next generations. The aspect of segregation and racial bias provides for the element of intermarriage and mixing of culture to be reduced in the community. as a result, the different cultures can be expressed and enjoyed by all in the community, thus allowing for cultural tourism.

Despite the various advantages expressed in relation to racial bias, I believe the social construct is a vice that should be eliminated. Racial discrimination has been the source of millions of deaths during the holocaust, slavery, and apartheid, to mention but a few, thus it is a concept that should not be allowed to prosper in the community. Moreover, racial bias has led to the inability of the family to enjoy the economic stability of years as they are limited by systemic racism. Both the oppressed and oppressors should understand and be willing to participate in the fight against racial. As an author of the New York times, opinionator blogs explains, “if you are white, and you’re reading this letter, I ask that you do not run to shelter from your own racism” (Yancy). In that, it is the responsibility of the affected and the beneficiaries of racial disparity to fight the vice in the community. Racial discrimination has led to social and economic disadvantages to a distinguished group of people in the community; hence it cannot be used to justify different issues in the society such as cultural discrimination. The canceling of activities that promote racial discrimination both online and physically in the community is essential for all members of the community. as a reporter and columnist with the Washington Post explains the cancellation of the Musical Tarzan based on the accusation of racial stereotypes and slurs (Chiu). The society should be prevalent in the fight against racial prejudice as it is wrong and evil. I believe that the elimination of social bias will be essential for the development of equal opportunities and rights for all, especially in the United States of America.

The concept of racial bias can be traced to the 17th and 18th centuries, which was developed for the justification for the slave trade and colonization of other races by the whites. Racial bias led to the deaths of millions in the past and, consequently, loss of economic and social opportunities as well as the loss of fundamental rights and freedom. Despite racial discrimination allowing for economic progress and cultural preservation, it is a negative aspect of the community thus should be discouraged at all costs. Racial prejudice has been instrumental in the loss of many lives and leads to enormous psychological challenges; therefore, it is critical that it is eliminated in the world. The majority of families caught up in the cycles of racial discrimination have not been able to live comfortable lives as they lack the same opportunities to advance in life; thus, engaging in crime seems like a viable option. Racial discrimination sets into motion enormous social challenges that can be eliminated through the fair and just treatment of all people despite the color of their skin. Living in a country and international society where everyone is treated the same despite the color of their skin will aid in the development of the economic and social satisfaction of all people. Moreover, the overall life satisfaction of people will be at the optimum high as everyone is free to express their opinions, be listened to, and free to explore different sectors in life.