The Issue of Racism in America
The issue of racism is a deep-rooted problem in the world, and over the years, it has morphed into severe discrimination and segregation, forming part of the world history. Racism involves judging and treating others unequally based on their skin color and ethnic origin. Since time immemorial, white people have been known to discriminate against black and other non-white people. Slavery increased the racial gap between whites and non-whites when black people were captured and enslaved in white people’s homes and plantations. Since then, white people have always felt superior and therefore discriminated against others such as the African Americans, Hispanics and so on. In the modern world, racism manifests itself in the society at workplaces, schools, churches and all other public sectors. As a result, this issue should be addressed to establish the truth about whether racism is increasing or declining in the United States. According to some scholars, racism is no longer an issue in the American society while others believe that America is still divided largely by racism and racial discrimination. In the United States, racism has always been a grave issue, but the world is working hard to get over that archaic practice.
America Still divided by Racism into two unequal societies; by Joseph E. Stiglitz
In this article, Joseph interrogates the extent to which racism has manifested itself in the contemporary world”. He says that African Americans are still suffering in a dominantly white society regarding education, employment as well a peaceful coexistence with their white counterparts. I chose this article because it gives a deep insight into the issues of racism that still exist in the world today and their effects on the victims. In public institutions, for instance, white people receive better and quicker services compared to people from other races. The finance sector is particularly said to target African Americans for exploitation by selling them volatile products and charging them high fees for the same products. Wells Fargo Bank ended up being fined hugely by the authorities for having exploited African Americans as well as Latinos by charging them higher interest than their white counterparts.
The author says that today, America is paying dearly for racial inequalities and the economy feels the effects of this inequality. The assumption that the power structures in the United States are run primarily by the military forces is a complete fallacy because the Presidency has eroded the country’s soft power (Stigliz, 2018). As time goes by, the situation is worsening, and since President Trump was elected, there is no end in sight to this nightmare. Racism has developed roots in the system such that non-white people are unlikely to get employment in America. An individual’s resume does not matter as much as their skin color and when it comes to hiring and firing, African Americans, Latinos and other people from other races. He, however, concludes by saying that there might be hope for a better future only if people are willing to stand up, they can purpose to transform the society.
Racism in America; By Donald W. Shriver
The second article by Shriver explains that despite the past having been full of racism and prejudice, the world has changed and racism remains a thing of the past. He explains that the only thing that remains are the scars inflicted on black people by racism. Shriver talks of an actor who only encountered racism upon arrival at the United States and even today, Americans carry with them the scars of this vice. He had previously talked to his friend who was black, and they both acknowledged that they still have the scars of racism, but now, the world has changed. They both looked at racism as a challenge as well as an opportunity for people to move on and realize the value each other. The article shows that racism is heading to an end and it is not as bad as it was in the past. The hopeful difference between people is that some of them learned how to fight and overcome the influences of racism such as members of the Christian community and the church at large.
Points of View
I chose these two sources because they have an opposing opinion about racism in America. In the first source, racism is said to be at its peak in the United States and continues to manifest itself. In the second article, racism is becoming a thing of the past, and all that remains are the scars from the years of racial discrimination. Similarities exist between these viewpoints such as the fact that both authors agree on the fact that racism is negativity that needs to be addressed in the society. They also concur in the fact that racism has undergone serious metamorphosis and it is not as it was a few years ago. However, in Joseph’s perception, there is an increasing danger brought about by racism, and the American society remains divided nonetheless. The white people who perceive themselves as a superior race deny their non-white counterparts the opportunity to access equality.
On the other hand, Shriver believes that shortly, everyone will be able to deal with racism and the only thing remaining would be the previous scars. Racism in America can be dealt with, (Shiver, 2018) and there is no need to worry about people getting discriminated . If Joseph could speak to Shriver, he would explain that the dynamics of the society dictate interpersonal relationships and racism is one of them. Contrastingly, Shriver would argue that the society has already outgrown the era of racism and that everyone is capable of dealing with the situation. The differences between their points of view include the fact that Joseph addresses the situation from a social perspective while Shriver uses an individualistic approach. According to Joseph, the whole society is doomed while Shriver claims that the individuals can work things out and eliminate racism and its effects.
In conclusion, racism remains a calamity in the modern world, and as time goes by, there is a need for change and individuals must perform. According to Joseph, the American society has fully embraced racism, and as a result, most of the public sectors and their service delivery is influenced by race. African Americans do not enjoy equal rights as the rest because they are black and the whole society is divided into two groups. On the other hand, Shriver believes that racism is almost over and if people could be responsible, the world would be a better place. I do agree with the fact that racism is a problem and it is so deep-rooted in the American society that there is no quick solution in sight. Joseph gives a true and clear account of the reality on the ground because looking at the modern society, it is clear that there may not be an end in sight for racism in America. I would like to challenge the government and the media to propagate equality by passing legislative measures against racist people. In most cases, the media plays a huge role in propagating racism, and for that reason, there is a need to change the type of communication passed to the public on racism.