Introduction
The American population is composed of different races courtesy of distinct immigrant groups. The race is a substantial social construct that determines how people are treated in the USA. Racial discrimination is the act of treating a person unfavorably because of their race. In a country where ethnic minorities and majorities exist, the majority are likely to discriminate the minorities. White Americans are the majority ethnic group in the USA (Yearby et al. 517).
Other ethnic communities in the country include the blacks, the Alaskan Americans, American Indians, and another pacific islander. Asians are the largest minority group, followed by blacks. The fight for racial equality has been an outgoing concern, and numerous policies and agreements have been signed to bring racial injustices and inequality to an end. Although the American government has made numerous attempts to end racial discrimination, it is still prevalent. Based on the current social situation, racial discrimination appears to be the leading cause of poverty and derailed progress among minority groups such as African Americans.
Racial Politics in the 21st Century
The gap between whites and blacks widened during the late Victorian era. Blacks lost their superiority and lost the ability to care for themselves. The concept of “the white man’s burden,” which claimed that it was the responsibility of white people to civilize non-white people and spread Christianity, emerged (Seaton et al. 45). By stating that by effectively assuming control of other countries, they were “helping” them, this argument was used to justify European Imperialism. The natural selection principle of Charles Darwin was appropriated and used to the concepts of scientific racism. With the justification that Europeans’ advanced technology and customs demonstrated that they were the more advanced race, Darwin’s theory was taken as supporting the supremacy of white people.
The evolution of racism up to the current period can be analyzed using racial theories. Franz Boas started to question the notion that race, culture, and language were all interconnected in 1911 (Seaton et al. 45). He discovered via the examination of Jewish and Italian skulls that the only environmental elements responsible for their variation in skull structure. This disproved earlier attempts to categorize intelligence and race using the skull. Julian Huxley argued against the concept of different races in the 1930s by highlighting the significant influence of environmental variables on African civilizations and the diversity of African population groups (Nahel et al. 10). Inability to discern between phenotypical, genetic, and cultural differences in human groups was revealed as the main flaw in racial science.
By the 21st century, a new form of racism known as “cultural racism” emerged. This racism differs from earlier forms of racism in that it does not automatically entail dominance of one group over another or make an effort to categorize individuals based solely on appearance. The core notion that one group of people possesses unchangeable features is nevertheless present in “cultural racism,” despite the absence of the two essential traits that people typically connect with racism (Nahel et al. 10). It presumes that all members of that group have the same beliefs and routines. The concept of American nativism illustrates this notion of “cultural racism” (Nahel et al. 10). According to Nahlel et al., the immigration Act of 1924 was enacted in response to American concerns that “the wrong type” of immigrants were coming to the country (11).
Causes of Racial Discrimination in the USA
Categorization
Categorization divides people into distinct groups, such as whites, blacks, and Asians. As a result of the categorization, the people develop loyalty towards their group, and intra-group competition emerges. When it comes to racial discrimination, the education sector is perhaps the one that is most impacted. Children from specific races are frequently viewed as inferior and do not receive the same resources as those viewed as belonging to superior races (Nahel et al. 11). Even when they make the same mistake at school, youngsters of black descent reportedly face harsher sanctions than those of white origin (Seaton et al. 46). For instance, a child of white descent may just receive a reprimand for the same infraction whereas an African-American youngster may be suspended from school.
Superiority of Majority Groups
In the US, the whites are prioritized in the education system more than the blacks, who are more likely to be imprisoned compared to their counterparts. According to statistics, at least 18% of pre-school students are black (Korver-Glenn et al. 34). They do, however, make up 47% of the students who experience one or more suspensions throughout their academic career (Korver-Glenn et al. 34). When compared to other students, African-American children’s misbehavior is frequently criminalized. Since the amount of black people who are arrested and imprisoned is correlated with suspension, it is crucial to take this into consideration (Seaton et al. 67).
Comparing wealthy countries, it is well known that the United States has the most prisoners. African-Americans who experience various forms of racial discrimination are the group most impacted. Generally, blacks are disproportionately represented in prisons compared to any other group of persons of color, according to statistics on arrests, incarcerations, and prison population.
Prejudice and Judgements
Prejudice and judgments made from the unconscious state are key causes of racial discrimination in the USA. For example, when the groups describe each other based on their appearance, they are likely to propagate the process of racial discrimination. Since most blacks have been disadvantaged, they live in the slums and are associated with criminal gangs (Korver-Glenn et al. 34). As the whites categorize the other race as thugs, they are likely to treat them unjustly (Lavner et al. 15). As the separate races formulate negative stereotypes and prejudice about each other, the rift between the races is intensified, and racial discrimination increases.
Impacts of Racial Discrimination in the USA
Blacks are especially pessimistic about racial development in the nation. The legacy of slavery still has an impact on black people’s status in America today, according to more than 80% of black adults, including 59% who think it has a significant impact (Brownlow 13). A little more than seven in ten (78%) black individuals believe that more has to be done to provide black people the same rights as white people (Lavner et al. 13). Additionally, more than half believe that racial equality is unlikely to be achieved in the near future (Yearby et al. 518). The calls to fight racism in the US showcase that the impacts such as poor housing conditions, education systems and unemployment are predominant among the minorities, majorly the blacks.
Blacks and Hispanics in the U.S. face disadvantages, according to Americans. A majority of Americans (56%) believe that being black or Hispanic hinders one’s capacity to advance at least marginally (Lavner et al. 14). In contrast, 59% believe that being white makes it easier for people to advance (Brownlow 14). There is considerable disagreement over the effects of being Asian or Native American. Asians, Hispanics, and blacks are more likely than whites to believe that being white aids in advancement at least somewhat. White people are more likely to view benefits from being white if they are more educated and if they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party.
Racial discrimination is a pervasive social ill that, despite being controllable, has taken a negative toll on Americans. Health, well-being, and the self-concept of an individual are affected. A person may be talented, but when they are connected to a race that is discriminated against, they are likely to experience lowered self-confidence and esteem. Research by Allen et al. proved that Black students exposed to a class with racial discrimination are likely to fail (17).
The inferiority complex acquired by the discriminated race not only affects their confidence but also affects relationships. Police brutality against blacks has been an outcome of the racial discrimination that has been present in the USA. On average, there have been over one thousand killings annually where Black Americans lose their lives at the hand of the police, who are mandated to protect them. George Floyd’s murder raised a worldwide revolution on Black Lives Matter. Racial discrimination has brought numerous challenges and led to the formation of the civil rights movement to help overcome discrimination and attain peace.
Governmental Efforts to Curb Racial Discrimination
The American government has been working continuously to eradicate racial discrimination to achieve unity and national cohesion. Although the prevalence of cases of racial discrimination may appear desperate, the government has made deliberate efforts to curb the vice. The government has created a chief diversity and inclusion office which investigate the challenges facing minorities and address them as a top priority. The office incorporates the inclusion laws, which require that for every appointment made by the government and other institutions, people from minority communities are included (Nahel et al. 11).
For instance, monitoring of employment to ensure that minorities are represented has been implemented to enhance diversity in the workplace. This strategy has shown positive results as companies have started incorporating people from minority groups, following the government’s stipulation. Additionally, the government’s plan to help the racially discriminated groups has also succeeded in reducing color-based imbalances. For example, racial disparities in the education sector have been alleviated through provision of scholarships to minority students such as African Americans and Hispanics.
Reducing homelessness by changing housing policies that promoted discrimination. Since the red-lining of the blacks during the late 1940s led to racial discrimination, revoking the policy and giving the minority a chance to own houses is an antidote to eliminate racial discrimination in society. The US government, through the leadership of President Joe Bidden, has promised to offer building vouchers to people of color to help them build their residential houses (Allen et al. 13).
Previously, the blacks were denied loans and other forms of financial assistance, especially if the money was to be used in house construction. However, Biden’s approach to reduce racial imbalances seems to improve the Black quality of life as now most people can afford quality housing, which is free from insects and all disease-causing micro-organisms. Obama care is another strategy used to eradicate racial discrimination in the USA (Allen et al. 14). Previously, people could not afford medical expenses, thereby increasing access to medical healthcare. The efforts to reduce poverty and give blacks equal opportunity are the prerequisite to achieving a better quality of life and eliminating racial discrimination.
The government is working round the clock to harmonize education levels in the USA regardless of children’s color. Previously, the best schools were set aside for the whites and the blacks studied in poorly equipped schools (Korver-Glenn et al. 35). Currently, the government’s effort to improve preschool and child care ensures that all children, regardless of race, get quality elementary education (Brownlow 13). Consequently, minorities will have the chance to improve their living standards through better education. As the government struggles to overcome the problems of poverty, racial discrimination will likely be affected by the policy.
Conclusion
The US is a composite of people of different people based on color and ethnicities, making it an integral country in assessing the situation of racism. The 21st Century has seen minority groups forming campaigns and movements such as the Black Lives Matter movement that fights for rights of the blacks (Brownlow 12). The formation of these movements’ contrasts with the previous decades, where most minorities could not fight racism by themselves.
Nevertheless, racism has been attributed to causes such as superiority of some groups, categorization, prejudice and judgment, among others. The impacts of racism such as illiteracy, poor health and reduced self esteem among the minorities seem to have pushed the government to establish various strategies for combating racism in the US. The government has introduced diversity offices, revised housing policies, issued scholarships to the minority students to equalize their number with that of the White counterparts in schools. These strategies are slowly succeeding as the magnitude of racism declines, as evidenced by increased number or graduates and better houses for the Black community.
Works Cited
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Brownlow, Briana N., et al. “Sex Differences in the Impact of Racial Discrimination on Mental Health among Black Americans.” Current Psychiatry Reports, vol. 21, no. 11, 2019, pp. 1–14.
Korver-Glenn, Elizabeth. “Compounding Inequalities: How Racial Stereotypes and Discrimination Accumulate across the Stages of Housing Exchange.” American Sociological Review, vol. 1, no. 2, 2018.
Lavner, Justin A., et al. “Racial Discrimination and Relationship Functioning among African American Couples.” Journal of Family Psychology, vol. 12, no. 11, 2018.
Nahel, Osama M. Abu. “The Role of the Civil Movement in USA in Combating Racial Discrimination.” Journal of World Systems Research, vol. 4, no. 10, 1954.
Seaton, Eleanor K., and Masumi Iida. “Racial Discrimination and Racial Identity: Daily Moderation among Black Youth.” American Psychologist, vol. 74, no. 1, 2019.
Yearby, Ruqaiijah. “Structural Racism and Health Disparities: Reconfiguring the Social Determinants of Health Framework to Include the Root Cause.” Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, vol. 48, no. 3, 2020, pp. 516-526.