If the world were to be perfect then there would not be racism or people who were against immigrants or gays. Everyone would accept everyone for his or her beliefs of religion and culture. Since the world is not perfect these people and things exist. According to Global Issues, “racism is defined as the belief that characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others” (Global Issues.org). Racism is difficult to define though, since everyone defines it differently.
Color Blind Racism In Bonilla-Silva's piece the The Central Frames of Color-Blind Racism he explains in detail the four frames of color-blind racism: abstract liberalism, naturalization, cultural racism, and minimization of racism. Bonilla-Silva believes that although most whites have abandoned the idea that blacks are in part to blame for their own oppression and lower class status, racism still exists. Color-blind racism has replaced the formerly established idea of racism, but this does not mean hope for the oppressed. Bonilla-Silva does agree that minorities are much better off today, but he believes that because blacks have become so far behind in the order of society it might be impossible for them to catch up to the whites. Color- blind racism is contemporary way of thinking about race that justifies and rationalizes racial inequalities.
Today, these quotas have long since been banned, but some argue that special considerations toward minorities are still apparent and disrupt their rights for equal opportunity. On the one hand, they argue that qualifications should be based on merit rather than race or gender, and that it implements reverse discrimination. One the other hand, those who support the concept of Affirmative Action insist that equal opportunity is reached by helping those races faced with disadvantages and that it compensates for discrimination in the past. My own view is that special consideration should not be given to minorities because it is contradictory in their intent to create equal opportunity, therefore increasing racial tensions instead of promoting it. By protecting and giving preference to minorities, Affirmative Action unwarily discriminates against the majority, therefore contradicting its own intent for equal opportunity.
Political Correctness hasn’t gone far enough Today im here to talk to you about whether or not political correctness has gone far enough. There are a number of reasons why political correctness hasn’t gone far enough and it is because political correctness protects people that are from a different race, people who are seen different by society, such as disabled people and people’s religious beliefs. Political correctness breaks the barrier of putting people in different categories and instead people become one and they can respect each other’s differences without controversy. Firstly, I would like to argue the fact that people do not have the right to question and judge the identity others have created for themselves. Andrew Bolt, a writer to the Herald Sun writes, ‘Her father was Swiss, and her mother only part aboriginal.
By not taking into account the historical precedents we are reducing the weight of racism and believing it is only based on prejudice on the individual level, something that I believe happens in my family. My father has always been proud to say that “I am not a racist because I never did anything racist towards anybody and have avoided that as much as possible; I have made an effort to treat people of others races with the upmost respect and disapprove of others who do not do so”. So I would think “yes, he is not racist and those other people are racists” According to the book, these are textbook procedures and it also stresses the importance of intentionality, something we have fallen for too. My father and myself would think “I have never intentionally committed a racist act so I am not racist and those who do so are racists” Again, these are textbook attitudes; but, what about the non intentional actions? We hide on the aspect of intentionality to make ourselves believe we are not racist but there are many other actions or beliefs that are implying bias and
Here, Lanston could be criticizing white society as a hypocrite. The white culture encourages people to be who they are, celebrating for those who truly perform themselves; nevertheless, the society is actually intolerant of differences. Huges reinforces the irony by stating his background information such as his age, skin color, birthplace, schools he attended, etc, to show that he, a black, knows who and what he truly is, mocking the prejudiced white people’s artificial behavior. The second stanza shows Hughes’ view that a black and a white are equal. For example, the line “I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races,”(Huges, 2271) shows the very idea
This seems to be the case because employers are still discriminating against citizens and meeting “racial quotas”. “That race helps to determine an individual’s acceptance to a college is not affirmative action, it is discrimination in action”(Robinson). Race-neutral, gender-neutral, protection was the first version of Affirmative Action proposed by Lyndon B. Johnson. This version consisted of everyone having an equal opportunity in the work place as well as in all educational facilities, without a person’s race, sex or
June 3rd 2012 CJA/344 Racial Disparity on the application of the Death Penalty The United States criminal justice system is believed to protect and change people. In the early years of United States, racism was a huge issue and it has slowly been disappearing throughout the years. Unfortunately some people are not willing to change their beliefs about races. People that grew up not guided or taught the importance of all people are created equal have negative feelings toward others who do not share the same skin color, religion, and gender. People may believe that people who are different to them should not have the same rights or believe that they are beneath them.
Race is nature and ethnicity is nurture; that is, birth characteristics versus cultural heritage” ("What Is the Difference"). However, there seems to be a tendency for people to substitute ethnicity for race "Some educators and researchers use ethnicity interchangeably with race because we believe they are still uncomfortable with race, racism and its role in education. But, if we abandon the concept of ‘race’ we also abandon discussions of power, domination and group conflict, economic exploitation, political power and powerlessness” (The Socially Constructed Nature of Race).
I feel because I don’t or haven’t participated in race related issues in more than just that comfort zone, I would be considered a passive racist. The fact that I had to debate on whether I was either passive racist or an active antiracist, must mean that I am more passive, even though I want to become an active