Racism as a form of oppression.
Introduction
Racism is a form of oppression has been plaguing generations since the historical times. It has been a cause of violence in the society. It has even contributed to the formation of some of the most violent gangs that have existed in history. In a world that is defined by diverse culture and ethnicity, racism becomes a genuine form of oppression to tackle. However, before we expound on the issue, there is need to define the word to grasp the context in which it has been relayed and hence cover all aspects of the word racism. As noticed, when racism is viewed from different perspectives that exist in the modern world, it complicates its definition and understanding.
Alain de Benoist (1999) suggests that the difficulty with translating or modifying the term racism into socially accepted theories tends to be more of an instrumental nature rather than that of a descriptive nature. Using the word racist involves using a powerful epithet. As such, it can be slander designed to discredit those to whom it is addressed to. When one is called a racist, their credibility is always thrown into suspicion; thereby making it a useful tactic in destroying a reputation. This approach has been a witness in modern world controversies. Meanwhile, on the international stage, racism can be used as a correlation of some other words that are thrown around in such circles. The words may include; extreme Right, sexism, or even fascism. However, in the present society, these words have been termed as synonyms and may more or less refer to the same thing with the need for clarity.
In some countries, racism has been defined with legal terms and sanctions. In France, racism is a crime and on the whole, has been severely sanctioned. Here, to think of racism as an ideology or theory becomes obsolete since the law does not define racist crimes as either racist theories or racist behavior. These conditions imply that racism has less to do with ideas but more to do with the penal system. In the discussion of other approaches to racism, we can document the intellectual approach which purports racism to be a mental disease. This approach has brought about different metaphors for the word; ‘madness’ from Christian Delacampagne, or ‘leprosy’ by Albert Jacquard.
Racism first appeared in 1932 in the Larousse dictionary. According to the book, racism was defined as a system which affirmed the superiority of one racial group over others. However, with time, different definitions from dictionaries have overlapped. A different literal context defines it as the biological differences that exist between different races and the superiority of one of them. In addition to that, there is also, a theory of racial hierarchy that claims the necessity of preserving a perceived superior race from miscegenation and the right to dominate others.
According to the implied definitions that exist, racism is deemed to contain five main components to its element; a belief that one race is superior, or rarely several, over others. This belief is commonly accompanied by a hierarchical categorisation of racial groups. Secondly, the idea that the existing inferiority and superiority is of a biological nature and couldn’t be reversed either by social milieu or education. The third component suggests a theory that collective biological differences are reflected in cultural and social orders. Therefore, biological superiority is translated into the notion of a superior civilization which projects biological supremacy. The fourth component states existence of a belief that there is the legitimacy of the superior race dominating the inferior ones. The final segment implies the idea that there exist pure races which when intermixed with other races would cause a decline in their purity with negative consequences. Nonetheless, the contemporary world defines racism as the belief that a person’s race, skin color, national or ethnic identity is superior to others in the society.
Proof of racism
Historical evidence on racism has been witnessed in the world. In America, the Europeans who arrived on North America shores believed the Native American inhabitants of America were primitive and heathens who needed civilization. This led to mass murder, genocide and land theft in efforts to wipe out the Native American’s culture and traditions. In the 17th century, Africans were brought to the United States as slaves. They were treated like animals by white Americans, and their rights were violated continuously. Japanese Americans were also affected by racism in years as far back as 1941.
Perhaps the most distinguishable form of racism that has ever been witnessed by humanity is the treatment of the Jewish community in Germany. Due to their ethnicity, they were murdered in gas chambers by Nazi Germans who deemed it purification of their race. In America, a gang by the name, the Ku Klux Klan which was one of the most vicious and violent known in history targeted Jews as well as African Americans.
This drives us to the notion that racism is indeed a form of oppression that needs to be examined with profound interest. We can even suggest that racism has been a significant issue that has led to the formation of gangs in countries in the world especially the United States. Oppression in the form of racism has led to gang formation. This is, however, in the broader perspective, since both groups have reasons for their causes.
The social study of racism became relevant following the widespread black rioting in American cities due to an all-pervasive American white racism. This was submitted by a publication of the Kerner Commission Report in 1968. This relationship gained interest due to the discriminatory treatment of minority groups, such as the blacks, Asians, and Latinos by white Americans. In fact, most of the significant research and study on racism focuses on the relationship between white Americans and black Americans; specifically, white racism on African Americans.
The relationship between whites and blacks concerning racism has been varied and quite heft to distinguish. However, most sociology experts suggest that it can be distinguished between dominative racism and aversive racism. According to John et al. (2000), aversive racism is the desire to avoid interaction with minority races. Therefore, in this context, we find white Americans who pride themselves on being unprejudiced. Dominative racism, on the other hand, refers to racism as the desire to oppress African Americans.
In related findings, David et al. (2002) discover symbolic racism when he observes American whites’ voting patterns and behaviors. He also examines their political opinions in the study. He concludes that symbolic racism, evidenced by the findings, is the resentment of blacks or African Americans for giving demands in the political field that apparently defies traditional American values. A different social psychologist James Jones (1997), distinguishes three types of racism. The first is individual racism which is the prejudice and anti-black behavior intentionally exhibited by individual whites. The second is institutional racism which is the economic, social and political system that objectively oppresses blacks regardless of the prejudice or lack thereof of individuals. The third is cultural racism which is the tendency of whites to ignore or belittle the unique characteristics of the African American culture. However, there is an argument that while some may argue about aversive racism as defined above, others may suggest that many whites view African Americans as distinctively disadvantaged creating sympathy while also deviating from standard social practices which in turn creates antipathy. This is, however, an absurd theory since it leads to inflated negative reactions to negative behaviors exhibited by African Americans while insinuating exaggerated positive interactions by African Americans.
With regard to individual racism, several authors suggest that in the face of frustration, prejudice has been defined as scapegoating minorities as an aggression release. Some also defined bias as reflective of a supposedly fascist type of personality produced by authoritarian child-rearing practices. Other relationships suggest that the discriminatory behavior toward blacks and the verbal expression of preconception against them can sometimes grow solely from the desire to fit in with the whites’ social groups.
The idea of stereotypes has been a thorn in the issue of racism. Racial stereotyping increases the likelihood of younger generations being racist. Growing up in neighborhoods that experience racism leads to the event of the affected individuals projecting what they experience to other people and environments. This hard lined ideology is examined through historical events that occurred and remain relevant in the minds of the current population. It has become even harder for the eradication of such stereotypes given the fact that information about a stereotype is often efficiently retained as compared to information unrelated to it. Furthermore, it has been noted that white Americans who have been brought up in a stereotype-driven environment tend to act in such a way as to bring out the worst behavior in African American than would otherwise happen.
All these sociology studies about racism show that White Americans have more power as compared to African Americans. Their self-serving attitude allows them more pride and hence making them feel more entitled to resources in life. One important fact to note is that racism is usually brought about by ignorance and fear. Facilitating prejudice is the idea of ignorance to understand each other. Hence, w find that white Americans almost always feel that their social, economic and political power is at risk when African Americans are involved. This, therefore, instigates a particular set of reactions that usually involve putting down the African Americans with the hopes of clinging to the power they previously possessed.
The initial inhabitants of America were perceived to be naïve, primitive and considered savages by European explorers. However, they owned the land which they dwelled on. Given the feeling racial superiority that the explorers had, they decided to take them natives out and assumed dominance over a race they didn’t understand or respect. Similarly, in the modern society, we witness majority white Americans discriminate against African Americans. The white Americas are offered better jobs, better health care, better educational facilities and much more. It’s more apparent of the power the white majority have when the government security agencies treat minorities (African Americans) with disdain and victimize them on the assumption that they are weak and undeserving of proper treatment.
In that respect, African Americans are faced with unemployment, inadequate housing facilities, discrimination in certain social contexts as well as unequal treatment from the government. As often, this type of relationship stems from the immigrant status they are given while being in a country that is major of white people. Therefore, they are deemed not to have enough rights or privileges to live on the same wavelength as that of the white Americans.
White privilege is a term coined following the benefits racism brings to white people. Being white demonstrates its advantage of power by helping out in normal life situations whether knowingly o unknowingly. For instance, the skin color of white people allows them to be perceived as better looking. They are therefore placed in prime positions for jobs that rely on beauty as the criteria for employment. We have seen reports on mainstream television or movies or productions that would have done well with a black character, but because of the racial prejudice against black people, they are often overlooked. Similarly, white people are always projected as more financially responsible and therefore are more likely to enjoy banking discounts and benefits, trust at employment agencies and employment opportunities that also project an image of financial accountability.
White people are also in prime position to become role models in the fields of fashion and leadership. So rare is the occasion of a black fashion designer or world leader that we accept the reality that the white have power in this relationship. White people enjoy an advantage of the image that is usually preferred by individuals of a nation. Achievements by white people are usually recognized worldwide due to the image of superiority they had previously cast. Another advantage is that white people face less scrutiny from the government security agencies as compared to people of color (Holliday 2000). In fact, they experience complete police protection without any misconception whatsoever.
On the other hand, African Americans face horrendous experiences due to their weak racial power. Unemployment is a norm in this community due to the limited resources afforded to them. Due to racial profiling, African Americans are more likely to be shot by police officers in the event of a disturbance as compared to white Americans. We also witness the rate at which African Americans die to health-related concerns. The health policies in place are usually devoid of maintaining proper health care for black Americans. The minorities are also faced with poor education systems, therefore, making it even harder for them learn new skills.
In fact, due to this huge imbalance of power between white Americans and black Americans, we notice the different standards of living for the two sets of the group. White Americans have always been prosperous and live well while African Americans have constantly been suffering from social injustices that drag them down.
Structural causes of racism
The structural causes of racism have been widely farfetched due to the disregard for theories that racism is structured in the society. However, several researchers have attempted to view the causes of this oppression from a structured point of view. A few suggestions have been presented to try and develop a structured approach. For instance, the idea of racialized social systems, which is defined by societies in which the political, social, economic and ideological levels, are substantively structured upon the placement of players in racial categories. In these categories or systems, the placement of people into the racial categories to understand the structural causes involves a form of hierarchy.
The races that are assigned the superior positions are usually believed to be in an advantageous position both intellectually and economically and are therefore entitled to receive higher levels of financial reimbursement. They are also able to access better employment opportunities and prospects in the labor industry. The position also allows for the superior race to obtain primary positions in the political system. This often leads to the prerogative that perceives the power of superior races to be politically dominant. They, therefore, initiate laws that support and cater for the superior race without considerations to the minority race. The structure also deems the superior race to be on a higher level of social estimation with them being viewed as being better looking and smarter.
This racial structure often rewards different social rewards at the levels with which it’s structured in such a way as to encourage racism in the different contexts it presents itself in. This often directs the development of different objective interest which can be evidenced in their struggles, either for transformation or maintenance. Transformation is usually an identity for the oppressed as they usually struggle to escape the racial structure they are confined in. Maintenance is a mainstay of the oppressor as they strive to remain the dominant structure.
The focus on structural causes of racism leads to the analysis of the class and gender lines upon which racism lies. With regards to the character of racialization in a social system, class interests may well take precedence over racial interests. Expansively, we witness this phenomenon when we review the relationships between Puerto Rico, Cuba, and contemporary Brazil. In different situations, racial interests might take precedence over class interests. In this case, it usually serves to unify most members of a racial group against a targeted system, for instance, apartheid and slavery systems. The intersection of the two interests, however, makes up a compelling case. It leads to people taking action in situations such as the race-class interest of the working class and poor blacks being at odds with the middle-class blacks in the modern United States.
The fact that races are socially structured brings to mind the contestation of which race is entitled to the privileges it receives. It’s worthwhile to note that there have been historical struggles involving several white ethnic groups who have been involved in efforts to try and legitimize their status as white Americans. The struggle for their legitimization proves that there is a structural racial cause for them to be included in a particular class that provided certain racial advantages. Even more discerning is the case of dark-skinned immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa struggling not to be identified as Blacks. Their reason was that the social construct that determined the racial system deemed Blacks as people with subordinate statuses in the society.
The structural causes of racism cannot be handled dependently and need to be related to other causes of racism, be they political, financial or even ideological. This is because; the structural causes only provide evidence of a difference in ethnic races and their interpretation and presentation in the society.
Economic causes of racism
The economic causes of racism are quite evident in a society where such oppression exists. In the contemporary world, the economic gap between the oppressors and oppressed is usually quite huge and difficult to bridge due to the economic constraints afforded by the perception of racism. The economics of it covers all financial amenities; financial institutions, education systems and even housing systems. Since the explosion of racism in the world, no financial decisions have been made to equate the situations of the minority groups in efforts to curb racism.
Despite efforts to improve the civil rights of minorities (African Americans), no effort has been made to alleviate the economic conditions of the oppressed. They remain below the poverty line. In reports from various financial institutions, it has been noticed that African Americans have been subjugated to such an extent that their income is at least fifty-five percent of white Americans. Income is vital in improving the social and economic status of an individual or group. It allows a person to have more flexibility when it comes to the matter of the society. Therefore, given this discourage income allocation percentage; racism thrives in reducing the impact of the minority African American while raising the status of the rich white American.
The rate of unemployment among African Americans is a dominant cause of racism. When the rate of unemployment among African Americans is twice as high as among white Americans, it calls to question the equality of opportunities afforded to the two groups. It’s interesting to note that due to this fact, African Americans are more likely to face a heavy impact in the event of recession as compared to white Americans. African Americans find it difficult to obtain well-paying jobs are usually located far from the places they reside in. Furthermore, transportation to areas of employment becomes an expensive venture that only serves to inflate the cost of living for African Americans.
Resource allocation has also been a major contention issue concerning racism. White neighborhoods are allocated more government resources and better facilities. The education system in white neighborhoods is exemplary and offers adequate education that allows white Americans to flourish in a competitive financial environment. African Americans, on the hand, are given scarce resources and therefore have inadequate educational systems that lead to the production of a low potential working force. The poor education system also leads to an increase in criminal activities which further degrades the value of the African American group.
Another cause of racism that is highlighted economically is the poor housing amenities and the unfair rental system that African Americans experience. African Americans are usually faced with higher rental prices for inferior housing facilities as compared to white Americans. Even when African Americans own houses, they are charged higher property tax rates which only serve to highlight the racist nature of the society they exist in. The economic constraints faced by African Americans are practical in situations where they find it difficult to compete with white Americans in this aspect due to the financial restrictions which are often imposed by white Americans.
In historical times, the United States was founded on the racial extermination of Native Americans which was funded largely by profits from slave trade activities. This was further extended by the beginning of the Mexican War (1840) which was largely justified by white supremacist ideologies. In the contemporary world, the transference of white resentment towards blacks from capitalism has only served to preserve the needs of the capitalist system. The employment of African American workers with low income by white employers only serves to profit the capitalist system which is controlled and owned by white Americans. The main idea behind this cause is that white Americans take advantage of the symbiotic relationship between racism and capitalist economics to reap maximum benefits while continually oppressing African Americans.
The economic causes of racism range from housing concepts to employment concepts. The disparity between the economic situations of white Americans and African Americans is quite evident in a manner as to encourage racism and even be the cause of it. Most of the racist gangs that exist in America are usually formed due to the lack of employment opportunities, the unfairness of the financial system towards the African Americans and the discrimination of the minority groups by white American employers.
Ideological causes of racism
Racism has faced different ideologies leading to its progression and development. In recent history, we have witnessed different characters express their ideologies on spreading racism to the world. Their personal views on how they view people from different races have been projected into ideologies that are later fed to the masses who then take up the mantle and enforce those ideologies. Quite frankly, we can account for several high profile individuals who spread their ideologies that led to racial segregation and discrimination. Such an example includes Adolf Hitler, responsible for the Holocaust. An important aspect of understanding the ideological cause of racism is to examine legitimizing ideologies which refer to particularly widely adopted ideological theories that justify the superior and privileged status of dominant social groups. This, in turn, makes hierarchical and unequal relationships between racial groups seem legitimate (Tyler 2006).
The common belief of supporting legitimizing ideologies has been known to render the expression justifiable and acceptable (Crandall et al. 2003). This, in fact, causes the effect of reducing the perception of discrimination when members of an oppressed group receive unfair treatment as compared to members of high racial groups. Therefore, this type of thinking usually allows racial discrimination to creep in with efforts for protest being shut down. In retrospect, it would allow racial discrimination to occur subtly with the oppressed having little or no power to enforce change.
Color-blind racial ideology is one such ideology that is defined as the distortion, denial, and minimization of racism and race. This ideology is practically a dominant racially based system that groups, systems, and individuals subconsciously or consciously use to validate their racial status quo. It can also be instrumental in explaining away certain racial inequalities that exist in the society that the groups exist in. Here, we notice how racism is encouraged by the fact that certain aspects of racial oppression are deemed moot and therefore do not affect the society.
There is also the ideology of belief in a just world. This belief suggests that the social world is fair and just. It proposes that individuals more or less get what they deserve from the world. Alternatively, it also suggests that they deserve what they get. Expounding on this ideology leads us to the notion that this ideology justifies the privileged and superior social position some groups’ posses. It also argues that the unfair and disadvantaged position that minority groups posses is rightfully theirs. Perspectively, this ideology is of the opinion that if a certain group is being discriminated upon, it deserves the oppression.
Social dominance orientation is the ideology that specific social groups are uniquely superior to other groups. Therefore, this gives the superior groups in the society the right to be dominant over the inferior teams. In this context, individuals holding this ideology accept the tolerance of maintaining group-based systems of racial hierarchy. They also tolerate social injustices that border on the oppression of the minorities. In the instance of the Holocaust, the ideology floated through was that the German Nazis were infinitely superior to the Jewish community. The Nazis were led to believe that their existence was far more critical than that of the Jews. This eventually led them to the belief that their termination from life was justifiable.
Ideologies will always enforce action among a population of believers. Therefore, when pro-racism ideologies are floated through, they are more or less likely to take root among people and encourage an oppression filled reality whereby the minority suffers. Some ideologies are subtle and subconsciously encourage racism while others are loud and do not hide their intention.
Social/cultural causes of racism
Certain social and cultural practices have been the cause of racism in the society. Traditionally, ethnicity is usually based on societal perceptions that are typically shared cultural practices that exist within a group of the same socio-racial groups. It is common knowledge that members of the same socio-racial group usually share the same political and economic histories. The origin of these histories is, however, a matter of question. Culture on the other hand usually shapes and is molded by environment learning. It can be seen as a tradition that is handed down generations, often learned through the social process and as a cognitive template.
The term prejudice usually generates a characteristic of the society within which we exist. Prejudice often leads to the creation of stereotypes which are defined by false beliefs associated with a group of people, be it racial, religious or ethnic group. Such type of cultural practices usually leads to preconceived judgment of a person’s character based on a particular aspect of their persona that the decision is made. In this context, we find that different racial groups already have a premeditated judgment of the other groups. One group may feel superior to the other due to their skin color, accent or even economic status. This, therefore, leads to them exacting some form of oppression due to the superiority complex developed due to the prejudice and stereotype created in the process. What this could refer to ethnocentrism is the likelihood to view one’s own ethnic or racial group as the norm and other groups as different and inferior to theirs.
There are different expressions of prejudice which when displayed create oppression of the group they are directed to. For instance, antilocution which is a form of oppression that involves targeting negative verbal remarks (racist remarks in this case) against a group or community that are made in a private or public setting and are not addressed directly to the target. Another expression of prejudice is avoidance whereby racist groups with the superior complex avoid making contact with groups they term as inferior in extreme cases; you find that the minority groups are usually banned from frequenting places that the majority communities congregate. In the case of the apartheid, blacks were often beaten up and discouraged from visiting institutions that were said to be for white people only. In the meanwhile, it would be a rare sight to see a white person visiting places that were inhabited by a largely black community.
Outright discrimination; which involves active measures taken to exclude and deny members of a different racial group from accessing social and employment privileges. There is also a physical attack which involves the racial destruction of property, cross burning or physical beatings of groups from minority communities. Another prejudice expression is extermination. This is largely the systematic, organized destruction of an ethnic group for ethnic cleansing. Extermination may include the massacre of thousands of human beings or even a ‘Hitler-like’ genocide.
Social constructs are usually the most apparent causes of racism. Growing up in a neighborhood that despises a certain ethnic group usually leads to the development of that hatred to other social functions and areas. It’s common to see white Americans afraid of African Americans simply because they grew up knowing or believing that African Americans were a danger to their existence and they constantly needed to be reigned down. This type of social constructs even extends to police agencies whereby the perception that African Americans pose a higher security threat to the community as compared to other individuals is also reminiscent of racial prejudice and discrimination.
Solutions to racism
Racism can be solved by invoking or implementing a couple of ideologies to eradicate the problem. One effective solution is education and raising awareness of racism that exists in our societies. This will include efforts to highlight and advertise how racism takes place in our societies. It also seeks to identify its representation in the community and indulge the population in ways to stop it. As noted previously, racism only gains roots by ignorance of its existence. It should be spoken about freely and made important in the eyes of the community.
The laws of the land are pretty permissive of racial discrimination. They do not cover or address issues about racial incidences in the community and are thus allowing the problem to escalate due to the lack of guidelines on how to deal with the issue. We also have the harsh legal treatment of African Americans when facing legal prosecution. The witch-hunt that takes place in ensuring minority groups face harsher prison sentences glorifies racism in its depth. Therefore, a simple solution to racism would be to review the laws revolving around the issue and ensuring that they catered equally for the lives of the population regardless of the race. Severe legal action should be taken in the event of causing or permitting racial discrimination in varied capacities.
The government should also allocate more funds and ensure equality in the distribution of its resources to the African American communities. Financial protection from the government is a crucial enforcer of anti-racism efforts in the country. Having the government ensure equality in public schools, housing amenities and financial institutions such as banks would be instrumental in bridging the gap that exists between the two racial groups. The government should also ensure regulation of employment and education opportunities such that they do not favor any racial community but are free to all racial groups.
The social relationship that creates the problem of racism can be disrupted by implementing the solutions suggested above. This is because as the majority of white Americans have enjoyed privilege in the society leading up to their oppression of African Americans, it’s vital that that aspect of their lives be discarded. The education of the population and raising awareness will serve to stimulate the minds of a sleeping population that does not recognize racial segregation as the monster that it is. Education will serve to inspire the minds of the oppressed into rising to their oppressors and demand fair treatment which has been deprived of them for a long time due to their ignorance of the matter altogether. Awareness will also be critical in ridding the country of racial prejudices that often lead to the promotion of racism as a social norm.
The introduction of stricter laws and regulations surround racism incidences will have a functional effect of demolishing the present systems that encourage racism and allow the oppression of minority groups. There will be an introduction of severe laws to harness racial discrimination which will destroy the protection and comfortable environment that white Americans possess when they engage in racial discrimination. The laws will also allow African Americans to live without fear of being persecuted or targeted by law enforcement agencies due to their skin color. Racial profiling would be a thing of the past. These laws would work to bring harmony to a system that has constantly favored the majorities and ignored the pleas of the oppressed. They would be obligated to listen and play an important role in enabling the solutions.
The economic aspect of eradicating oppression by racism is the real solution. Normally, the oppressed are usually in a disadvantageous position when dealing with racism issues with a restricted financial capacity. Therefore, the government’s decision to allocate more funds and resources to the minorities would serve to tilt the social scales towards their side and therefore induce a change in how the minorities are treated. The solution would also raise the standards of living for the minorities and put them on an equal stage to compete with the white Americans in a fair and equal process. Similarly, allowing equal opportunities to both groups will level the playing field and ensure there is no discrimination due to race but rather create a competitive environment that harbors on individual brilliance rather than skin color.
The social changes that need to occur within the oppressed are varied and will produce a better realization of the issue. For the oppressed, they will need to develop a fighting attitude towards achieving racial equality in the community. This will involve a very important self-awareness program within themselves that will refuse to accept that being discriminated upon is fair. It has been noted that while racial prejudice may occur to further the racist agenda, the oppressed can be culpable for believing that they deserve to be oppressed. Therefore, developing the self-awareness attitude would evolve the social relationship between the white American and the African American in such a way as to enable them to see each other as equals.
The oppressed African American would also need to take the initiative and involve them more in the issue about the dissipation of equal rights to all racial groups. To achieve a goal, one needs to be self-motivated and active in lobbying and pushing for reforms that will address their plight. Being pro-active in stopping or eradicating racial discrimination goes a long way in ensuring the solutions put in place are implemented from the individual level to the institutional level where it reaches its peak.
The belief that the system is always rigged should also be blown away. It is vital for the oppressed to have trust in the government system or institutions that are working to eradicate racial discrimination. Trusting in such institutions and systems will improve their efforts since they will be able to work hand in hand in ensuring the problem gets solved with minimal fuss from the oppressed. In short, you have to accept help to be helped.
Oppressors will need to adopt different attitudes to ensure the social change to eradicate the racism problem. Most of the times, oppressors are devoid of the repercussions of their actions. Therefore, it’s vital for the white Americans promoting racial discrimination be made aware of the consequences of their actions and encourages them to introduce the element of shame and remorse when they discriminate against someone due to their race. This social aspect will involve initiating an awareness program that will sensitize their actions and allow self-reflection to occur. The belief in white privilege has existed due to the notion that white Americans are entitled to better opportunities in life. This needs to change to allow for change.
White Americans would also need to change the social structures that govern interaction between people of different races. This is because the social structure that exists is a key factor in promoting racism. The superiority complex belief should be destroyed since it brings about thoughts of entitlement that does little to harness racism as a form of oppression in the society.
The possible ways to create these changes lies in raising awareness through media channels and mass education on the need to develop appropriate attitudes that will change the face of racism. It is easier to convince someone to change their minds about a certain ideology by ducting them on the harmfulness of it. After that, drawing a different perspective on the problem that exists and developing a practical perspective towards effecting the change.
Racial interaction should also be encouraged to destroy myths and misconceptions about different races that have been introduced by the idea of seclusion and discrimination which goes hand in hand with avoiding contact with different races. Therefore, introducing a mixed-race interaction will serve to highlight the similarities of the human nature that exists in people of different races. The interaction will also address prejudices that exist with the social construct and personify them with the intent to bring a form of empathy within the members of the different races. It would be vital for a white American to notice that not all African American people are criminals or are involved in juvenile behavior by simply because they are black.
These solutions are vital in bridging the racial gap that exists between the oppressed and oppressors. Raising awareness will draw to attention the plight of the oppressed and evoke an attitude that will reduce oppression of minorities based on their racial identity. This move will serve the purpose of showing white people of the problems they are causing in the society and have them adopt a lenient if not fair treatment of other races particularly the minorities. The move will allow them to teat African Americans better, afford them equal opportunities in the society and allow them the chance to be on the same level economically. In real perspective, the white American would be letting the African American the opportunity to reach the same level that they are in.
In the perspective of the oppressed, the solutions offered would allow the African American the opportunity to rise through the levels and forego tendencies that encourage the situation of racial discrimination to rise. They would be creating a platform that disapproves of any form of oppression and present attitudes, knowledge, and skills that prove that they deserve equal opportunities with disregard to their skin color or accent. In fact, this elevation of individual status would allow them to grasp and fight for more opportunities in the society due to the ideologies of equality bring the center of motivation for them.
In the event of social problems such as racism, it is vital for the attitudes and behaviors of the concerned parties be reviewed and tailored to remove the problem. As in this case, to eradicate racial discrimination, effort from both sides of the scales will be needed to bridge the gap. It is not enough for the oppressor to stop his or her actions against the minorities, but for the oppressed to rise and acquire a voice that will highlight their plight and therefore resolve to amend it. Thus both of the groups will meet halfway, at equality.
The solutions offered to abolish racial discrimination have a significant effect on the structural causes of the problem. Raising awareness of racial discrimination will serve to destroy the social structures that promote racism. In fact, the manner in which the society is structured such that it encourages racism will be destroyed by educating the people on the negative effects of promoting racism in the society.
It is vital that for racial discrimination to become extinct, the society needs to accept that everybody has an important role to play in the social constructs of the community. When people become aware of their brilliance that is not tied down to their racial identity, they are more inclined to negate the feeling of superiority or inferiority that may develop due to previous social structures that allowed some people to feel more entitled or believe to be superior to others.
The equal distribution of resources will also ensure that racial groups receive the same rewards and therefore prevent ideas of their racial structure or identity being the determinant factor to receiving more or better resources. This solution will also deem it unnecessary for racist groups to identify themselves with the sole intention of moving into a different class that will seem superior to the others. As noted, racial groups will not strive to identify their racial structures purely for the benefit of receiving or acquiring more resources than other racial groups.
Enactment of laws against racial discrimination will ultimately destroy racial discrimination concerning the structural causes of racism. Minorities will be protected from any form of segregation and ensure equal distribution of resources. The laws will prevent identification of racial groups according to their color or accent and therefore reduce the influence of racial structure in spreading or fostering racial discrimination.
The solutions offered to eradicate racial discrimination will also affect the economic causes of racism. Raising awareness of racism as oppression to minorities will allow the minorities the platform to demand better pay, better working conditions, and better housing conditions. This is because raising awareness and mass education will show that there should be a fair economic system put in place to support both the majorities and minorities in a fair system. African Americans would demand better financial amenities since knowing that they have equal status in the society would allow them to pay attention to the problems they are facing.
Effecting economic policies to ensure equal distribution of resources will eradicate most economic causes of racism. Employment and income rates would be made fair and equal to all groups of the society and hence create a harmonious financial environment that will bring growth to the society. Similarly, economic development would be encouraged in neighborhoods where minorities reside thereby increasing employment opportunities and building better houses for the inhabitants of the region. The policies would also address capitalism that fosters racial discrimination by forcing it to change its tactics in such a way as to promote the development of the minorities’ financial status.
Introducing stricter laws for racial discrimination will put employers and government agencies in check. The reason for this is that invoking stricter laws will reduce incidences of discrimination in economic matters that lead to racial discrimination. For instance, white employers would be required to treat their employees a fair income policy and protect their interests in the work environment. The government would also have no authority charging high property taxes for African American homeowners.
Ideological causes of racism are usually based on the thought process of a human being. Therefore, raising awareness of racial discrimination in the society will wake people up to the barbaric actions that such ideologies bring forth. Supposing the Nazi Germans were made aware of their racial discrimination of the Jews and educated on the perils of racial segregation and discrimination; the Holocaust would not have occurred. Therefore, we can note that the involvement of an education program to destroy the racism institution would be vital in preventing ideologies to be causes of racism in a modern society.
The economic solution of eradicating racial discrimination will destroy the platform for racist’s ideologies to take root. In an environment that has been nurtured by racial equality and afforded equal economic opportunities, there arises difficulty in sowing seeds of racial ideologies. The harmonious balance that will be achieved in such an environment will act as a mental block or racism and encourage an environment that is focused on economic development and racial equality. Moreover, the community would be too busy implementing financial projects and developing the nation to accept or entertain any ideologies that would promote racism.
In implementing anti-racism laws, the introduction of racial ideologies would be deemed criminal and prosecuted accordingly. This move will deny any racist from implementing racial ideologies that will drive a rift between two racial groups. These laws would also discourage interaction with racial oppressors since crime can be committed by association. The laws to enforce financial equality would work for hand in hand with the new economic policy and ensure that equality exists among members of different racial groups. This will purposefully discourage racist ideologies from taking root.
Prejudice takes root to instigate racism in society. Therefore, raising awareness and mass education against racism will serve to destroy perceived ideas and opinions about different racial groups. Social causes of racism are usually ingrained in the communities people grow up in. Therefore, we find that they are always ignorant of the social aspect present in their racial communities that fosters ignorance. His ignorance and the knack to believe premeditated ideas about other groups’ leads to racial discrimination without empathy for the plight of the other group. Hence, introducing this solution would allow the destruction of certain prejudiced opinions that promote racial discrimination within a social context.
Alternatively, introducing economic policies that promote financial equality within the society would allow certain prejudices to be doubted. In the case of the Nazis and the Jews, we notice that they were drawn to hate the Jews because they believed that they were better off economically and therefore deemed greedy which provided a base for the genocide that occurred. Here, we are drawn to the effort of establishing an economic balance which will ensure that all races feel equal financially. This will often lead to the idea that all groups are benefiting equally without cause for resentment or any ill will towards other racial groups.
The introduction of laws punishing racial discrimination will allow contexts of racial prejudice to cease from occurring. In the instance of outward discrimination in the society, the laws would look to apprehend and curb such actions. Individuals promoting racial prejudices would be forced to face jail time should they indulge in such activities. This will certainly discourage social causes of racism from taking effect. Similarly, enacting laws protecting economic equality would allow the equal spread of resources, equal growth, and development, thereby reducing instances of discrimination in the society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, racism is a form of oppression that severely affects the society. With racism in place, we witness cruel situation developing in our society whereby a group of well-placed individuals decides to discriminate upon a group of minorities who are then allowed to suffer and go through hardships at the expense of the other. As we have seen, racism has been such a rampant issue that it has eroded the morals of the country. We have even seen the rise of violent gangs that are formed in protest against the blatant racism that is occurring in a modern society of intellectuals.
As noted, the causes of racism vary in different aspects. We observe the structural causes of racism which generate from the very structures that our societies are built on. Perhaps this creates awareness of the gravity of the situation. We are drawn to the fact that history has been very accountable for details and incidences of racism whether subtly or not. In fact, we need to raise the alarm on how we view our societies since this is perhaps one of the core reasons why this type of oppression has taken root in our society.
Even more damning is the ideological causes of this problem. We are forced to witness that the human being is more or less responsible for causing and developing racism in the society. Ideologies germinating from extremists in the society take root and destroy harmony between individuals of different racial identities. On the issue of economics; human beings are responsible for the government they elect to power. Therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that the government elected puts in place a financial system that will foster equal distribution of resources, foster employment opportunities and conditions for all and create a financially safe environment that will promote the development of the community.
The societies we live in usually determine how we grow up. Confining ourselves to our racial groups creates a safety net for individuals while alienating other groups. This has a profound effect of elevating racism in society. Therefore, it would be essential if human beings interacted in social constructs that are defined by diversity and multi-culturalism. This would allow seeds of prejudice and other ill-informed opinions about other racial groups to be abolished hence allowing the emergence of a harmonious community.
In a world where leaders are sometimes allowed to escape punishment discriminating against racial groups, the problem becomes even more challenging to tackle. The government systems that exist should be held responsible for instances of racism and forced to tackle the issue. It is imperative that change and revolution from such a toxic environment begin to form the highest echelons of office to the individuals who are directly affected by the problem
Racism is an oppression that should be deemed criminal. Actually, given the violent and horrific history instances of racism have shown us, it should be criminalized and punishable by law. This would be a counter-measure in case awareness, and mass education on the issue would fall on deaf ears.
References
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