Racism Affects Social and Economic Life

Chapter one covers the history and definition of racism. It also covers different pathways of racism and how racism is manifested. Within this chapter the impact of racism of people of color is discussed and its effects, such as depression. Symptoms beyond the mental and physical aspects are also discussed such as incarceration.

Race is something that is in all of us. Everyday we see how it affects us in both positive and negative ways. Looking back on what race and gender has been, we have come a long way in creating more equality throughout all of the people that make up our country.

In America there are still several parts of our society that remain racially unequal including, the workforce, the wealth gap between minorities and whites, as well as incarceration rates and police behavior. The unemployment rates in America are relatively high and because of how hard it is to get a job, the employers prefer to hire someone that they feel more comfortable with, which typically aren’t minorities. The wealth gap between minorities and whites is continuing to grow as the years move on and because the wealth gap many people are starting to turn to criminalism. Because of the amount of people turning to criminalism, the incarceration rates of minorities is steadily increasing. Racial inequality in one section of our society can affect all of the other sections as well. It is a “snowball effect” of sorts. One small aspect of racial inequality can lead to another and another and so on and so forth until our whole society is unequal. Racial inequality has a negative impact on our society

All RES on African Americans is damaging, each individual is affected differently and to place emphasize on one effect or another seems invalidating. People continue to feel hopeless and powerless and feel that prejudice, discrimination and inequity are things they must accept. One, black or white, is taught to not speak up about prejudice, discrimination and inequity which then leads to resentment, shame and self blame. And it is this never ending cycle then leads to isolation, self-destructive behaviors, suicide to name a few.

African Americans are one of the races of people in America that is confused about whom they are. They do not know their background, because African Americans think that this is life for them and that is it. They do not realize the importance of how important of a

Race is a unique word. I’m from India so I’m classified as Indian. Race refers to groups of people who have differences and similarities in biological traits. Race can be really important, and it impacts societies and personal life. There were several instances where race impacted my personal life. There are many stereotypes about race, many times people would just assume that I like spicy food, or I am good at math or I have an Indian accent because I’m an Indian. One time I went to the mall with couple of friends and there was old couple who thought I’m dangerous, just because I was brown and I had beard during that time. Sometime race can be helpful. For example, when I was applying for the scholarships

Without any doubt, issues of racial injustice is a major social problem in our society. It not only affects how people view each other, but also how people interact and cooperate with each other. A lot of people are not aware of the racial issues that are still occurring in the United States, and even worldwide. It is an immense economic and social problem that is faced in communities. There are different forms of racism that is still seen currently in the judicial system, school system, and work system.

I judge that race can impact us quite dramatically. For some, race can play an unquestionably influential role in life. You or an acquaintance can be treated differently. Perhaps called slurs, racist terms, and etc. In other cases, you probably don’t even envisage concerning your own race except when presented a question about it. You might be even neutral about how a few bigots treat you by your race. While society has made any progress in dealing with racism and racial discrimination, injustice and inequality still persist. Whatever it would be, at a point of life you would experience how race would impact your life, regardless if the experience be terrible or

All the evidences indicate that racism involved the use of black codes and racial system to prevent African Americans from living, working, eating, communicating in certain areas. Racial system in south of the United States greatly impacted the lives of people of color. Racism described all blacks as slaves and treated them worse than others.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “ghetto”? Most people, within a split second would say someone black or Hispanic. From there they would go on to describing the group as quick, strong, and uneducated. Race labels have been given out to societies worldwide for centuries The term itself represents a complex definition, as people have differing opinions on what it means and whether it truly exists. Race is the “belief that one member of a race…shares the same physical and social traits with other members of that race (Gannon 1). Many people associate race with one’s biology and genetics. After conducting thorough research, it became quite evident that the idea of race has no relationship to one’s biology and genetics and is rather socially

Everyone is racist. I’m not saying this as an affront to you, or anyone else. It’s simply a fact. “Harvard researchers have found that the first things the brain recognizes when interacting with other people is race and gender.” (Puiu) Although seemingly unimportant, this fact is a vital part of understanding humanity’s functioning as a whole, and especially in a worldwide situation, where understanding and cooperation are crucial. On a worldwide scale, there are multiple examples of racism that critically affect our economy, government, and security. “... a wave of violence against African farm workers in southern Italy left some 70 people injured. This resulted in police having to evacuate over 300 workers from the region… In April 1999, London saw two bombs explode in predominantly ethnic minority areas, in the space of one week… in June 1998, One Nation, an Australian nationalist party in Queensland won 25 percent of the votes with their main lines at fighting immigration by non-whites... lynchings were increasing. It even led to the Indian government issuing an advisory warning about the dangers of traveling to Melbourne." (BBC) The statistics above are clear indicators of the effects and dangers of racism, especially institutional racism. Institutional racism is a widespread system of inequality based on race, especially in institutions such as private corporations and government bodies, and is of special concern in schools.

The problems of racism and police shooting unarmed blacks has brought a negative sociological perspective of both fear and hate in black and minority communities. We should continue to raise awareness of this issue with law enforcement and the communities they serve. Law enforcement represents visible characteristics of governance in the United States. In the United States, for instance, law enforcement has been mandated and entrusted with the responsibility of enforcing the law and ensuring that it is maintained.

Unfortunately, in this time and age, racism continues to be an issue in the American society, especially in the south. Since the introduction of slavery, many people have the belief that skin color determines someone’s ranking in life. After the freedom of slaves, racism became a big problem in America. As a result, other races look down upon many different cultures and ethnic groups believing that they are superior to others. Racism has lead to people discriminate against one another and become prejudice. Unfortunately, racism effects peoples lifestyles, job opportunities, and education.

Racism and the effects of racism can be seen anywhere. In the hallways of the high school, the streets, housing, neighborhoods, cities, and more, one thing is seen, and that 's segregation, which is ultimately caused by racism. Walking in the hallways at school, chances are that you’ll see a group of whites, a group of Hispanics, and a group of African Americans, but rarely do you see these three groups interacting with each other. Racism has been made a part of people’s everyday lives, a border posed by racism: segregation. Racism and its effects can not only be seen around us but can also be traced throughout countless readings in HWOC this year. Almost every literary work focuses on the topic or underscores at its effects, and today, you can walk into any library or bookstore and find something, whether it be a news article or chapter book, regarding racial conflict. This alone is evidence of how racism has integrated our society and continues to inform and manipulate our minds. The literature we have been exposed to this past year is a reflection of society, similar to a reflection in a mirror showing us the piece of hair sticking up in the back, literature is showing us the problem so it can be addressed.

Racism is an ongoing force that negatively impacts the lives of Americans every day. The racist mindset in America stems from the times of slavery, where blacks were thought to be inferior to whites. Throughout history, the ideology of race and racism has evolved and developed several different meanings. Today, we can still see the devastating effects of racism on people of color, as well as whites. “Racism, like other forms of oppression, is not only a personal ideology based on racial prejudice, but a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as beliefs and actions of individual” (Tatum, pg. 9). As a result of this system, it leaves the