Racism And Racism

In America, a culture of sustained racism and sexism influences foreign policymakers, which results in colonialism and imperialism, the desecration of nations, and militancy. The authors of the articles, Michael L. Krenn and Laura McEnaney, with differing skill sets, provide evidence of racial and gendered bias in foreign policy. In “The Adaptable Power of Racism,” Krenn expertly examines the history of racism within foreign policy; how racism adapted in the face of religious and scientific challenges, and the overall effects of racist foreign policies.1 McEnaney, in “Gender Analysis and Foreign Relations,” provides a lackluster account of the application of gender analysis to foreign policy, specifically in relation to the policies of the Cold War and Spanish-American War.2 The history of racism and sexism in America provide a blueprint for foreign policymakers, where racist militancy and sexist excuses override basic human rights.

In our everyday life, we see some form of racism being portrayed in movies, tv shows, and media. For many of us, it is hard to distinguish and truly uncover the racism being portrayed. There are forms of racism that one can easily see, but it is hard to reveal full insight. For instance, in the film The Help, racism was portrayed because the women working as maids were African American whom worked to pay for their necessities. This film showed how women of color suffered double the hardship because of their race and sex. However, some white women were also discriminated by men and amongst each other. In addition, this could be traced back to the article Take a Closer Look: Racism in Women’s Lives, because it speaks of the different levels in which racism harms an entire society. Also, the article talks about the advantages/privileges that whites have. Although the article and the film are fairly similar, they also have some differences. The film portrays both racism and sexism, and the article focuses on how children’s upbringings develop racism, and how others resist racism. Both the article and the film interrelate with one another.

Racism is defined as ‘prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior’ according to Oxford Dictionary. When talking about racism and discrimination, many people think back to the time of the Jim Crow laws. These laws allowed racial segregation in the southern states of the United States of America. Having separate restaurants, drinking fountains, and even different schools for whites and blacks was all common during the Jim Crow Era. People most likely think back to the violence and riots that were a result of these laws. Although physical violence was a major aspect of the time, most do not realize that mental and emotional abuse was a huge result as well and often times went unnoticed. W.E.B. Du Bois and James Baldwin share that racism not only results in physical abuse, but also mental and emotional abuse which can lead to mental health issues and unique ways of processing the world by describing these effects as diseases.

Racism has been a growing concern in the United States for many decades. Many individuals of color are treated unfairly just because they are of pigment. Recently many individuals in the African American Communities sparked out in outrage when individuals such as Michael Brown and many more were racially profiled by the police and were brutally attacked. Racism does not only limits individuals of color their freedom and rights but has further impacts on health. However, when one mentions inequalities and racism, people may look at it in terms of a justice problem, but not much attention is given how racism and inequalities impact people of color and their lives. Racism needs to be resolved because this issue is spontaneously growing across the nation targeting innocent victims of color and creating long-term health issues.

Carl Sandburg once said, “Be careful with your words. Once they are said they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.” Not only do words matter in the world, but also words have a connection to being defined as racist due to micro aggression. Racism is discrimination directed against someone of a different race or ethnicity. In society, the viewing of race is seeking a higher status than others. This being said, before saying anything, think twice due to racial inequality with the unfairness in the world. In relations to thinking before one speaks, “The Talk” and “Touching the Earth” are more aimed towards racism such as the way you address police enforcement and prejudgment of other races towards blacks.

Have you been apart of or a witness of race or racism in our country?Race and racism has become a huge problem in today’s society. Our past as is taken up by a lot of racism and my hope is that we will be able to show that race isn’t a genetic thing, I want people to be able to talk about race without having to worry about being bashed and shamed on, and I want people to see everyone as one race the human race. Race is brought up in our social media and is always a topic being brought up. Kids grow up in a racist world and are scared of others including the people who are supposed to be there to protect them and this may not change and completely dissipate but something does need to be done. The hope is that people won’t see race as a

In today’s society they criminal justice system is racist and bias because blacks and people of color, who are low-income are targeted by law enforcements. Society is blind and doesn’t want to see how racist the world is, even though you can see racism through media, people killing people, and the criminal justice systems. The media has a great impact on the people, because they only broadcast news that gives fears and show how bad people of color and blacks are, and hardly reporting crimes that white people have committed.

From the moment that African slaves were first introduced to the American colonies (1619) to assist in the production of profitable cash crops and work new machinery essential for the economy’s well-being, racial discrimination has continued to plague the Americans, albeit in subtler ways today. Despite efforts throughout the 1900s to rid of racial oppression and violence in the United States, racism still thrives amid laws and regulations calling for its eradication. As a result, twentieth century artists, as well as those of current times, have taken to art to address this imbalance of power according to race by manipulating color schemes, composition, and characters within their works. With the 2016 presidential election that led to

“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason” (Heschel, 1963). Heschel’s statement in his 1963 speech, Religion and Race, implies that racism is nothing short of hatred indicated on people without reason. The word ‘racism’ is often used, but is overlooked due to its constant reoccurrence in society. Although it is tossed around as a general term, it can be overshadowed and its meaning and disgust can be hidden well. Racism can be defined as the idea that one’s qualities are more supreme than another’s based on their skin color; some attributes reflecting racism are acting out false accusations, discrimination and hate.

Sexism, racism and heterosexism are happening in contemporary America till this day. The media reflects everyday struggles that Americans face based primarily on their gender, race and sexual preferences. Many innocent Americans are getting killed in protests and rallies while they defend their rights. Everyday millions of Americans are faced with backlash from their community, state and even their own country for who they are!

As the saying goes, history repeats itself. Thankfully, not all history, we don’t need another civil war or a great depression, but great deal of grim incidences do seem to repeat or they’ve just continued since the beginning. Racism and sexism are two of those instances, this oppression has never stopped, and doubtedly ever will. Even though we’ve resolved these issues the best we could, there is still hate and discrimination everywhere.

It appears that in today’s society, there is a strong faction of people that seem obsessed with the concept of regression or returning to what they perceive as a better time in our country’s past. Their rhetoric and behavior are openly displayed and centered on hurting vast numbers of Americans that do not fit into their ideal of what America should be. Their hateful words and actions hurt us as a people, as a nation, and without resistance could lead to our inevitable downfall. While that may seem like an overly dark statement to make, it becomes much more understandable with further explanation as it relates to the issues of the infusion and melding of various cultures into the American fabric. America as a nation was founded on racism and racial discrimination, but as the nation grew, we slowly began to recognize the inequalities thrust upon certain sections of our nation and repair those racial divides. The process continues to be slow and incremental with numerous setbacks along the way. America seems to love maintaining a certain status quo when it comes to race relations and only takes action when the outcry of the downtrodden oppressed become too loud to ignore. When the expression of outrage affects the majority, it is then that change happens, but only in small measures and the advantage still, somehow remains in the oppressors’ favor. In our society, no matter how much a persecuted group progresses, often their advancement is thwarted by either political preventions, hate filled groups or individuals, or even our own government trying to maintain the nonsensical status quo and perceived superiority.

It is debatable that since King’s speech things have prospered and some stayed the same. In the past years, there have been issues that show that nothing has changed. Everyone can argue that racism and segregation haven’t gone away. If cops and the people that are against blacks would just ask questions before firing a gun then we would be alright. Even though MLK speech helped us to get somewhere in today’s society, the black people still go through racially profiling and segregation.

The United States has always been the melting pot of the world; its population being one of mixed race since its very beginning. Such diversity however, birthed discrimination, racism, and oppression towards people who did not bear features like those of the European colonizers. Almost five hundred years later, the inequality survives with too many people unaware of its endurement. Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, a African American rapper more commonly known as Joey BadA$$ took notice of the evident injustice still present in America and turned towards music to deliver his enraged message. In 2017, Bada$$ released his sophomore album, ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$, where he spoke out against the corrupt political and economic system of the country in addition to tackling inequality and denouncing the government. In his final song of the album, “AMERIKKKAN IDOL”, Bada$$ prompts listeners to question the explicitly racist government system and take action against the country’s oppressive racial maltreatment as to prevent society from growing even more unjust than it already is.

When looking at issues of social science, the one that has stuck out to me the most is the issue of racism and protest. Racism is something that is seen in almost every part of the world and is something that the United States have been dealing with from the Native American to the current issues that we see in the connection of racism, protesting and political issues. This is an issue that has been extremely prominent throughout our culture and is something that holds a lot of significance. As stated before, dating back to the times of Native Americans to the times of the Civil Rights Movement to the racism issues that we are currently dealing with, this is a significant issue that has always been in our culture. With racism comes the pairing issue of protesting and whether it counters or supports the problem.