Sociology Topic Of Racism

Racism Racism has been a very interesting sociological topic to research due to the number of reports surfacing the web and the forever growing studies done on this specific topic. When Dr. Babcock asked us to do a research paper on a sociological “ism” it was hard to ignore racism as one of the most affluent topics we deal with in our countries history. For centuries now, Americans have been discriminating against specific races and truly racism is a part of our DNA in many ways. I fell in love with a report/video in which black youth were pushed away from clubs and groups such as boy scouts, girl scouts, YMCA, youth sports, etc. which lead to small gangs that turned into big problems. It really gave me a perspective I never had and intrigued

These now called “gangs” which blacks didn’t call them were a form of identity for kids, and a form of acceptance and comfort. As more of these so called African American clubs were formed, the tensions and rivalry only grew higher. From the video, Groups of youth were depicted into local neighborhoods being criticized by other neighborhoods. This lead to a violence between two gangs, which in its worst case was labeled by the title Crips and Bloods or the colors of blue and red. This violence has been ongoing for approximately forty years now, and the body count is only getting higher. People are raised into this gang violence, even children are receiving guns from the ages ten to thirteen. Members of these gangs join for protection, acceptance, and a family. It was known that if you were a man, you had to either fight or kill, “young black men were pretending to be men by killing each other” (Raised into Wrongfulness). People see this only as a crime and a gang problem, when it also generates from the poor education and the lack of work society is giving these gang members. It’s very important that equal opportunities

The social structure between the two gangs are the same. Being affiliated with either one makes you a gang member. Social structure is described as “a position that a person occupies in a social structure” (Mclntyre). Each member of these gangs, plays a role in killing for respect, and dominance. Chambliss sees social structure as “selective perception and labelling” (Chambliss). In the film we see labelling between the two gangs, and their viewpoints on one another. How you are seen in the ghetto is how you are treated. One can either be labeled as “decent or street” (Anderson) according to Anderson. Although in the ghetto it is unlikely to see someone not affiliated with a gang. In the social structure of the ghetto, gang members are the main position. When it comes to education, it is less likely for youth involved in gangs to go to school, and do their work. When a member affiliated with a gang tries to apply for a job it is unlikely they will receive it. This again places them back into the cycle, and gives them no escape. It is to be known that once you are affiliated in a gang it’s a life time commitment whether you want it to be or