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Pewresearch On Race In Society

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In the past twelve months various incidents have sparked a contentious debate amongst American citizens concerning the issue of race and its place in society today. A poll conducted by PewResearch after the grand jury decisions in the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases exhibited the fact that a large majority of African-Americans believed race was a factor in the verdict not to indict, whereas the majority of white individuals did not believe race to be a factor at all (PewResearch). This divide speaks to a much larger social issue in this country. Currently, there are systems of social, political and economic significance that perpetuate inequality based upon race. A major problem is that the people who benefit most from these systems, …show more content…

Does that mean that not a single white individual can act authentically in this kingdom of whiteness as Birt suggests? This is where our author and I differ. I agree wholeheartedly with his position that society is structured in a way that allows white individuals to ignore their inherent whiteness while receiving the benefits of their strata within society. Nevertheless, there is still a large part of me that refuses to accept that it is impossible for a white person to be authentic and that he/she is condemned to being in a position of bad faith. My critique and a drawback to Birt’s position is that he is a victim of race essentialism. By denouncing all white individuals as inauthentic he is insinuating that a person’s whiteness causes them to be inauthentic. Just as slave owners and racists have asserted that black skin was the cause of their oppressed position in society, Dr. Birt is arguing that a person’s white skin is the cause of their ignorance to their position in society. Although I may disagree with his position, this is a pessimistic approach that is difficult to critique due to a lack of experience on my part. A fundamental aspect of African-American philosophy is based upon the idea of human experience, specifically the experiences one has as a black person in this society. I do not have these experiences. I have never had a judgement placed upon me through history, religion, and society. I have never had to deal with police brutality due to the color of my skin nor have I had to live in a society that operates unequally towards me. When I take these facts and thoughts into account I fully comprehend how Robert E. Birt has come to the conclusion that authenticity is impossible in society as the way it is structured. However, I

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Racism is systemic, and it has infected everybody from our systems of education to incarceration. CONCLUSION In every way, the criminal justice system is weighted to favor the wealthy. While someone of means slide through the system and experience some minor inconvenience, while the less fortunate will go through the process of their life destroyed.

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This novel highlights the fact of the injustices people of color are faced with in everyday life. In the introduction of this book, Michelle Alexander highlights the criminal justice system and how rather than identifying people by their race, people of color are labeled as criminals. I believe the criminal justice system, racial caste, ideology, and global examples of racial caste are all connected to racial inequality. I feel that the race and criminal justice system are connected on the basis that people of color are seen as unequal when compared to Caucasians. In the reading the author provides good examples of how officers are well trained at defending against claims of racial bias in policing.

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While most people like myself avoid discussing the hot topic of race, Under Our Skin: Getting Real About Race by Benjamin Watson has encouraged not only me, but it should encourage people of all races to deliberate the looming issue of race in our country without fear of saying something erroneous or offending someone who does not coincide with you. Watson’s book has given me the opportunity to march on a new route as I discuss the reality of racial conflict with my peers. Although I myself do not agree with absolutely everything that Watson stated, Watson’s experiences set forth in the book do help in elevating my level of understanding of the complicated issue of race and other diversity and inclusion issues arising under Title VII of the

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Coker gives great evidence that supports racial injustice in the criminal justice system. She discusses on the Supreme Court’s rulings and accusations of racial preference in the system. This article is helpful because it supports my thesis on race playing a role on the system of criminal justice. Hurwitz, J., & Peffley, M. (1997). Public perceptions of race and crime: The role of racial stereotypes.

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83). Tantum explains that White people are “the norm” in American society. She states that Whites should embrace their Whiteness however when Whites begin to develop a self-identity they need to make sure that they don’t end up with a superiority complex. She explains that most Whites will tend not to change racism because of the fact that racism doesn’t directly affect them. Instead racism gives them privileges; but Tantum does state that with White allies there is a hope for a future without racism.

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“There are more African-American men in prison, jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850” (Arene-Morley). Racism in present day America is harder to see than previous periods because the most apparent and obvious forms of racial discrimination such as slavery or segregation have been eliminated. Nonetheless, racism effects the political, economic, and sociocultural structures of America in ways that cause separation between people of color and whites. Race constantly affects the way we are seen in society and controls our actions. Racism leads to ostracizing, bullying, and even violence.

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Great Post! The whole portraying to be white by the narrator reminded me of Rachel Dolezal who was in the news this past summer for being white but fronting as a African-American woman. I am curious as to why you think if his father had been more of a present figure in the narrator’s life, he would have developed a firmer black identity? From what I understood the father was white and (of course I am guessing here) but would doubt he knew much regarding African-American heritage, simply because he may not have been exposed to much of it, other than the affair with the narrator’s mother. I think your statement regarding his lack of participation in defending the race was well put, with his racial quagmire I don’t think he will ever find a

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The tremendous difference in wealth between the two races results from a long history of discriminatory policies and practices, such as redlining and unequal access to education and employment opportunities. Nevertheless, recent progress has been made in dismantling racism in all areas of society—for example, the passing of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the U.S. The House of Representatives is one step in the right direction. However, the continued prevalence

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Richard Wright states in his autobiography, Black Boy, “I knew that I could never really leave the South, for my feelings had already been formed by the South, for there had been slowly instilled into my personality and consciousness, black though I was, the culture of the South.” Mr. Wright’s statement means that racism, the culture of the South, has formed his personality and mind. This is shown during his childhood and while he grows up in the South, facing the concept of “whites and blacks”. Even from his childhood, Mr. Wright has faced the idea of racism and skin color. ”Though I had long known that there were people called ‘white’ people, it had never meant anything to me emotionally.

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It also seems as though the men and women who judge have a very parochial view on race because they don’t seem to have any qualms on how they approach it. Du Bois’s struggle to find out why he has been an “outcast” in his own house angers him and he even questions

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he lays down the rules in art and aesthetics that govern the structure of the perfect face, “he viewed Greek beauty and culture as the ideal or standard against which to measure other people and cultures”. According to West the beginning of white supremacy is found when classification categories, and representational order imposing aims of natural history (West pg.55). Though biblical accounts for inferiority ran rampant, the objective of the proponents of natural history looks at physical characteristics, and the basis of white supremacy is in classification. These observable characteristics of racial classes pertained to character and disposition (West pg.56) According to Dr. West there are three stages in the emergence of white supremacy.

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Through the past few decades alone we have seen plenty of examples of discrimination in society and in the American Justice System. The world has seen how police have murdered many black people in cold blood and have gotten away with minimal punishment despite their horrific actions. It is vital that we take these lessons to ensure a better world for victims of racial discrimination in America. Note examples such as the Central Park 5. A group of young black men who were falsely accused and incarcerated for rape and sexual assault by two white women.

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The status quo of America is founded upon an exultation of whiteness. Emblematic of this ideology is the Armitage family’s “reassurance” to Chris in saying that he has, “been chosen because of the physical advantages you've enjoyed your entire lifetime. With your natural gifts and our determination, we could both be part of something greater. Something perfect” (Peele, 2017). They see white intelligence as something to be preserved through the physical exertion of a Black body.

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For years now there has been a lot of controversy involving the looming question: Is the criminal justice system racist? Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one 's own race is superior. Ever since the Trayvon Martin case of 2012, the justice system has been in a complete downfall including all of the police brutality cases since then also. According to sources, 1 of every 4 African American males born this decade are expected to go to prison in their lifetime. Census Bureau reports that the U.S. is 13 percent percent black, 61 percent white, and 17 percent latino.

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Racial inequality has plagued our society for centuries and has been described as a “black eye” on American history. It wasn’t until the passing of The Civil Rights Act of 1965 that minorities were given equal protection under the law. This was a crucial step on our society’s road to reconciling this injustice. However, the effects of past racial inequality are still visible to this day, and our society still wrestles with how to solve this issue. In 1965, President Lyndon B Johnson said: “You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say you are free to compete with all the others, and still just believe that you have been completely fair.

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