Racism and Anti-Semitism - Essay Example

?Racism and prejudice have been vital aspects that have been plagued the society of the United s of America. The root causes of racism and anti-Semitism are derived from the ideology of the white man’s burden that continues to be the hallmark of white supremacy. In addition, one cannot diminish the fact that America was founded upon the idea of “melting pot.” Even prominent figures such as Albert Einstein, called racism America's "worst disease.” Prejudice has been the norm and the dream of “free spirit” of liberty has been obliterated. The country has literally shed blood of innocent civilians to fight for few basic rights that are God-given. Racism and anti-Semitism are prevalent in American society due to enactment of affirmative action, ethnic profiling post September 11, and the vague existence of the KKK. Racism and anti-Semitism still exist in American society due to the fact that affirmative action legislatures were enacted to give minorities an opportunity for employment. Affirmative action, are set public policies that are specifically designed to help diminish racism and prejudice based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, is under attack(Morris, 2011, p. 25). After the blood shed and citizen after the civil war, Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery (Morris, 2011, p.30). In addition, the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law while the Fifteenth Amendment declines racial discrimination during elections. However one must wonder, even with all the legislations enacted, discrimination continues to be the focal point in society. Clearly, the 1866 Civil Rights Act guarantees every citizen "the same right to make and enforce contracts ... as is enjoyed by white citizens...” Thus, how is that African Americans and other minorities continue to struggle to find employment and are deterred from entering academic intuitions (Morris,2011, p.34)? Clearly, anti-affirmative action enables minorities to be embedded in the work and schools so society does not discriminate against them. Keeping everything in constant, the American society is designed in a way to protect White workers against job layoffs since majority of the executives in the American Society are dominated by male executives. Hence, racism becomes a “sparking fireball,” as many Americans feel as if they would be unemployed as minorities will continue to take their current posts. Evidently, the root cause of job displacement that White workers face with have to do with corporate decisions to downsize, and labor outsourcing internationally along with, computerization and automation. Downsizing. The small majority of minorities that do occupy an outstanding position often become key victims of hatred and discrimination. While substantial gains have been made to promote minorities, women and African America; the smaller groups continue to be harshly faced with discrimination and prejudice in the corporate world. Undoubtedly, the enactment of affirmative action legislature, companies confirms that racism and anti-Semitism are still prevalent in society. Another vital reason why racism and anti-Semitism no doubt continue to still exist in American society is due to the fact that ethnic profiling plagues society even in the modern 21st century. Prior to September 11, immigration laws were somewhat moderate as many immigrants from Asia and Middle East continue to migrate to America for jobs. As the World Trade Center fell, citizens of America were scared and horrified. Twenty-five days later, still reeling with shock, the government quickly took decisive action to make Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda to be responsible for the attacks. Bin Laden was part of an Islamic conservative group that believed in implying sharia. Thus, Muslims become the focal point of issue in society. After the September 11 attacks, many people became interested in Islam, yet the government discouraged the public from learning about different viewpoints (Friedman 2). By limiting the knowledge about Islam through public institutions like libraries, the government has propagated censorship, which has led to ethnic profiling and bias(Kartashev, 2004, p. 4). Without a doubt, ethnic profiling is unconstitutional, and an issue that is becoming even worse because of the USA Patriot Act. After the post-September 11 attacks on America, all eyes were turned towards Muslims since the attacks were carried out by extremists. Without a doubt, a lot of people were expecting Muslims to become the target of a witch hunt (Kartashev, 2004, p. 5). According to David Cole, author of Civil liberties during Wartime, was “The very fact that over 1200 people have been detained and that as of December 2001 over 500 were still being incarcerated raises questions about the government’s motives… so what justifies holding the other four-hundred and ninety in jail?” (Cole, 2009, p.172). Indeed, this dark question still looms in the thoughts of Americans, who continue to distrust the government about these arrests. Unquestionably, history repeats again as Muslims are being mistreated as the Japanese Americans were during World War II. During World War II, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 commanding authorities to gather Japanese and transport them to prisoner camps (Friedman, 2006, p. 62). Unfortunately enough, ethnic profiling extends beyond the matters of just government legislature. According to ADL, a survey conducted “revealed that while 44% of foreign-born Hispanics hold hardcore anti-Semitic beliefs, 20% of Hispanic Americans born in the U.S. fall into the same category.” Clearly, this issue goes further beyond legislation as the public holds strong anti-Semitic and Hispanic beliefs. ADL National Director of public relations, Abraham H. Foxman, is concerned about this issue as he states, “"We are greatly concerned that many of the gains we had seen in building a more tolerant and accepting America have not taken hold as firmly as we had hoped, and have to some degree been reversed…"While there are many factors at play, all of the evidence suggests that a strong undercurrent of Jewish hatred persists in America." Moreover, ADL reports that attacks in Jewish schools have been escalated to nearly 11% . The utopian goal of a diverse society in which America thrives upon is blatantly being diminished due to ethnic and racial profiling. Racism and anti-Semitism undoubtedly are still part of American society as they are depicted through the existence of the KKK. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan is urban areas in the 1915 was one of the most astonishing events that occurred in the American history post World War I. The KKK was an organization that was initiated after the civil war to embed fear, blackmail into minorities. Unlike the first Klan movement in the reconstruction era, it extended beyond the traditional motives. The second wave of the Klan continued to focus national agendas at hand that went beyond the agrarian economy. Since the Klan compromised majority of white and Protestant, it was vital that they elaborated on array of social and political issues. The macro focus was on civil issues such as Prohibition, employment, immigration restriction. One might even insist that it was a reformation movement. However, this movement did have many ramifications as it propagated violence and publicly humiliated the status of minorities. The Klan’s supreme strength was unpredictable as it held strong ground in Indiana, Oregon, and Colorado. The Klan played a huge role in politics according to Jackson as it affected the Democratic convention in 1924. The Klan was fed up from the fact that black workers on the domestic front earned decent wages and were being accepted in this new America. According to Kenneth Jackson, author of The Ku Klux Klan in the City 1915-1930,the Klan made its moral duty to halt this new type of African American growth in society. Jackson reiterates the fact the Klan rose due to many factors. First and foremost was the fact that it possessed great numbers outside the South and half of the followers lived in the cities. The Klan in essence was so engrossed in its own agenda that it embedded prejudice and racism in their ideology. Often times, it crossed the legal boundaries and infringed on basic human rights as killings became common. Secondly, the Klan rose in an era where depression plagued society. The Klan was fed up with not only economic conditions but also due to the fear of the growth of communism. Since the south at that time was majority, the Klan made it their priority to attack that particular region. Jackson argues that the Klan that rose in those cities had different agendas, which was to enforce a moral code according to their perspective. Interestingly enough, states such as Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma did not face as much hostility from the Klan as expected (“Ku Klux Klan”).. According to many historians, Texas should have the main target for the Klan. However, that was not the case as El Paso was never the home for target violence (“Ku Klux Klan”).. Hence, it became common that the appeal of the Klan spread to North and West. The Klan had so much influence that its members served in the congress. Although the existence of KKK is vague, the organization continues to impact and afflict the American society (“Ku Klux Klan”). This could be excellent portrayed as Spartacus Educational, “On 17th May, 2000, the FBI announced that the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing had been carried out by the Ku Klux Klan splinter group, the Cahaba Boys.” Sadly enough, four white Americans, Robert Chambliss, Herman Cash, Thomas Blanton and Bobby Cherry were convicted for the crime (“Ku Klux Klan”).. Although Cash was dead, Blanton and Cherry were arrested and tried in a trial. The 71 year old Bobby Cherry was later arrested for the murder of three individuals: Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley and was sentenced to life in prison. The KKK’s vague and subtle existence in American society is shocking. One cannot wonder but ponder upon the existence of a heinous group that propagates violence in such a diverse and modern society that has elected an African-American president as their diplomatic leader. Undoubtedly, racism will continue to haunt the American society for decades to come and impact the future generations of America. The American generation must continue to fight racism in many ways and accept the diversity that America was founded upon. Ignorance and self-hatred must be abolished in order to understand the beauty of diversity (Ezorsky, 1991, p. 55).. Clearly, schools, public institutions, and parents must implement the virtue of appreciating and exploring other cultures to implement a mind-set of tolerance for the future generation. As young generation grows older, it is vital that they stop history from repeating itself by propagating against anti-Semitism and racism (Ezorsky, 1991, p. 60). Works Cited Anti-Semitism on the Rise in America -- ADL Survey on Anti-Semitic Attitudes Reveals 17 Percent of Americans Hold "Hardcore" Beliefs . (n.d.). ADL: Fighting Anti-Semitism, Bigotry and Extremism. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://www.adl.org/presrele/asus_12/4109_12.htm Cole, J. R. (2009). Engaging the Muslim world . New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Ezorsky, G. (1991). Racism and justice: The case for affirmative action. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Federal report: U.S. hunger remains at highest levels in 15 years - CNN.com. (n.d.). CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/15/poverty.hunger/index.html Friedman, L. S. (2006). The Patriot Act . Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Holmes, D.. (2011). (Re-)Dressing the KKK: Fred Shuttlesworth's Precept Hermeneutic and the Rhetoric of African American Prophetic Patriotism. Journal of Black Studies, 42(5), 811.  Retrieved July 18, 2011, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2376176791). Ku Klux Klan. (n.d.). Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Retrieved July 27, 2011, from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk.htm Kartashev, S. I. (2004). The great stakeout: how September 11th changed the USA. United States: International Supercomputing Institute. Morris, A. (2011). Fighting for Democracy: Black Veterans and the Struggle Against White Supremacy in the Post War South [review of the Social Forces, 89(3), 1060-1062.  Retrieved July 18, 2011, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2350835711). The Jewish Americans . Anti-Semitism in America | PBS. (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://www.pbs.org/jewishamericans/jewish_life/anti-semitism.html “Why Racism Still Lives in America & How it Can Be Solved - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com." Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2011. Read More