Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Baltimore County - Term Paper Example

Racial and ethnic diversity in Baltimore County Introduction Looking around the world, we find a sense that we are at a crucial moment for a diverse society. Separation and exclusion is seen all around us; suspicion, fear, and ignorance parting away communities. At the same time, public figures, the media, and heads of states, who are the people supposed to fight and defend pluralist and inclusive societies, initiate attacks on multiculturalism. While this negative outlook may be so widely accepted challenging it seems to be a hard but important task. Wherever such narrow-minded populist thinking is realized, we are heartened by actions of strength and courage of freethinking personalities; people who do not fear speaking up for multiculturalism, solidarity, and equality; those individuals who go against status quo to struggle for what they believe in. Stereotypes and prejudices live in all of us but we must look for the most effective ways of doing away with racism and encourage ethnic diversity. Oleskers book gives a clear background on racial and ethnic issues in Baltimore County in United States that is populated by different races of people who come from diverse ethnic groups. It is significant to consider sociological factors of race and ethnicity within Baltimore County and how Olesker presented them. Using critical race theory, white privilege is one way of understanding racial inequalities that focuses as much on the merits that white people get from society as on the demerits that people of color experience. This theory has been used to understand Baltimore societal condition, because inequality between non-whites and whit e people is a long-standing feature in academic areas. According to this theory, white advantage or privilege differs from states of overt prejudice or racism in which the whites who are the dominant group actively seek to suppress and oppress other racial groups such as the Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Mexico Americans who live in Baltimore city for their own advantage. Encouraging and supporting diversity is consistent with Oleskers long held values. Olesker called for a neutral environment where attorneys and other people have the opportunity to excel and prosper in their activities. Population census in Baltimore County has gathered information on the ethnic and racial makeup of the population of those living in that county. Responding to changes in patterns of immigration to evolving cultural or social views on ethnicity and race, Olesker asserts that the number of specific races and ethnic groups has greatly increased over time. Michael Olesker’s book argues that the issue of racial and ethnic identity has been prevalent in Baltimore County because the idea of whiteness has been historically treated as a valuable property than a racial trait. As an object of much value that must be guarded by legal and social institutions. Within educational context, reluctant to the acceptance of the idea that white privilege exists. By the time, Olesker was writing his book, there were many things happening in Baltimore County in that people were being mistreated in society by the dominant white race. Abolish capitalism According to the understanding of Olesker’s book, racism should be shunned in society and instead encourages ethnic diversity in order to respect other races and view them as equal human beings. The foremost step to combat racism is to launch an attack to the institutions that makes racism legitimate: economic and political powers, which consider racism as a respectable but not a shameful idea. We must demonstrate that racism is cowardly, oppressive, and contemptible. Individuals should embarrass racists, and show anti-racists that their instincts are correct. The best weapon against racism is our own common sense in addition to unity against exploitation and racist violence (Naylor 34-41). Racism is driven by greed and controlled by power and ignorance. Capitalism must be eradicated in favor of self-management in work places and worker ownership. Abolish Baltimore county government, which create division in protection of a few wealthy and influential people to favor autonomous self-governing groups who coordinate their actions through decentralized federations. According to Schaefer (39), doing away with capitalism, professional politicians and taking back control of the community and work to people who provide productive labor in a community where people have as much as they earn through working in a lifetime will develop a society where anyone who wants to work can lead a comfortable life. Embrace diversity of all races People in Baltimore must be forced to encounter diversity to a higher level by appreciating other people’s value to the society while embracing and respecting differences. They should be aware as Baltimore residents; they have a responsibility of making Baltimore a good place for human occupation due to their common goals and interests. Campaigns to explore these themes may include theatre workshops, film screening, through debates, human libraries, local campaigns, and annual campaigns that focus on the specific prejudices most relevant to the communities in question. NGOs, grass root groups, youth organizations, and the media should use their differences to collaborate and cooperate with each other by collecting expertise, resources, and strengths to achieve a common goal, that is, stronger voice against racism and embrace ethnic diversity. Individuals can fight racism by opening their minds that the other side of the community has good people too and must be appreciated. Greater diversity helps eradicate racism through sharing feelings. Discrimination represents a kind of group oppression. Certain groups are labeled as “useless,” “dirty,” “violent,” “greedy,” or “dangerous,” without considering the individual members’ characters in a certain group. A victim is hurt as a single person and suffers from the marginalization individually. Discrimination pain is expressed in shame but often, turned into violence to cover the shame. By sharing encounters of ill-treatment and the sorrow about it among the peers, the shame will finally fade away (Olesker 15). Group and individual identity are strengthened by solidarity. Feelings of positive pride in personal identity emerge and can liberate the way to accept the other person’s pride in his or her specific identity. Diversity can thus become a positive value in each one’s life. Education In order to enhance racial and ethnic diversity in Baltimore, Olesker’s book gives importance of education, which shuns away ignorance and encourages rationality. The battle against racism correlates with the promotion of a society, which actively encourages full participation and integration. Citizenship education is beyond the civics concept, which emphasizes that students should acquire knowledge and information about practices and democratic institutions within their Baltimore, US as a nation, and on global spheres. Learners in active citizenship incorporate economic, social, political, and cultural dimensions; it stresses participatory and innovative learning and teaching methods and puts a commitment to central human values like humanitarianism, democratic culture, tolerance, and respect for diversity and difference. In government institutions, recognized human rights motivational speakers can be invited to address students about the issue of racism and its effects. Diversity clubs can be established in these institutions to serve as umbrella organizations to promote respect and harmony for differences (Naylor 55-57). Education is proposed as an important response to racism and promotes harmonious society relations. In particular, children should be exposed to educational programs, which reduce bigotry and encourage tolerance. Such programs should be well taught through contemporary research and wide understandings of the complex nature of racial behavior and the contexts where they operate. Anti-racism education aim to directly coordinate with institutional racism by examining teaching methods, school governance, and curriculum to ensure that there is no discrimination. Peer group education is used to fight racism. Racial prejudice is connected with group behavior and group identity. It has much to deal with how an individual perceives him or herself as a distinctive member of an ethical or social group in relation to other groups. Similarly, adolescence is a crucial stage in life development, the time when one’s identity is formed. Loosening family ties can open up to various alternatives of group identity. At this phase of life, ethnicity as a plainly distinctive identity is extremely vital. Education takes its vigor from unfolding leadership potentials of individual youths and relies on in-group principles of youths. It conveys its message via these channels that play an important role in adolescence (Schaefer 61-62). Education empowers young people to act and form leadership and gives pride to what they can achieve. Such positive feelings make it easier for youths to look at previous “hurts” causes of mistreatment. The media In an attempt to diversify ethnicity and end racial prejudice in Baltimore, the media can also be used to combat racism by allowing people to express themselves on matters concerning racial discrimination. We need to continue monitoring, protesting, demonstrating, documenting, and resist any kind of racism through the media. People should raise their voices any time they hear of racial bias across airwaves in Baltimore and other places. We should demand employment equity, vigorously challenge, and silence those who resist the fight against racism. Responding to those who speak in code words like freedom of expression, national identity, common values, artistic silence, unity, special interest groups, and special privileges is what people should advocate for. Although it has been criticized for promoting racism, the media can play a very positive part in this diversification. Through this medium of communication, anti-racism campaign coordinators can raise public awareness about important issues, from the public to government officials ranked highly and decision makers (Naylor 67). Better job security To promote job security among all races, companies should make respect for diversity a core value and articulate it in the employee manual so that all employees are subjected to respecting each other’s background. To ensure that everyone has a right to embrace their culture, employers should give freedom to all racial groups so that they can keep their jobs no matter what. For instance, an employer should learn about the backgrounds of his workers and can even publish and distribute a list of ethnic holidays and the meanings of customs related to their celebration. An on-going awareness programs on the value of human diversity to all workers in the organization will help them appreciate diversity at a higher rate in their daily lives. Promoting a labor market that is open to all and giving special attention to the needs of ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups will combat racism. Appropriate forms of active and preventive policies should be integrated in the labor market to protect the rights of all individuals. Various strategies can be used to ensure better job security for a racism-free society. The most prominent of these measures is individual litigation. Governments must provide administrative and/or judicial procedures that allow individuals to have equal treatments in work places. Complimentary measure in support of people in litigation, especially the right of association should be enforced on their behalf and the creation of equal treatment bodies to offer independent assistance to discrimination victims in dealing with their complaints (Schaefer 54). Apart from individual, litigation measure, there should be workplace monitoring and codes of conducts to give a conducive environment for all workers. Wealth From the reading, it is rational to posit that cumulative advantage or disadvantage can be measured in terms of wealth and a history of discrimination is propagated by the fact that Hispanic and black wealth is valued as a fragment of a white person wealth. Dominance of white in accumulation of wealth is attributed to the immense opportunities they posses. Most institutions in the U.S have been created exclusively for white Americans thus enhancing discrimination. Similarly, biasness was evidenced by exclusion of domestic workers and agricultural sectors from the Social Security Act because blacks dominated them. Furthermore, discrimination was exemplified in the military through provision of educational benefits and rewards to white soldiers who were returning from World War II while other nationalities went unappreciated. Existence of social gap not only base on achievement and merit but also the race historical legacy it has created in America. Since other nations have little to be recognized for apart from labor, they have little recognition despite their contribution the countries well being. Schaefer (99-101), argues that though U.S has been associated with limited formal discrimination, inequality in terms of wealth distribution among different is still being embraced. Inheritance of property among white communities was allowed thus promoting family achievements within families thus; white citizens had an added advantage over black people. Wealth disparities in the current conditions are propagated by tax regulations that foster rewards investments to subsidized private sector subsidies mortgage, and waged incomes. White people are advantaged in the society because of the freedom to inherit property unlike other races, which are excluded from these programs. Therefore, white citizens in American can live beyond the levels their income can dictates due to the financial support they receive from their parents. Accumulation of wealth among whites is enhanced by their ability to acquire major assets and houses. Due to appreciation of house in the vicinity of white residential areas, African Americans are usually disadvantaged in accumulating wealth at the pace of Americans. As a result a cyclic culture has been established which cuts across other sectors of living. Justice In regards to the legal system, Latino and black drivers have a higher probability of being stopped and searched by police as opposed to their white counterparts, this id replicated in Baltimore County. Studies have shown that lighter punishments are imposed on young white offenders than the other races within U.S. Drug culprits of African origin are enslaved at higher percentages than white youth. Generally the Hispanics and African population found in possession of drugs are imprisoned at higher percentages than the rate at which is exercised against the whites (Schaefer 115-121). Economics and employment White citizens benefit from racialized employment at the expense of other races. A survey of white and black graduates from the same institutions showed that white graduates secured employment in skilled sectors, earning higher incomes than the blacks do. Similarly, the white graduates were identified to experience minimal periods of unemployed and they held higher positions with greater chances of being promoted. Therefore, it is argued that race contributed much to this scenario due to existence of similar control factors. Presence of social networking escalated the exclusion of other races from most of the employment sector sin Baltimore. Based on this assumption, white people in many offices prefer offering services to people who fit their social network. Blacks and other races are disadvantaged in the employment sector as opposed to the whites due to availability of disproportion employment services (Olesker 46-49). Therefore, Latino and Black graduates probability to rise to managerial posts are limited despite their existence of other factors such as academic records, experience, and age. Thus, inequality Baltimore County is based on racial differences. Conclusion Equality is important for all people regardless of their skin color, place of birth, ethnicity, sexual, or gender orientation. Racism, intolerance, and xenophobia are problems that affect all societies, either directly or indirectly. Each one of us has a role to play in breaking down or contributing to the policies developed to discourage racial prejudice. People should take a firm stand against these inhuman attitudes in their own communities and join groups advocating for the human rights of minority groups and take a lead to raise voices about the issue. States should adopt rules to combat racism in order to protect anti-racists. We ought to be a society that is well educated in all social issues and report any cases of racial behavior to higher levels of institutions, thus moving closer to realizing a common vision for an inclusive society. Works Cited Olesker, Michael. Journeys to the Heart of Baltimore. New York: John Hopkins, 2001. Print. Schaefer, Richard. Race and Ethnicity in the United States. New York: Prentice hall, 2010. Print. Naylor, Larry. Cultural Diversity in United States. New York: Bergin & Garvey, 1997. Print. Chin, Jean. The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination, Race and ethnicity in psychology: Praeger perspective. New York: ABC-CLIO, 2009.Print. Martinez, Ruben. “Burning Sand.” The Crossing-Los Angeles Times, 26. (2006): 5-6.Print. Read More