Discrimination in the American Community - Research Paper Example

? Discrimination in the American Community Discrimination in the American Community Despitethe fact that the world is advancing in technology and new ideas are generated to improve the living standards, the thought process of masses are evolving with enhancements in education and change in view points; what remains appallingly astonishing is that racism still exists in America. Hence, it has become a social issue. Racism itself dates back to the 1400s when Europeans began colonialisation around the word. Therefore, it is difficult to point out who is blameworthy for the issue that has a snowball effect on it. During the 9/11 attacks many Muslims were discriminated on the basis of religion, even though they were not an accomplice in the attacks. The discrimination was everywhere, whether it was a school, office or a once secured neighborhood. Eleven years later, after the immense destruction in the Muslim nations, the discrimination continues on the airports and on the media by calling Muslims terrorists, degrading their religion and prophet. This discrimination is not just confined to religion and the Muslims but it reaches out among the American communities amid the gender and color that moulds the thought and develops the criteria to understand American community. What remains a point to ponder is that a baby who was born on the September 11, 2001 has grown up to learn to discriminate. Thus, this paper critically analyzes the American community and the ever-growing discrimination upon the basis of gender, cast, creed, and color. Racialism: Blacks Under the Jim Crow laws, the blacks had separate schools and lodgings, and preferences existed while hiring people for work. These claimed to provide equal rights to the blacks, but the claim never became functional. Many efforts on the part of the black activists, entertainers and other celebrities raised voice for civil rights. Thus, in 1964 Martin Luther King’s nonviolent protests brought to fruition the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act barred the discrimination by annulling the law that segregated the blacks from the whites and permitted blacks public services, banned discrimination and segregation in schools, employment, and accommodations (Boskin, 1976). Bill Clinton in his dialogue on race concluded that during a conversation the ideas expressed are a reflection of the communal knowledge and self-analysis. Therefore, the myths and beliefs taken from the community may hold a little truth to it, but it is indeed wrapped with fiction that can leave the listener with an illusion of the entire situation. Moreover, if the story told holds nothing but the truth, then it unfolds the saga of one side of the coin, i.e. it depended on which side of the river you lived, influencing the twists and turns in the story that was narrated as a truth (Kotlowitz, 1998). Regardless of the efforts, protests and presidential addresses by the government to bring to prominence the factors of discrimination and to eliminate it altogether, it is booming when it comes to considering job applications. A study in the Urban Institute (1998) revealed that when a mix of racial applicants applied for a job, a white was preferred over a black despite the same qualification and skill set for the job. Blacks face discrimination in other wakes of life such as the market place. The Gallup poll revealed that $10,000 was an extra amount paid by a black when buying an automobile. However, 30% of the African Americans reported discrimination in stores (Diversity Digest, 1998). Koltlowitz, while researching for his book There are no Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing up in the Other America (1992) and various other books that he wrote after the investigation, came across the discrimination that was handed down through generations. During his research and analysis, he had to go to the “other side” of the river where people, Kotlowitz revealed, always tried to extract information about the other side of the river that divided Benton Harbor between blacks and whites. Kotlowitz perceived that trouble in Benton Harbor was based on the perception of color. A black always thought that a black was in trouble whereas a white perceived that a white was in trouble (Kotlowitz, 1998). Thus, Kotlowitz concluded that the crux of the situation lied with the history of the experiences that were handed down to the generations, who further developed, molded and enhanced their beliefs and myths upon the legends which had a little truth with a topping of fiction; this further defined their perceptions and reactions to situations (Kotlowitz, 1998). Racialism: Latin Americans Many Latinos or Latin Americans come from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. However, Latinos are depicted in the films, literary novels, and music as hypersexual, lazy, ardent, aggressive, or macho, thus, implying that Latino individuals possess these characteristics. Employment discrimination is an issue among the Latin Americans; other American applicants are preferred over a Latin American (Booth, 1998). Racialism: Against Easterners and Muslims After the tragic 9/11 attacks, discrimination has risen considerably among the US government and the Muslims. The most affected by the ever-growing discrimination are the Iraqis and the Iranians. This hatred towards the Islamic world on the perception developed eleven years ago has harmed many Muslim Americans as well. The Hollywood movies have added fuel to the fire by portraying Muslims as terrorists. The Federal data suggests that the discrimination has booming trends that reveal the discrimination against the Muslims has grown ever since the Trade Towers were attacked, along with the complaints. This was concluded by viewing the number of reported complaints from 2001 to 2005 (Greenhouse, 2010). Similarly, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission revealed that there were a growing number of lawsuits on behalf of the Muslims; these complaints were about discrimination against Muslims at work places. A meat packaging company, JBS Swift, was sued on behalf of Somali Muslim workers. The Somalis were cursed for their religion; blood, meat, and bones were hurled at them, and an intentional disturbance was created to hinder their prayers. However, on 8 September another fashion retail company was sued for not hiring a Muslim girl on the basis of her head-covering scarf (Greenhouse, 2010). Many other cases surfaced that reported they were called terrorists, Al Qaeda and Osama at their work place. The discrimination against the Muslims continues to exist in the US community on the daily basis. Mary Jo O’Neill, an attorney at E.E.O.C, said that in her career of 31 years the amount of discrimination and hatred for Muslims is shockingly high at work places (Greenhouse, 2010). Racialism: Gender Gender bias has existed in the world since time immemorial. Although American society has become advanced in many ways with the passage of time, what has stayed in American community is the discrimination among the sexes or what we call it as gender biases. It is more shocking to know that it is the female gender in the American community that is marginalized. Discrimination was not confined to the work place but it made its way into the field of education and professions as well. Although many women are college degree holders but only 10% make to the professions like lawyers, doctors engineers, and company managerial levels. Turning back to the history reveals that women have always stayed home taking care of the house, kids and preparing meals (Crawford, 1997). What happened in the past can be waved off by pronouncing that the thought process has changed over time. But what remains shocking is that despite the feminist movements in the past, many females feel challenged when it comes to their gender. A female sergeant major revealed that she was prey to gender discrimination by her higher-ranking officials when she was a commandant in 2006 while serving at the 3rd Inventory Division’s Academy. The article revealed that by law, women were not allowed to serve on the frontline combats. Although women do accompany on wars, they do it only in support groups (Dao, 2012). Discriminatory acts on the basis of pay and promotions in the job are also of concern. Many women who are eligible for promotions are not promoted and are paid less for the job as compared to a male counterpart. New York Times revealed that more than 90,000 women were discriminated on the basis of gender in terms of their pay levels and promotions (Martin, 2011). Gender discrimination is not just confined to employment in public services but also in the sports. Many sports are played by men, and women are not considered as potential players. One such game is of canoeing. Olympic canoeing has no women players; however, a potential canoeist filed a case against the Organizing Committee stating that Olympics has no canoeing for women; therefore, that establishes a sheer gender discrimination (Pilon, 2012). What remains a question is whether this practice is deliberate or is just done negligently. Like in the case of the canoeist, there might be no female canoeist who showed interest in the game to the extent that she would want to go for Olympics. If the government and authorities believed in the discrimination on the basis of gender, color and creed, then there stands no point in passing the bills and acts. However, believing in the discrimination on the basis of color is simply due to the staunch beliefs of the whites and blacks alike. The thought process and perceptions need be changed in order overcome discrimination in the American community. References Booth, W. (1998, February 22). One nation, indivisible: Is it history? Washington Post, A-1. Boskin, J. (1976). Urban racial violence in the twentieth century. CA: Glencoe Press. Crawford, B. (1997). Gender discrimination. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from msu: https://www.msu.edu/user/crawfo77/sarpgd.html. Dao, J. (2012, May 22). Female sergeant major claims gender discrimination. Retrieved September 22, 2012, from New York Times: http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/female-sergeant-major-claims-gender-discrimination/. Diversity Digest. (1998). The knowledge we need about race and racism. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from diversityweb.org: http://www.diversityweb.org/Digest/W98/research.html. Greenhouse, S. (2010, September 23). Muslims report rising discrimination at work. New York Times. Kotlowitz, A. (1998, January 11). Color blind. Retrieved September 22, 2012, from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/11/magazine/colorblind.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm. Martin, A. (2011, October 27). Female Wal-Mart employees file new bias case. Retrieved September 22, 2012, from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/business/women-file-new-class-action-bias-case-against-wal-mart.html. Pilon, M. (2012, July 20). A female canoeist files a discrimination claim. Retrieved September 22, 2012, from New York Times: http://london2012.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/a-female-canoeist-files-a-discrimination-claim/. Read More