Discrimination Based on Race, Class or Gender - Essay Example

? The Treatment of Inequality or Discrimination Based on Race, or Gender When the war against drugs was launched, the government was ready to curb drug abuse by arresting traffickers, taking addicts to rehab as well as curtailing its entry into the United States by stricter border patrol policies and increased military support for states overwhelmed by the drug trafficking problem. As the war on drugs progressed there was a significant discrepancy in the number of African Americans arrested as compared to its population of drug users. As shown below there are many issues to discuss regarding discrimination on race, class and gender. In the first chapter the author exposes the insecurity that there is in the shelters built for the homeless by the City Department. A lot of those who are homeless on the streets opt for them because they are safer than the shelters which have gangs running them that the city workers aren’t aware of. This means that it is better for an individual to sleep on the streets than to sleep in a shelter where you risk getting attacked by a crew of men if they view you as a newcomer and a potential threat (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). There is also rampant racism within gangs as they are formed on a racial basis if a person is not of your race group then they cannot be a member of the gang you belong to and so if one is of a minority or the only member of their race in that area they will face hardship as they are viewed as both outsiders and competition. The high violence rate in shelters has meant that a majority of elderly who are of no value to gangs opt to stay outside where it is safer for them. A lot of poor associate with African American culture and although it appeals for its coolness, it does not aid one in social mobility especially in corporate America where it is viewed with disdain (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The second chapter – looks at the effects of how growing up in an impoverished broken home will result in the child also growing up to be a substance abuser and if not there is a high risk that they will end up resorting to prostitution to survive and meet daily expenses. It also looks at how women are disempowered and would have to resort to violence and explicitness to prevent their exploitation by members of the community. In the community women are expected to be submissive to men and not exhibit aggressive tendencies as is shown by people’s criticism of Tina’s behavior, however, the community is exploitative of women, stories of sexual abuse and men preying on underage girls are not uncommon (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). For a woman to survive independently in the community she must therefore commit random acts of violence that show that she can be as aggressive as the men in case a man is not taking her seriously. The men in the community also view women as property and to prevent this from happening women such as Tina must be ready to rely on themselves and limit the amount of trust that they place in men (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). Growing up in a home that has a woman participating in these vices means a girl child is not safe even in her own home as her mother/sister or Aunt will bring men who she engages in sexual acts with so as to earn upkeep. These men will at time prey on the girls and if not, give them drugs and thus introduce them to the vices at an early age (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The abuse of heroin is unique to the other drugs in that unlike the rest withdrawal symptoms of heroin are so severe, that those who are arrested and stay in remand for three days or more remain crouched in a corner unable to function. Heroin addicts will often defecate on themselves due to the pain and compare it to extreme torture such as having your bones scraped or death (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). In a community of addicted bodies the effects of Heroin are brought out plainly as it is the only drug whose abuse breaks the tight racial communities that often form drug abuse communities. Tina as a woman will therefore find it harder to survive by herself within the community more so if she did not have the protection of men or did not have sex with some of the members of the community although discreetly. Heroin addicts can associate with one another as they talk about how the drug affects them and will take drugs with another even if they are from different racial backgrounds. As was seen previously with other drugs, while users might buy from somebody of another race, they ensure that they are with members of their own race while taking it (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The heroin community also has a strong sense of kinship and it considers it wrong for someone to get high while there is another person suffering withdrawal symptoms (a dopefiend). The dope community is also unique in that it is the only group of users who do not consume their drugs alone. When the price of heroin fell to a third of its original cost, it was thought that there would be less cases of people using it together but instead, people would rather pool their money and share it as a group than buy their own, showing that taking it is considered a communal activity (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The heroin community also has its own hierarchy and those who can consume the biggest amounts of heroin will praise themselves while admonishing those who use cocaine (crack). One of the main factors that affect the probability of taking drugs is the home that one grew up in. As was seeing with the story of Tina in chapter two growing up in a family that already has one of its members consuming drugs would mean that there is a higher risk of a child from a broken home becoming a member of the drug community than the risk of a person from a stable family that has no member more so a parent abusing drugs. The role of poverty in drug abuse cannot be overlooked as it is in homes with high poverty levels that there is the highest risk of a member resorting to selling drugs to survive and also a coping mechanism. Very few members of the Edgewater community studied grew up in middle class or low class neighborhoods (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). One stark difference that was noted between the white drug abusers and the black drug abusers was the number of family ties each had. Most white drug abusers did not keep in contact with their family members and could not say where there siblings lived black substance abusers on the other hand were still familiar with their family and would keep in touch with them from time to time. This shows also how much the vice of drug abuse is prevalent in African American society and that it was not uncommon to have a child grow up with people abusing drugs and so would not find it strange that a sibling would turn to substance abuse (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The cycle of drug abuse is therefore a fairly common feature in black families such as is shown with Barbara who narrates the abuse her and her brothers received in the hands of their father who was himself an alcoholic and used to beat her mother and siblings (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The role of parental background has been searched and the importance of a family background where there is a stable income has already been noted, and the risk children from poor backgrounds are exposed to as compared to their more affluent counterparts. In making money it is noted that a majority of those who are drug abusers in the community came from a specific age group. The USA faced a housing crisis in 1975, this was the same time that most of the drug abusers were just finishing high school or in there early twenties about to begin their adult life in employment. This would mean that in that time there was a large number of people who were unemployed including their parents. The reason this group would be the one most affected by a housing crisis was due to the sensitivity of their age, just about to finish high school and failed due to increased stress and thus failing just as they were about to enter adult life (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). There was also a decrease in the amount of social welfare services that the government offered including federal support for mortgages resulting in a higher number of people being pushed beneath the poverty line than usual. The advent of the computer age also meant that manual laborers were rendered obsolete meaning that they and their families would suffer (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). Everyday addicts revolves around those who have embraced drug abuse completely and made it part and parcel of their lives so much so that their relationship are formed on the role of drugs to each person’s lives and sharing them is viewed as being virtuous. An example is given of Tina who decides to stop using Cocaine in exchange to start using dope which her new boyfriend Carter is using. Tina also decides not to learn how to use a syringe and instead let Carter inject her as a romantic gesture and also so that he feels that she is his girl and thus instill in him a sense of responsibility for her (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The use of drugs is so rampant that it transcends racial boundaries and those who might have loyalties to racist groups will bond with users from other races over drugs. Rehab and treatment are not easy and it is common for people to have relapses. The use of drugs is more than simply a biological need; it revolves around culture and upbringing of an individual as well as their environment. There is also a sense of hope among some lifelong addicts who are optimistic that they can eventually get clean as shown with Pauline who is excited to hear that one of the writers is taking Tina to a rehabilitation program (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The government rehab programs do face a challenge of adequate funding and due to this, places are limited and being accepted isn’t a guarantee (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). The screening process is often a source of animosity between addicts and the counselors as the addicts don’t understand how the government could lack money. Even on successful completion of the program, due to their unstable family backgrounds, many addicts face a problem of having a safe and clean environment to go back to and this leads them to having a relapse. A relapse for one who has been temporarily clean is harder than those who have been abusing the substance due to feelings of guilt and helplessness and so if care is not taken, a downward spiral could be started (Bourgois and Jeffrey, 2009). Drug abuse is a serious problem in the United States with it having the highest prevalent rate in the developed world. There are many factors that lead one to drug use including homelessness, a broken home and lack of social support. The community of drug abusers has its own unwritten rules as seen with heroin users sharing a hit. There are racial and gender disparities with women being more prone to attacks for money and sexual assault. It is also common in the black community for someone to remain in touch with their family in spite of being a user showing that it is common in the community. Treatment centers are there but with limited funds they can only do so much, it takes a lot of personal effort for an individual to break free of the habit and become a productive member of society. Reference Bourgois, I., and Jeffrey, S. (2009). Righteous dopefiend. California: University of California. Read More