Personal Narrative of Race - Essay Example

Personal Narrative of Race It is strange that some thing which we cannot exercise any control over continues to dictate our lives. While for some, race would be something that has been bestowed upon them given the advantages it entails and while for some it would be something foisted on them. But race is not something that naturally or biologically breaths in the society; it is the product of the thoughts and perceptions developed by the human mind (‘The Biology and Sociology of Race’. 2014). The fact that the Human Genome Project in the year 2000, found out that all humans regardless of their races, share 99.99% of the same genetic code, reinforces the idea that race is purely a social concept which continues to shape lives of the people (Rogers 2010). From my earliest memories of school days when I never really thought that why the group of few ‘black’ students in school sat together at a different lunch table, as if it was something obvious or why did my table of white kids not have a mixture of Chinese, black or other Asian students; to my recent memories of the black person being suspected of shoplifting at a local mart, my different experiences have been influenced by the racially discriminating society. Max Weber’s describes life chances the degrees to which people have access to important resources like food, housing, health care and education. Being a white person, I lived in a community where white people dwelled and the black people continued to live in a different neighborhood. Growing up in a relatively more rich area than that of the black neighborhood, I ultimately had access to a better and expensive school in my area, a good house, a good hospital, better security; basically I had good life chances. The Census bureau data continues to show that black and white people live separately, often in distant areas. If we look at the year 2000 census, white people contributed towards 9% of poverty rate whereas the black people contributed to 91% of it. Where 72% of white people owned their homes, only 50% owned theirs. These percentages reflect the better life chances of white people which I also experienced (United States Census Bureau 2000). My race has shaped my racial identity in a positive way. Columbia University Professor Robert T. Carter describes racial identity not as one’s race, but a person’s psychological perception of their own race (‘How Racial Identity Affects Performance’. n.d.). Never been bullied for my color or racially discriminated in any case, I never felt any sort of inferiority and neither feared being a victim of racist remarks which would have wrecked my confidence. Neither was I subjected to any stereotypes, which otherwise I could have faced being from some other ethnic minority. Race helped me shaped my identity as a confident individual, not undermining my ability to be successful because people usually internalize the labels given to them, particularly which could be race oriented. Like black people are usually linked to low job prospects, delinquency, drug addicts and high crime rates. Living in a country which is a mosaic of different ethnicities and races, socially constructed concept of racism is something which cannot be stopped immediately because the deep seated idea has been nurtured in the minds of people for ages and thus it was not very long gone when I was introduced to the term racism since events advocating racism targeting black kids would take place occasionally at school or playgrounds in my childhood. Though not knowing American history in depth during childhood, I knew it involved a lot ‘black’, ‘white’ and historical native tribes as a child. Understanding race relations is important to understand the intricacies of American history. From “Nadir of American race relations” to rioting in Ferguson, Missouri, race relations have contributed to important events. Though I had seen white people at an advantageous end in the society, I never really knew that the whole idea has been properly conceptualized under the term of ‘white privilege’ until my teenage. Where the white privilege creates a structural divide amongst the society, the whites get unearned advantage, which is ultimately the consequence of determinism. Jennifer R. Holladay in her book describes the different perks of being white what usually people do not notice, but they still remain. From the smallest things she describes like getting a flesh colored band aid she receives from school office matching her skin tone to the security guards not following her down the aisles in shopping marts, she explains how white people relish the ‘white privilege’ even unknowingly (Holladay 2000). Some advantages still could go unnoticed; some can put you at unease. I had encountered a huge waiting line with my friend, with many black males ahead of us. We were called from they very end of the line and allowed to go in first given the reason that the ‘black guys’ had to be thoroughly checked first. This is how deviance is usually generalized with black people and the white privilege puts you at an advantage. While I usually eye everyone the first time I meet them through the racial lens, I aim at no discrimination on its basis. It interests me to guess their ethnicity when I meet them, but I do not make distinctions based on their gender or their class. I believe that the though colored people are victimized more by racism, there can be instances when white people can be disadvantaged. For example, the achievement of a white person can be stigmatized by a black person if he gets a particular job, as he would say he got it just because of his race. Many colleges would give scholarships to minority students so that they could pull in a diverse range of students. Deviance and race has been linked for long. Deviance refers to the recognition of transgression of many different cultural norms and is identified using different characteristics in the society. Examples include crime, juvenile delinquency etc. If we view the incarceration rates, black people top the infamous list. Statistics suggest that African-American male has 1/3rd probability of being imprisoned during his lifetime as compared to a non Hispanic white male who only has 1 in 10 chances to go to jail during his life (Opposing Views of Social Change, 2014). Race is ultimately linked to social class and the black people contribute to the many lowest income earning households. Still, bias can come into play as these people are more likely to be reported and eventually arrested. To control deviance, sanctions should include retribution, which involves making the offender suffer the same measure of problem that caused by his deviance, deterrence by giving punishment. Social protection involves permanent incarceration or execution (Macionis n.d.). Social order involves all the beliefs, laws, assumptions and activities which connect groups in the society. To address deviance, the prevailing prejudiced social order should change. The minorities should be treated equally, giving equal life chances so that they do not eventually contribute towards criminal activities. The racial classification prevailing today makes me think if presently I was the part of black community today, with everything within me same as right now except for my color would I be subjected to the same racial discrimination? Would it change my job opportunities which I have now? Hamper my chances on receiving bank loans? Would my rejections stem from the reason that I am black or that I am not worthy enough? I believe it will. Though I have not been racially discriminated but I do believe that these classifications affect the success of many individuals of minorities by shaping their experience in an undesirable manner. References Rogers, T. (2010, March 23). “The History of White People”: What it means to be white. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.salon.com/2010/03/23/history_of_white_people_nell_irvin_painter/ The Biology and Sociology of Race. (2014). AMES 100. Denvir, D. (2011, March 29). The 10 most segregated urban areas in America. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.salon.com/2011/03/29/most_segregated_cities/ United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html How Racial Identity Affects Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://teachingasleadership.org/sites/default/files/Related-Readings/DCA_Ch6_2011.pdf Opposing Views of Social Change. (2014). Holladay, J. (2000). White Anti-Racist Activism: A Personal Roadmap. Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books,. Macionis, J. (n.d.). Deviance. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://wps.prenhall.com/ca_ph_macionis_sociology_5/23/6031/1543987.cw/ Read More