Why must everything be about race? Why does skin color alter someone’s opinion about another person? Why do some races face more discrimination than others just because of their culture, skin color, or beliefs? All these questions can be simply answered by saying that America is still a racist country to this day. No matter how much we try to explain it, which way we put it, or how we feel about it, America will remain a racist country until we all come together to see past the differences and uniqueness of each other. However, over the years, there has been some advancement in racial equality, but certainly not enough. America is still very racist because some people are prejudice, don’t believe in interracial relationships or marriages, and make discriminatory comments or slurs towards others of different skin colors.
Firstly, we come across prejudice people every day. Many may show there’s differently or try to hide it more than others, but it’s still there. A question we all may have is, “How are people prejudice and where did racism come from?” I don’t think we were born this way. In a movie I was watching, Canal Street, a man stated, “I don’t believe racism is something that we come into the earth as humans naturally participating in. I believe it is a condition that is taught.” (01:04:20 – 01:04:50). That’s one of the most pragmatic approaches I’ve heard in a while dealing with racism. African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic/Latino Americans tend to face more prejudice than White Americans. This is statistics.
Not only is that bad enough but facing prejudice from others has no age limit. You can be an innocent child or an elderly senior citizen. Studies have been made to prove it true. An online article clearly states, “Collectively, the 101 black teens participating in the study reported more than 5,600 experiences of racial discrimination over two weeks.” (Harmon). That is just a small part of the prejudice and racism that goes on in the world. We will never truly know the exact amount of it that goes around because some discriminatory actions go unnoticed or don’t get a reaction. After all these years, after all these wars, after all these movements and protests, people today remain prejudice towards others without a valid reason.
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Secondly, a major change, which is a good change, has surfaced more in the United States today which is interracial couples. 60 or 70 years ago, it would’ve been devastating or unallowed for a male or female to date outside their race. A white woman shouldn’t dare look at a black man in such a way. If a black man did decide to pursue a white woman back then, they put their self in critical situations. Many went to jail, got killed, accused of rape, or disowned. For example, in the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Bob Ewell made a statement in court that said, “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!” while pointing at Tom Robison, a black man falsely accused of raping his daughter (231). People indeed thought that saying stuff like this back then was utterly right; however, it was permissible. Yes, it was wrong, but that’s what was happening back in the 1950s and 60s.
Now, let’s turnover and look at this interracial issue today and what impact it has. Sure, we see plenty of happy interracial couples together; but what we don’t know is how much prejudice, discrimination, hurtful words, tragedy, and disownment they endure. I’ve even seen some of it firsthand. I’ve seen the stares people have made towards a black male and white female or an Asian male with a Latino female for just walking through the mall together holding hands. I’ve heard some of the ridicule comments and words that have been said towards these couples.
I’ve overheard someone say before, “Look at that nigger with that white girl; she should be ashamed of herself. Who raised her? Where are her parents?” Yes, in the 21st century I have heard those exact words. Yes, we still have people who think like that. Even though we have come a long way concerning interracial relationships, we still have numerous people who disapprove and make it known that they do. Some interracial couples have been open to sharing their distressing stories. One couple stated that they’ve heard, “That white boy is with that black girl?” (“GLOBAL RELATIONSHIPS: Facing racism” 00:00:35 – 00:00:38). Another couple said they’ve been told, “That’s wrong, that’s so wrong; you should be with your own kind.” (GLOBAL RELATIONSHIPS: Facing racism” 00:01:00 – 00:01:04). Many Americans still believe we are in the 1900s, but they need to realize that this is the 21st century and more interracial relationships and biracial children are going to appear whether they like it or not.
Thirdly, certain individuals try to hide their racism through their words. They will say meaningless racist comments and think that no one will catch on or pay attention. This happens every day. For example, some famous people make these comments to their peers or on television. A white news anchor in Oklahoma made a statement to her co-host while reporting a young gorilla that the animal looked like him when he takes a picture (Law). At the time, she thought it was funny. She didn’t realize how much that statement impacted the African American community. That is a stereotype issue that could’ve been avoided. She may not be one of the most racist people in the U.S.; but when she made that statement, she contributed to the prejudice party that already exists. Though, that’s a grown woman who made that statement on a live television show.
What is that teaching the children who may have heard that? Some who don’t know any better will go back and repeat that. This causes an ongoing cycle of racism. Not only does this occur in local places, but in schools, workplaces, offices, and recreational places. For instance, some children who attend public schools were interviewed on what racial comments they have heard from classmates. One student answered with a question she’d experienced from a white friend. The question was, “Why don’t you like chocolate cake? Is it because it is the same color as you?” (Harmon). For a teenager to say that means a lot. She is old enough to know better. The comments and slurs that different races face every day is inexplicable. Many Americans today hide their racist side through their words since the world isn’t like it used to be. Just because it isn’t showed physically, don’t mean it isn’t there.
In conclusion, America is still an exceptionally racist country in the present-day. The people here still tend to be prejudice towards other races, still disapprove of interracial relationships, and still make manipulative, racist statements. Have we made good progress since the 1950s and 60s? Yes, we’ve made very good progress, but it’s not enough to stop the problems we still face today. Will we ever overcome this race issue? We probably won’t any time soon. So many people are tolerant of their old ways and uphold different beliefs. Another reason we won’t overcome this issue anytime soon is that controversies over race sells. It sells to the news; it sells to the community leaders; but most importantly, it sells to the people (Canal Street 00:02:20 – 00:02:26).
We all see a different perspective surrounding this issue. From polls, 87% of black Americans say black people face a lot of discrimination in the U.S., while only 49% of white Americans say the same thing (Struyk). Moreover, a Caucasian man wouldn’t feel the same as an African American man, Hispanic man, Asian man, etc. This goes both ways though. This reflects to Atticus’s law of life in To Kill A Mockingbird; “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). Believe it or not, but that quote contributes to the racial differences and issues in America today. We are a divided world because we haven’t faced the fact that we are all born to be different, whether that means a different color, religion, or ethnicity. All lives matter, and that’s all that should matter!
Works Cited
- Canal Street. Directed by Rhyan LaMarr, performances by Bryshere Y. Gray, Mykelti Williamson, Kevin Quinn, and Mekhi Phifer, Smith Global Media, 2018.
- “GLOBAL RELATIONSHIPS: Facing racism.” YouTube, uploaded by Global Citizen, 23 May 2016, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e7BYexnyxyI.
- Harmon, Amy. “How Much Racism Do You Face Every Day?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Jan. 2020, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/racism-african-americans-quiz.html.
- Law, Tara. “News Anchor Apologizes For Saying Co-Host Looks Like Gorilla.” Time, Time, 27 Aug. 2019, www.time.com/5662957/news-anchor-says-black-cohost-looks-like-gorilla/.
- Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Warner Books, 1982.
- Struyk, Ryan. “Blacks and Whites See Racism in the United States Very, Very Differently.” Google, Google, www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2017/08/16/politics/blacks-white-racism-united-states-polls/index.html.
