We are an unaware society. Today, many believe that racism and racial injustice has been solved and is not a problem anymore, which far from the truth. America still has barriers to overcome in the matter of racial equality. Racial injustice is the acted of being unjust to an individual or group based on race, particularly concerning legally recognized rights. It includes discrimination based on race or ethnicity in voting, employment, housing, and the administration of justice. Racial injustice is a problem because all men should be treated equally. People that faced racial discrimination often are blacks and people of colors. We as a people must first acknowledge that there is and has always been a serious problem with racial injustice.
Everywhere you go and look you will see someone that is different than yourself. Many people focus on what makes them different from each other and not their similarities. Racial injustice is the acted of being unjust to an individual or group based on race, particularly concerning legally recognized rights. It includes discrimination based on race or ethnicity in voting, employment, housing, and the administration of justice. People that faced racial discrimination often are blacks and people of colors. Tracking back in centuries, blacks has suffered the most from racial discrimination. The issue of racial discrimination is recognized as a global problem. History has shown us how these biased behaviors have been allowed and now have become the premise of our country.
Back in 2016, Americans witnessed multiple shooting of police officer shootings of black people. Philando Castile, a black 32 male, were shot four times by a police officer at a traffic stop in Minnesota in front of his fiancée and daughter. The officer who shot Castile was charged with second-degree manslaughter. He was not found guilty. On July 5th, Alton Sterling, a black male 37, died after being pinned down to the ground and was shot several times by a police officer after Sterling was repeating say “[he] cant breath.” There were no charges brought against the officer in Sterling’s death. African Americans and people of color carry the burdened by the thought of being injured or killed when are encounter a police officers.
Racial discrimination affects the most people in corporate America. According to researchers at Northwestern University, Harvard, and the Institute for Social Research in Norway, “white applicants receive 36% more callbacks than equally qualified African Americans” while “[w]hite applicants receive on average 24% more callbacks than Latinos.” (Lopez 3). Race has become a topic amongst blacks as skilled workers and qualified professionals with equal or better resumes than whites are being turned down from jobs.
To solve racial injustice we as a people must first acknowledge that there is and has always been a serious problem with racial injustice. We must confront it in ourselves, our communities, and our nation. At the Individual Level we are able to do so much. One is to Listen to, and ally with people who report racism. Listen to and trust those who report racism, because anti-racism begins with basic respect for all people. Our children and future generation can make a great impact on the ending of racial discrimination. We can start by educating them at home and school.
Just as racism is a taught trait it can be a un-taught trait. Teaching the future generation that racism and racial injustice is not a acceptable trait it can make a big difference for the future to come. Children having a positive environment cause change them into a better person. We have to install in them that people are created equal and should have the same equal opportunities, no matter what the color of their skin. We need to be willing to have conversations with yourself about the racism that lives within you. At the community level, step in when you see racism happing, and disrupt it in a safe way. Have hard conversations with others when you hear or see racism, whether small or big.
Challenge racist stereotypes. Have conversation with others that makes you and / or them to believe in yours or theirs racist stereotypes. Cross racial division. When you see a pattern of a certain group of people or a organizing that is only full of one type of people, be willing to change it up. Be respectful and friendly with continuous communication. This will show others that you are willing to step out your comfort zone to learn about others. Talk to your local and state government about how they can help to stop racial injustice. Participate and support anti-racist events, programs, and protest in your city. Although going about racial injustice at a national level might seem it will take a long time, it will still make a difference. You can write to senators and Congress to end the practices of racial injustice in education, employment, and the law enforcement. Vote for people that makes ending racism and racial injustice a priority.
People of color are troublingly underrepresented in the federal government. People with opposing viewpoints that racial injustice is a thing of the past and does not exists in our nation today. While mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani introduce the policy of stop and frisk. The stop and frisk policy allowed New York officers to detain, question, and search people if the officer feel they have reasonable suspicion that the person in question have committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime. According to a report from Public Advocate’s office, “532,911 stops were conducted in 2012, down from 685,724 in 2011. The vast majority of those stops were of black or Hispanic people.” ( Matthews 3). The stop and frisk policy promotes racial discrimination with this policy being racially motivated, unconstitutional, and with records showing that “In 2011, the NYPD recorded 686,000 stops. Only about 12 percent ended in an arrest or a summons,” that it is ineffective. (Bergner 5).
In a white dominated society, it is believed that groups and organizations like Black Lives Matter and NAACP promotes racial discrimination and race division. With the backlash of people using the hashtags and slogan “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” shows that racial inequality still is happing today. All Lives Matter states of being color blind of race. All Lives Matter erase the long past and the present inequality in the United States against African Americans. According to New York former mayor Rudy Giuliani, “Black Lives Matter is inherently racist because it divides us… all lives matter: White lives, Black Lives, all Lives.” ( Smith 9). This statement change the true purpose of the movement to thinking that Black Lives Matter only cares about black lives and crying that white people are the reason for the deaths of blacks when in reality the movement is about inequality in the justice system against blacks and people of color.
We live in a country that is culturally diverse. With everyone having a unique history and life experiences, we all have come from different backgrounds. Today we have overcame many racial barriers that was once a problem in the past, and we have learned to become more accepting and knowledgeable of one another culture. Although society is becoming more tolerant of one another, there are still a lot of barriers that we as a nation need to overcome. Racial injustice still exists today and is not something that we will be able to overcome easily. The issue of racial discrimination is recognized as a global problem it will take the wiliness to stand against inequality of others and stand up for one another to filled what is stated in the United States Declaration of Independence: that all men are created equal. We can start the process by reaching out to the youth and the next generation and teach them that everyone is equal and should be treated as. Next we need to be willing to have the conversation of racial injustice and understand were the other side are coming from. We have to willing to educate from one another, because with knowledge comes understanding and sometimes respect.
Go Talk to your local and state government about how they can help to stop racial injustice. Participate and support anti-racist events, programs, and protest in your city. With living in a nation were everywhere you go and look you will see someone that is different than yourself. Vote for people that makes ending racism and racial injustice a priority. Write to senators and Congress to end the practices of racial injustice in education, employment, and the law enforcement. No one person can do it all or do it alone, but we can all do things to help, and in doing so, work collectively to end racism. Stopping racial injustice will be a difficult task to accomplish but can be possible with everyone taking steps, even baby steps, to stop it.