Families play a significant role in social development because of their position as fundamental and important building blocks. The family is a focal point where the lives of individuals revolve. It bears the main responsibility for children's socialization and education and inculcating values of belonging and citizenship in society. Therefore family and society are intertwined. Racism denotes prejudice and discrimination of people because of their ethnicity or race. Racism exists in society, and it has severely impacted the quality of life for people from marginalized or minority groups. Racism has also impacted interactions within families. The Ted Talk, How to Raise a Black Son in America, by Clint Smith, highlights the impact of racism on family interaction and how it affected their interaction with others. The study will explore the impact of racism on family relations and how this impacts relationships within society.
The Ted Talk highlights the racial inequality in society in the United States and how this has impacted family relations. When he was 12 years old, Clint Smith was on an overnight field trip where he and his friend bought Super Soakers and decided to turn the hotel parking lot into a water-filled battle zone (Ted, 2015). After a few minutes, his father came outside and grabbed him by the arm, and led him to their hotel room. His father looked him in the eyes and told him that he could not behave the same as his Caucasian friends. The actions of Clint’s father illustrate the inequality and discrimination in U.S. society. Black kids did not have the same life and privilege as white kids. African American children could not run in the darkness or hide behind anything else apart from their teeth (Ted, 2015). They were discriminated against by society and seen as lesser beings and people with destructive behaviors. Inequality in the society impacted Clint's family relations as they were taught and raised to be cautious and fearful while others, particularly Caucasian kids, were left to enjoy their childhood.
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Racism has impacted societal relations, and this has also impacted family relations. Traditionally, family study and initial developmental psychology viewed white families and their children as “the norm’ (Hegerman, 2020). African American families were compared to Caucasian families, and they were deemed to be inferior beings. Racism has a significant effect on families and often causes conflict between family members. For instance, when Clint’s father told him to stay indoors and stop behaving like a white child, he couldn’t understand why he could not enjoy his childhood as others did (Ted, 2015). The misunderstandings might be a cause of hatred between family members. Families that feel discriminated against based on color have low interaction with other members of the society. Society creates misconceptions targeting the group leading to poor social habits. The racially discriminated families view the world as a harsh place and always strive for survival. Clint’s father was only protecting his son because he knew that certain behaviors by a black child in America could put their lives in danger.
Family separation and joblessness are significant impacts of racism. Members of a family could leave their homes for fear of becoming victims of racist violence. Family separation may have considerable costs to all the family members; because family is the central point where people find support, identity, safety, and life meaning (Rosenblatt, 2014) . Joblessness and hiring discrimination can weigh heavily on Black Americans compared to whites (Rosenblatt, 2014). It can affect characters and bring about great difficulties in family interactions, especially a man. Men are known universally to be breadwinners, and when they are unable to do so, they feel weak and helpless (Rosenblatt, 2014). There have been instances where employers lay off black people simply because their white coworkers do not want to work with them. Racism within society has had an adverse impact on African American families.
From a personal perspective, Caucasians enjoy more privileges than African Americans. White children have the freedom to act and behave like normal kids without being discriminated against. The United States allocates different economic, social, political, and psychological rewards to people along socially constructed racial lines (Hegerman, 2020). White children have a better experience in schools. Racism in the U.S. has developed to a point where it is a child’s color that that determines their learning experiences, youth exposure, and treatment by law enforcers. Race structures children experience in foster care, the welfare system, access to health care, how they live and play, and the knowledge received through education on their own body and sexuality (Hegerman, 2020). While children are more privileged than African American children, this has significantly impacted their relationships in society and families.
Children of color face discrimination from society and law enforcement agencies despite their innocence. The naïve and innocent nature of children puts them in harm’s way, and it is the duty of parents, like Clint’s father, to take care of them and protect them from any form of prejudice or discrimination. Children subjected to racial discrimination from a young age grow up to become bitter adults, and they sideline themselves from other people, thus becoming less productive. (Rosenblatt, 2014). In his speech, Clint Smith quoted the words of a Brazilian Author, Paulo Freire, “No one can be authentically human while he/she prevents others from being so” (Ted, 2015). Clint’s words demonstrate the importance of tolerance and equality in society. Racism impacts the quality of relations within families and society because of strained relations between different ethical groups.
The perspectives discussed in the Ted Talk differ from my perspective. I believe it is the role of the family to fight racism through sensitization. Clint believes that education is the best approach to empower black children and fight for equality. The film has offered great insight into the importance of education and empowerment in the fight against racism. Clint's family demonstrates the importance of education and empowerment. His father played a critical role in his growth by sensitizing him on African Americans' plight and encouraging him to pursue education. Clint’s color did not prevent him from becoming one of the best Poets, Writer, and scholars in America. Clint uses his platform to raise awareness of the plight of African Americans. His story serves as an indication that family is significant to the transformation of society.
References
Hagerman, M. A. (2020). White kids: Growing up with privilege in a racially divided america . Place of publication not identified : New York University Press.
Rosenblatt, P. C. (2014). The impact of racism on african american families: Literature as social science . Farnham, Surrey, England; Burlington, VT: Ashgate,
Ted. (2015, April 23). How to raise a black son in america | Clint Smith . [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us70DN2XSfM
