Despite the various changes that our societies have undergone, racism and discrimination remain one of the most prevalent vices in the world. It haunts our past and can easily destroy our future. Racial discrimination, like all the other systems of oppression is based on the majority group being granted some privileges, at the expense of the minority group, and in some cases, just an outward and direct discrimination against the minorities. One can almost say that racism has always been a vice in the society, straight from the Bible stories from when the wall of Babylon was under construction; as most would think though, racism is not in our DNAs. Racism is not a biological concept, nobody from a given race is conceived feeling inferior to, or discriminating against persons of another race. Often, racial discrimination is practiced without even one being aware they are nurturing and propagating it. These practices are demonstrated at various levels such as institutional, cultural and individual. Racism at the cultural level is manifested through the concept of white supremacy; in most societies, whites are thought to be superior to the other non-white communities. At the institutional level, it is expressed through policies, structures and practices of the institutions. In most cases, the majority (superior) group are granted privileges at the expense of the minority groups. Discrimination at individual level is conveyed through the psychological behaviors and beliefs of the discriminated people who tend to feel inferior.
The foundations onto which racial discrimination was built, and continues to prevail are societal practices, such as:
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i. Stereotypes and prejudice
Prejudice refers to the attitude formed about a particular group of people without adequate evidence. Stereotyping refers to the ideology that everybody or everything with a particular characteristic are the same. It is usually expressed through the media- television, internet, radio, etc.; through these, people become stereotyped. This explains why there are even juvenile racists. At a tender age, these young people were exposed to stereotypes, or to groups who are stereotyped. When one is fed negative stereotypes against people from a different race, and does not have the life experience of being around those people, they usually resort to taking the stereotyped information as the true gospel, and they are bound to be racists. For instance, in America, due to a criminal action of a black man, they conformed their psychology to the insinuation that black people were violent and more likely to commit a crime. Most people discouraged their children from going to the black neighborhoods for the sheer reason that they may be attacked and robbed. These kids grow up to also warn their children against these non- white areas, and the cycle continues, resulting in racial discrimination year in year out. Which is why it is really crucial that we interact with people from other races; through this, we adapt our minds and ensure we don’t suffer the victimization of false stereotypes in the future.
ii. Ignorance/ lack of awareness
In my opinion, this is what might have sparked of racism in the first place. Coming into contact with someone different from them, different skin complexion, different language and culture, might have resulted in a lot of confusion. They were not aware of who these people were, or if they were even people, they did not know the right way to treat them. Had the early people known better, they probably would have acted better. Ignorance might have caused the racial discrimination, but also, it is what keeps racism going. If people are brought up practicing a certain behavior/way of life and everyone else does it, they usually come to consider it something right, no matter how morally unacceptable it may be. Ignorance will keep racism thriving. People do not think racial discrimination as wrong because it is validated by everyone else; this is what makes traditions so hard to change.
iii. Fear
Human beings fear what they do not know, and cannot explain, that is a natural and human way of life. In this case, they do not understand how a person could be so different from themselves, and the natural instinct is to protect their kind and shut out anyone who they cannot relate to. Sometimes it is not about the ignorance, or the prejudice, it is simply a matter of fear of the unknown. They grow fearful of what they don’t understand; this new kind of race, with a different language, different traditions, various skin tones, It makes people see the difference between two individuals and as threatening.
iv. Inferiority complex
In most occasions, those persons who are the most racist, are those who suffer cases of inferiority complex; they lack confidence and self-esteem, and the only way they know how to feel better, is by making others feel more inferior. These people throw their negative feelings onto the vulnerable inferior groups of individuals to feel more superior, by projecting those feelings of being a failure onto these minor groups of people, they get a scapegoat from their pathetic lives. It is a familiar concept that an individual who loves and appreciates themselves for who they are, are more likely to do the same for others. A study shows that the persons who tend to be racists are those who feel unloved, isolated and insignificant.
Racial discrimination has resulted in a lot of negatives impacts between people who experience it, the community, countries and even worldwide. Hence the whole reason why people have stood firm to fight against it, over the recent years. Continued discrimination not only impacts the discriminated individuals but the community as a whole; triggering fear and violence to transpire, while tearing apart the communities built cohesiveness. Among the most crucial impacts of racial discrimination are:
i. Loss of self esteem
Victims of racial discrimination often have a sense of unworthiness, shame, fear and humiliation; this ultimately results in loss of self-esteem, a condition which may lead to depression or other emotional and psychological distress. Racism and discrimination can contribute to negative health outcomes. Also, when a person is denied education and employment opportunities because of racial discrimination, they are less likely to have self-growth and development, and that explains why most of the persons of the discriminated groups live in poverty.
ii. Anger
The feeling of being discriminated upon usually results in a lot of emotions, anger included. These people feel anger towards the majority community from whom they face discrimination, they angry about their origins, and wish they were more like persons from the superior group. Individuals who undergo discrimination are mad at the whole world. Racial discrimination harbors mistrust and incites hatred.
iii. Violence
Victims of racism are often bitter, anxious and angry, which can lead to violence. Violence in the present day the US for instance is from the majority groups, the white people. As a result of the stereotyping and prejudice, they have formed an ideology that everybody who is non-white is dangerous and out to get them. Violence as a consequence of racial discrimination has been manifested in the several cases where police officers have shot dead black people without much or any evidence, but just by the sheer hunch that black people are criminals. In cases of such shootings, you find that the cases are hardly prosecuted, and the killers usually walk away scot free, with nothing more than a warning. This state of affairs recently resulted in the slogan of “Black lives matter” to campaign against the societal concept that white lives matter more than those of black persons. Another instance of racial discrimination was revealed when a young 12 year old boy was handcuffed in school just because his teachers felt his class project was an explosive. Needless to say, the young boy was not part of the white community.
Racism is in most scenarios directed at ethnic minorities; however, minorities can also be racists. It is a common knowledge that people who undergo discrimination often feel humiliated and angry at those who make them feel worthless, this anger can cause a natural reaction of violence, where these discriminated communities seek to terrorize the majority. Their violent and criminal actions against persons in the majority group is usually their form of revenge, and a way to get back their self-worthiness. The inferior individuals feel more superior when they discriminate against the superior group.
iv. Reduced cohesiveness in society
Racism and racial discrimination creates divisions within societies which in turn destroys communities, it deprives communities the chance to fully embrace and celebrate cultural diversity. By creating barriers to social and cultural participation, we fail to acknowledge our differences and appreciate our similarities, hence, we become more ethnocentric. It is a familiar concept that no man is an island, and however much we try to separate classes/races, there will be occasions when we need each other, to attain a particular growth, to achieve a similar goal. When we are not able to get along with each other because of our racial differences, there will be no social growth in the community, and the society would miserably fail.
v. Reduced economic growth
First, racial discrimination results to only persons of a particular group being granted education and employment opportunities. This practice is a hazard to our economic growth, when people remain uneducated, chances of economic prosperity remain slim. If a group of individuals is not granted education opportunities, they cannot make significant contributions to either departments or sectors of the society. The denial of quality education to the racially discriminated groups of people merely serves to obstruct the economic progress of a country. Also, when individuals of the majority group are given employment opportunities at the expense of the minority, not every diversity is explored, at times the person employed is less qualified and bad at their jobs, compared to how the person who was denied the chance because of racial differences, would have performed the same job. On another perspective, racism limits collective contribution from its citizens, which is an important attribute of a nation’s development and success.
Racism is a societal vice that if not dealt with, can quickly destroy our future, as it has done in our history. Humanity ought to learn from the various tragedies that have perpetuated as a result of racial discrimination and take a stand against it. The best way to stop racism and ethnic discrimination is to study its causes and find a way around them carefully; for instance, concerning the issue of ignorance, education, and raised awareness is the way forward. Racism is a vice that had dire negative consequences in the past, the key ending for the tension between the various races is to move forward and quit blaming the white community for their past discretions and focus on empowering themselves. Until a person’s ignorance is educated, it will continue to thrive racism.
References
Banton, M. (1992). The nature and causes of racism and racial discrimination. International Sociology, 7(1), 69-84.
Dion, K. L. (2003). Prejudice, racism, and discrimination. Handbook of psychology.
Harrell, S. P., & Sloan-Pena, G. (2006). Racism and discrimination.Encyclopedia of Multicultural Psychology, 396.
Karlsen, S., & Nazroo, J. Y. (2002). Relation between racial discrimination, social class, and health among ethnic minority groups. American Journal of Public Health, 92(4), 624-631.
Nazroo, J. Y. (2003). The Structuring of Ethnic Inequalities in Health: Economic Position, Racial Discrimination, and Racism. American Journal of Public Health, 93(2), 277-284. doi:10.2105/ajph.93.2.277
What is the impact of racism? (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2016, from https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/what-impact-racism
Williams, A., & Giles, H. (1992). Prejudice-Reduction Simulations: Social Cognition, Intergroup Theory, and Ethics. Simulation & Gaming, 23(4), 472-484. doi:10.1177/1046878192234007
