Less than fifty years ago, America was a society of segregation and racism. Racism is defined as “the belief that a particular race is superior to another” (pg 3?) Although it is clear things have changed, racism is still visible in modern America. Relationships between African Americans and whites are generally better than they were in the forties and fifties. Today, it is not common to see a black man walk down the street and step off the sidewalk to let a white man walk by, or to see a black man sitting on a different section of the bus or train because a white man says he has too. But superiority of races is still occurring. A lot of this has the do with the ignorance of others. Passed down generation to generation, learned at school, or passed along through entertainment. Its accurate to say that racism is something learned through out ones life. Although it is not as bad as it was, it is unmistakably visible that racism still exists in present day society.
Thousands of years ago, the Portuguese sailors found advanced African cultures. When they couldn’t keep up with the Portuguese, they were looked upon as stupid. The Portuguese began to take them in as slaves. They weren’t considered human, more or less “subhuman” and they were called “beasts.” Slavery, of course, is the most manifest form of racism (Page 3). It is very clear that slavery used to be a significant problem in the country. Slavery was eventually abolished in the country, but before it was, the country split and the Civil War began. People were fighting to treat blacks horribly, keeping them as slaves, beating them, and not providing them with proper nutrition, education or shelter. After slavery ended, the violence grew worse. This is that the time Jim Crow Laws were enacted.
Jim Crow Laws began in Massachusetts. Although it was a Northern state (slavery and racism were common in the South more than the North), it allowed separation of blacks and whites on railroads. By 1900’s, laws had been established allowing separation like this all over the country (Cayton, Perry, Reed and Winkler). According to the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, blacks had the same legal protection as whites. The Supreme Court contradicted this when they allowed so called “restrictions” in the South against blacks. Those who supported Jim Crow generally lived in the South. They believed that whites were above the blacks, in things ranging from intelligence to morality. They thought sexual relations between the two races would ruin the nation, and violence could be used on blacks if needed. So, hospitals, beaches, parks, prisons, public restrooms and even water fountains were separated by color of skin. In certain areas, there weren’t even facilities for colored people (Pilgrim). African Americans also had to treat whites with respect, where as whites did not have to, and most of the time would not treat the blacks the same. Blacks had to use titles when speaking to whites, they could not eat with the whites, and black men could not offer to shake a white mans hand. Preachers did not help with the problem, but in some situations made it worse. They would preach that God supported segregation, “the whites were the chosen people, and Blacks were servants” (Pilgrim).
Violent rages began during the time of Jim Crow. The laws didn’t prevent one race from hurting another for reasons that are not acceptable. Lynching was the biggest form of violence, and mainly, blacks were the ones targeted. Lynching is the “public, murder carried out by mobs” (Pilgrim). Because blacks were apt to commit a crime, despite the fact that they were considered abhorrent, they were needed. Lynching’s resulted from blacks fighting for their rights, violating Jim Crow Laws or other reasons related. The most popular forms of murder were hangings, shootings and burnings. Rape was also had its toll on blacks. Sexual relations were not allowed between two different races. (What people don’t realize is that now and again, there are more genetic differences within a race than between two different races (ADL). One third victims were falsely accused of engaging in sexual activity with the opposing race. All to often, this accusation resulted in murder, or lynching (Pilgrim).
There were plenty of people who did not put up with the abuse. Bishop Turner, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Du Bois were just a few who spoke their beliefs. A group of about four hundred, also stood up for equal rights and started the Niagara Movement. Another group, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) had around 6,000 members trying to abolish slavery. Today this group still exists, working on other projects. Associations like these helped to open other associations that helped to teach colored people how to write, open businesses and study history and sociology. In 1896, an African American fought in court for equal rights and formed a case that would become very important in history. Plessy felt his rights were violated when a law passed separating seating on railroads. He fought back, fighting for his right to “equal protection of the laws.” But he lost. The court said if the facilities were equal it was legal because the fourteenth amendment “wasn’t to give Negroes social equality, only political and civil” (Cayton, Perry, Reed, and Winkler). People were not happy about this because it lead to the doctrine “separate but equal.” And the unfairness continued.
The African Americans were not the only ones being discriminated against. Now, Native Americans were involved. As the nation started to expand, the Natives were “in the way.” The whites forced the Natives to change their culture, to be like them. When the Natives didn’t leave the fighting began. Except the whites outnumbered the Natives (Anonymous). Crazy Horse said “I was not hostile to the White man” (1). And many were not. The Whites were typically the ones causing the disputes. Wild Cat wrote that “[the] Whites told the Coacooche they weren’t enemies but the Natives [knew] they were” (1).Families were running away to avoid the Whites, but in the end they were stuck out in the cold, hungry, but too tired to fight anymore (Nez Perce). The Whites came and took the Natives land because of selfishness. The difference in cultures caused past generations to go and force change upon the Natives. It seems that the same cycle is reoccurring today.
The idea the humans are born pure leads to the fact that they learn racism, hatred and stereotyping (What causes Racism?). When children are separated from other ethnic groups, they do not learn that those groups are not different than they, except in color and culture. Neighborhoods like this contribute to racism (Isley). Another large part of what contributes to racism is the feeling of being superior to another race. This mainly shows between whites and African Americans. A 2004 statistic said that the African Americans had a poverty level of 24.4% where as Whites only had a poverty level 12.5% (CNN). The fact that one statistic shows whites generally have more money makes one feel “above” African Americans.
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Norman Podhoretz, however, had the opposite problem. He grew up in Brooklyn, in a neighborhood that was dominated mainly by the African American race. He was tormented by the kids there, and because of that he lived, and still does live in fear of them. Podhoretz said he never understand why the two races were enemies, why they were enemies or why they hated each other (96), but it was apparent the two did not get along. Podhoretz had suffered from abuse from the blacks during several occasions, but never reported them to police in fear of the kids who hurt him (94). “They were tougher(…?) and better athletes” (93). Regardless of all the injustice, he still said “ . . . I am convinced that we white Americans are--so twisted and sick in our feelings about Negros. . . ” (100). Some still believe that it is going to be a long time until blacks gain full equality. It isn’t right for one to be treated less important because they have a different color skin. Baldwin states that color is a political reality, not a human, or personal reality (100). To be solved, the races must merge (101). But some whites feel guilt towards African Americans. And some whites let that guilt turn into hate (97). They look at the other race and see them as all the same. They refuse to actually look at them, so convinced and stuck in their ways that the African Americans are bad (Podhoretz, 97).
From a different point of view, an African Americans point of view, this of course isn’t fair. He suffers exactly from what was mentioned above- the fact that some races will not look past the color of someone’s skin. Brent Staples writes in his 1986 essay, Black Men and Public Spaces, that he experiences episodes like that all of the time. One time, while walking at night, a woman saw him, or at least saw his skin color, grew afraid, crossed the street, leaving to get away from him. Another time, he went into a jewelry store. Instead of the lady helping him, she went and got a guard dog and refused to answer any questions. He began to make himself look less threatening, although that shouldn’t be something one should have to do, especially if they have never posed as a threat (Staples). The ignorance of the two ladies is the same ignorance in others that do the same thing. A man they have never seen before, who has never hurt them or attempted to, is frightening to them because he is black. Those two examples, prove that humans still find excuses not to trust another race, with no reason at all.
James Byrd had the same problem, but he was affected more than Staples. In 1998, Byrd was a father living in Jasper, a town that spilt the blacks and whites by a fence in a graveyard. They each had their side. But this all changed when three white men by the names of, John King, Lawrence Brewer and Shawn Berry murdered Byrd. After a night of drinking they found Byrd and chained him to the back of their truck. They dragged him for three miles. They laughed the whole time. They didn’t stop until he was dead. Byrd lived through most of it, but eventually his head was torn from his body (Film Description). American was shocked that something like this could happen. His family was devastated. They started speaking out against hate crimes. They tried passing the James Byrd Jr. Act, but the governor George W. Bush declined it. Byrd’s daughter, Renee Mullins said “It was like him dying all over again.” Eventually the law was passed, but not as quickly as it should have been. A year later, on January 20, 1999, the fence in the graveyard was taken down. It had separated the town for more than one hundred and fifty years. The Klu Klux Klan (A group that discriminates against Blacks, Jews, Catholics, Immigrants [ADL]) proved their anger to the Byrd family by leaving stickers and markers on Byrd’s grave. King and Brewer both remain on death row, both still stuck in their racists ways, not regretting the decision they made that night. Brewer has even bragged about what he did. Berry was only sentenced to a life in jail, rather than put on death row (Jasper Update). Others were not so happy about this. Others wanted murders like this to end.
Two best friends, a white and a black heard about the murder and were appalled by what happened in Jasper. Whitney Dow and Marco Williams wanted to learn more and share that information with everyone. To do this, they made the movie Two Towns of Jasper. Byrd’s death was the cause of the movie, but it was more about showing the two perspectives of the town- the white mans perspective and the black mans. Thirty citizens from the town were chose to be in the documentary. Dow interviewed fifteen white men and Williams interviewed fifteen black. While the movie was being made the white citizens didn’t like the negative attention from the viewers. Tons acted surprised by what happened. Except one man. He wasn’t shocked by the crime. He thought the reaction to it showed the true relationship between blacks and whites. African Americans on the other hand, thought it showed the danger that’s always there, but “beneath the surface” (Film Description). The murder occurred only thirteen years ago. How is it that segregation supposedly no longer exist, but this town had lived that way so long? How is it that three men can murder a man so brutally because he has a different color skin? How is it that one can say it is okay to be racist after something like that happens? How is this still happening?
It is clear that African Americans seem to be a main target for racist humans, but there are other races who are impacted by racists. The Muslims and Arabs are a very good example of this. One September 11, 2001, the Nation was devastated by the terrorist attack on the world trade center in New York. Nineteen Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four American planes. One plane was said to be initially head to the White House, but did not make it. Another crashed into the Pentagon. Then there were the two that hit the Twin Towers (September 11). The north tower was hit first, and very shortly after the south tower was hit. Around three thousand people died in this terrible incident. The nation became very patriotic after this happened. The most important change was the feelings Americans had towards those from the Middle East. Harassment, violence, etc. increased seventy percent in 2002. As the years went on, it did not get better either. Arabs are denied jobs, housing and are arrested for no reason (Smith). Random security checks are done at airports across the country. The random security checks always seem to be aimed towards Arabs or people of the Middle Eastern decent. Americans tend to exaggerate the danger of future attacks and “as a result they over estimate the effect of racially specific security measures“ (Akram and Johnson). “Singling out people for ethnicity is just plain racist, no fear or mistreatment ever seem to attach white folks” Tim Wise says. “Inconveniencing white folks after all, is never ones desire” (Wise). Arabs are now stereotyped as terrorists. Most feelings towards them are negative, but a lot of that is because of fear (Akram and Johnson). This is what terrorists want. They want us to live in fear of them. Except this is not what all Arabs want. Most Arabs are not terrorists, but they’re going to be treated like they are. It is hard for one not to have hostile feelings towards Arabs, but that does not mean they all should be treated differently, because of something people from they’re country have done. It seems that American feels they can do whatever they want. Going into another country and over running their government is fine, though it was never Americas business to do that. The problem there is the idea that our culture is the only right one, when maybe other cultures are thinking the same thing. Of course it isn’t right for them, only America.
Immigration is helping to create feelings of hate towards non-Americans. Illegal immigration seems to have turned into a problem in the country. Eight years ago it was estimated seven million people in the country were illegal immigrants (History of Immigration, 17). Things have been debated about what should be done to take care of this problem. Some want higher fences at the borders, more patrols at the borders, or tougher laws and enforcement. Others say it can be fixed by extending the number of legal workers, requiring proof of legalization and demanding employers to refuse to hire undocumented people (History of Immigration, 23). A major complaint made by Americans is that immigrants are taking all the jobs. Immigrants come to this country and work the jobs that Americans won’t. They get a very low salary, they work in terrible conditions and they get treated horribly. So when one is saying “they took our jobs,” its clear they haven’t really thought about what jobs they’re really taking. In some ways it help the immigrants do that, because the people complaining probably would never work under the conditions the immigrants do.
CONCLUSION
It used to be an American is a white, blonde haired, blue eyed person. Of course that is not the typical American. Most people don’t have blonde hair and blue eyes. Furthermore, plenty are not Caucasian. To some though, the right skin color to have is white. Having black skin makes one dangerous. Looking middle eastern makes one a terrorist. Hispanics are illegal immigrants. These are just a few of the stereotypical views whites have against others. Segregation was abolished, yet some towns are still separated by race. America has gotten better over the years, especially within the last sixty. The formation of nations, legal codes, wars and obviously slavery were all influenced by racism (ADL). The problem should be solved. Clearly it isn’t though, as more kids learn what it means to be racist and are faced with the decision to become a racist or not. But still one would think, after all these years that nation should be able to figure something out, and racism should be something that’s coming to an end. At this moment, the exact opposite is happening. Less than a week ago, Osama Bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaeda attack on September 11, was killed by Navy Seals. America rejoiced, celebrating the death of one of the most hated names in America. As they danced at the site of ground zero, they probably weren’t thinking of what would happen when the picture of that gets to Osama’s people. They probably weren’t thinking of all the things that could happen now, with his people so angry with us. With this killing, racism isn’t coming to end. Its coming to a new beginning.
