Introduction
Demographics of race in the United States are unique and dynamic. The emergence of new racial aspects has continued to shape the racial narrative along unique social, economic and cultural lines.
New racial narrative
The development of the issue of race mainly stems from the fact that racial differences among the Americans continue to take new dimensions. The views of Americans on immigration have greatly changed leading to an improvement in the manner in which Americans perceive and relate to people of different races (MartĂnez and RodrĂguez 7-123).
By recounting the tribulations and humiliation of five immigrant families in the U.S., the author, Rubén Martinez presents unique attributes of the modern American race factor (Bufkin 23-41). Divisions in the American population emanate from the feeling of betrayal and the desire by the new immigrants to be accorded fair and equal treatment by the government and other state and federal agencies.
Immigrant movements in the U.S highly influence the behaviors, beliefs and cultural practices of the new racial systems currently being established. The existence of a family of Nigerian refugees among them a sister of the renowned Nigerian, Ogoni, and activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa has transformed the manner in which immigrants into the United States of America perceive the issue of race.
Other immigrants such as the Palestinian couple that has been living in the state of Chicago, two people staying in a lodge with their origin in the Dominican Republic and a few other immigrants have all led to a change in the manner in which immigrants in the country are perceived (MartĂnez and RodrĂguez 59-81).
As revealed by television series on issues pertaining to racial concepts in the United States, race plays a significant role in shaping people’s behavioral patterns. Immigrants into the United States transform the country through economic, social, political, religious and cultural means. The new Americans mainly focus on addressing vital economic strategies that in turn strengthen the American society.
Though law enforcement is an important aspect of both the state and the federal governments, it is evident from the works of the author that social and economic statuses highly impact on the economic development of a region, state or country. Racial profiling therefore plays a negative role in discouraging social integration and instead promotes racial segregation in the country.
The consumption of native food is an aspect of race that influences the integration and racial patterns which also determine the level of economic and social performance in the United States of America (Bufkin 5-13).
New immigration trends in the US seem to indicate that race is no longer a major issue of concern in the lives of most American populations. Through the analysis of the lives and immigration patterns of small sized families in the United States which had been featured in PBS Documentary, the immigrants from Palestine, India, Mexico, Dominican Republic and Nigeria tend to settle in specific states in the United States.
Common states preferred by new immigrants include Silicon Valley, Montana, India, and California thus giving an idea of the possible paradigm shift in the states’ racial population composition (Goldberg 98-117).Martinez narrates his unique family migration experience into the US and effectively explains the increasing changes in the American cultural practices through the adoption of the immigrant’s ethical and social practice and family values.
The modernized multicultural American clan reinforces the need to strengthen family links, foster unity in the family and the need to respect the leadership in the family ranks in line with the new cultural practices.
The resistance by earlier immigrants to accommodate new practices define the challenges that the new immigrants face in their effort to integrate and form a single American family. Allegations of bad moral beliefs, uncouth social and cultural practices and the belief that immigrants are people of low social status have been rampant.
Prejudices that immigrants originate from a less affluent and an inferior breed of people have continued to increase tension between the different races of the United States (Zucchino 56). The American racial narrative is therefore established on the precept that racial differences are vital, necessary and critical in enhancing unity and strengthening the cultural fabric in the country.
Cultural differences with reference to people’s financial status underscore the degree to which racial concepts are re-defined. Some of the recent immigrants are people who have amassed a lot of wealth. This fact has given rise to the realignment of wealth ownership patterns in the new America.
In some American states, discrimination based on one’s race is unheard of as people are more wealth oriented. Nonetheless, it is evident that all forms of failure, wealth and race based discrimination in the United States have only helped to increase insecurity in the country. The economic status of Americans of different races dictates the extent to which racial justice is practiced in the U.S (MartĂnez and RodrĂguez 76-84).
Discrimination on jobs, racism and the challenge of adjusting to the new environment are a proof of lack of racial justice in the United States. Race based justice is only practical in situations where by an individual has economic power. Both racial wealth and racial gaps in the United States’ population are wide and ever growing.
Sadly, the wealthy people seem to be accorded preference in the justice system due to their powerful economic influence. This fact could partly be due to the popular yet unfounded belief that race and financial status of individuals are the cornerstones of the social fabric and economic mobility and stability.
It can be argued that the new racial narrative in the United States is mainly being built on aspects of financial status which is a definite discriminatory approach. Such an approach has continued to deny some individuals their economic and legal rights due to their lack of economic power.
The new disruption of race does not take into account the redistributive economic and racial justice approaches. The existence of racially discriminative punishment mechanisms seems to be applied with respect to one’s economic status and not on mere racial background (Zucchino 17-34; MartĂnez and RodrĂguez 8-11). There have been incidences where by certain crimes are associated with either the Whites or the African-American people.
This discriminatory approach is based on the assumption that the Whites are financially wealthy and are therefore likely to commit “White color crimes” while most immigrants are assumed to be poor and are hence likely to commit “dirty crimes” such as selling drugs and robbery.
Conclusion
The racial narrative in the United States is clearly being defined along political and economic ideologies. As outlined above, the concepts of the new America, emergence of new trends due to entry of new immigrants and racial discrimination ignite a lot of debate. Economically endowed individuals are more influential in the United States. This fact does not take into account their racial affiliation. Racial relations are increasingly being defined by the economic status of people rather than the political ideologies in the country.
Works Cited
Bufkin, Sarah. North Carolina General Assembly Votes To Repeal Landmark Racial Justice Law, Think Progress: Justice, USA: Thinkprogress, 2011.Print.
Goldberg, Julia. How The Minutemen Play on Fears and Fantasies, Immigration, Mexico: Santa Fe Reporter, 2011.Print.
MartĂnez, RubĂ© and RodrĂguez, Joseph. The New Americans: Seven Families Journey to Another Country, USA: New Press, 2005.Print.
Zucchino, David. Death penalty vacated under North Carolina’s racial justice law, USA: Los Angeles Times, 2012.Print.