Racism is a system of discrimination against specific race due to differences in color, belief, norms and values (Fredrickson 4). Certainly, racial segregation has been viewed as a form of cruelty and tyranny that debases the victims and those who are susceptible to victimization.
Despite the fact that United States is one of the economically stable countries in the world, its historical roots of racism was based on slavery and genocide (Fredrickson 6). The backdrop of racism has a deep-seated influence on the current state of American society. American has been known for racism right from the late 1980s (Yong 297). All aspects of the American society had been infiltrated by racism. However, little progress had been made in the fight against racism by the beginning of 20th century.
It is also imperative to note that racism was commonly used as an institutional ideology from the past decades. It has made it impossible to turn into new episodes due to the increased rate of racism in the Americans’ hearts (Monroy 14). Racism eroded down family ties into debris hence influencing relationships of Americans, Asians and Hispanic people in America. To date, this can be felt quite well especially due to the fact that myriad of races can co-exist with little regard of their racial backgrounds.
Apparently, the nature of racism in America was based on the belief that, a group if people with certain biological traits were superior to other. Difference in make up brought a distinction among the several races in America (Blitz & Green 22)). The race that was deemed to be superior gain higher positions in the society. In this case, they were economically empowered. For this reason, such races exert social dominance over the other inferior races. Besides this, in the past centuries, racism was based on color (Monroy 12).
Significantly, black people were being discriminated against by the white people in America. Currently, racism has taken a new dimension where other aspects other than color have been incorporated into the issue. In this case, racism became multicolored and as well multicultural as it was observed in the 19th and 20th century. Worthwhile, the situation is exasperating due to the eminent effort being put to terminate it (Blitz & Green 54)).
It is worth noting that there has been an amplified diversification of the population in America. Many immigrants from Africa, Asia and Europe had intruded the continent as early as 1800s (Monroy 4). Evidently, majority of immigrants in America were from Europe specifically the American Jews and Irish Americans (Yong 268). For this reason, racism became expansive primarily due to the antagonism among the different cultural communities.
Definitely, manifestation of racism and its intertwined issues was depicted in several ways. As an example, works of art, myths and social legends show the history of how natives have lived from the past to current (Blitz & Green 8). In other words, since history is understood from oral myths, ideals and values passed through successive generations, one can identify the intensity of racialism from the current people.
Ultimately, the social construction of the American history was highly dependent on what lay within their mind, memories and experience (Monroy 6). Significantly, this can be derived from the collected facts by scholars and journalists. Moreover, there was a lot of racial bias depicted through education systems of America. Public discourse regarding the Nation’s origin, development, growth and future destiny was very controversial (Blitz & Green 12)).
In this case, the way the natives interpreted facts, portrayed their altitude and culture. In a slight emphasis, racial chauvinism created an invisible barrier to the people in favor of the white natives. Unconsciously, various societal institutions implanted racism in the American citizens (Monroy 12).
Racism has been depicted in various forms in economic, social and political aspects. For instance, formal racism was very rampant in the early 1990s (Monroy 14). Mostly, it was common in the political spheres and was highly repugnant toward the morals of the American natives. All the same, it was terminated in the middle of 20th century (Yong 269). Besides this, historical racism has been out of control as it is oriented in the social-economic aspects.
Social stratification in America has for long been embedded on racism. This is characterized by the inequalities in housing, employment, educations and government services. No wonder, immigrant races has impacted massively in the American history of racism. Additionally, social institutions in America have not been left behind in the bigotry. Actually, institutional racism has been rampant thereby disorienting the victims. To shed light on this, social culture and policies governing the institutions chained white privileges.
These institutions never depicted their bias naturally unless they are deliberatively prompted (Blitz & Green 7). In most case, forces of racism remained covered and even those disoriented lived unconsciously. For this reason, Asians and Hispanic natives have struggled for long to institute themselves in the community.
Recent research done reveals that in the past years Hispanics and Asians laid face down in prejudice. Needless to say, they experienced social economic and political strife in the midst of the racist Americans. Moreover, racial bias instilled stress to the immigrants due to day to day prejudice. Poverty was quite towering among the minority races as compared to the superior whites (Blitz & Green 120). According to the grapevine, the minorities experienced poor mental health due to environmental intolerance as combined with poverty.
Statistics indicate that, the proportion of Asians and Hispanics who suffered mental illnesses is relatively higher compared to that of whites.
However, long history of stereotyping, racial profiling, prejudice and racial attitudes shaped relationships between white Americans and Hispanic and Asian peoples in the recent centuries (Monroy 54). Imperatively, racism kept on changing into new forms decade after the other.
This fueled hatred among the three racial groups. All the same, white people were not adversely affected since their privileges were superior to those of the minorities. Even with the advocating against racism, majority of the whites remained to segregate the Asians and Hispanics. This rose of conflicts hence the racial relations became complicated. The stereotyped perceptions of the whites led to subversive resistances by the civilians. This caused deaths of many white Americans.
For instance, the Hispanic natives were prejudiced and segregated by the White Americans. Having been subjected to segregation, they were forcibly made to return to their country of origin.
Additionally, the Asians have been denied immigration permit into America with numerous injustice against those who had already ventured in to the state (Yong 347). Severally, Asians were denied rights to own land, citizenship and federal privileges. In the recent centuries, though the number of Asians in America has increased eminently, there has been a fast-growing aim for hatred against them by the Americans.
Status profiling was debased on race making Asian immigrants to suffer in the hand of whites administrators (Yong 288). Additionally, vast migration of different races into America led to problems in the criminal justice system. For this reason, minor races were susceptible for crimes committed. In this case, they had to look for a way out to evade themselves from social prejudice. This triggered to an evolution in the immigrants’ culture and personal identity to attain social safety.
Definitely, culture evolved to respond to the constant changes in the American society (Frederickson 7). Research done indicates that, racial discrimination at some point forced immigrants to further explore and undertake certain ethnic identity. To escape struggle, different races including the Asians and Hispanics changed their way of life to adopt in the new environment (Frederickson 40).
For this reason, there developed a community with similar social values, ethics, perception and customs as a form of unifying influence. Since culture can be learnt or unlearnt, immigrant individuals adopted new aspects in order to have a sense of belonging in the complex society. Evidently, minor races in America and specifically the Asian immigrants faced acculturation conflicts (Frederickson 135).
Besides choosing the language to use, these immigrants had to undergo cultural allegiances to fit into the set values of the society. To resolve acculturation conflicts, individuals use several strategies. For instance, majority opted to be bicultural in order to be able to negotiate all the aspects of both culture.
Others assimilated their culture to adapt to the host one. Only few individuals maintain their cultural values. Imperatively, the outcomes of cultural exchange influenced the character of an individual (Frederickson 70). The unique combination of variables assassinated the characters of Hispanics and Asians, forcing them to depict new behavior repertoires.
Despite the fact that all the experiences were well documented in the minds of the minor races, Asians maintained their cultural identity. Moreover, due to social connectedness, inferior races rose to struggle for their civil rights and they no longer feel like outsiders.
Obviously, Asians became racial sensitive and strived for equality in the American society (Yong 268). Insightfully, they made Americans aware that, they did not come into their country because of poverty. Currently, the Asians formed a joint uniqueness making the racist American to change their altitude toward them.
Conceptually, different dimensions of racial altitude fostered decline and to some point accelerated racism in America (Monroy 43). Subtly, different people maintain separate views toward racism.
It is worth to note that, ancient barriers still existed among natives hence making them to have dividend elevation toward racism. There have always been tags of war among those fighting against racism and, those who resisted in order to uphold their status quo. However, research done indicates that, majority of the natives in America disengaged in racism (Frederickson 22).
From the statistic, only few Americans endorse in stereotypes and racial profiling against other races. Sophisticated measures were employed to disentangle racism. Currently, the series in the American systems have been transformed and, justice has prevailed significantly among all the races in America (Monroy 33). Educational systems in America achieved efficiency in favoring all the races.
In this case, the racists realized that it was inassimilable to brand people for their race. Moreover, the immigrants influenced, regenerated and profoundly transformed the American altitude on racism. Increased number of immigrants remarkably shaped the political climate (Yong 267). Lately, the government ensured that no more racism that subsisted in America. This fostered harmony among individuals and corporate groups in the institutions.
Apparently, by 19th century racism took a new dimension in the American society. Since then, positive changes have been notable from the perceptional change of the American racists (Yong 271). Due to the struggle against racial prejudice, liberalism has ushered in equality in the American society. Democratically, efforts were made to promote social uniformity among the races and equality enhanced.
To reiterate on this, several acts in the 19th and 20th centuries brought to end racism and other forms of prejudice. Evidently, new wave of immigration in the previous decades fostered political and economic revolutions. For example, the Asians and Hispanics welfare was favored by the new political ostracism (Frederickson 188). From the substantial progress made, poverty rate was significantly reduced enhancing economic empowerment among all the races.
Relatively, the disparity rate between the whites and native immigrants had been reduced. During his constitutional office holder as the Chief Justice, Warren made significant changes especially on constitutional provisions. He must have ushered in a new era and energy in the execution of law. He was largely pragmatic in his view of the law. Indeed, fairness and equity could only be obtained in a comprehensive judicial system.
We can also argue that Warren managed to pull together loose judicial strings that had made it impossible to address abuse of constitutional rights, reapportionment as well as racial segregation. He also laid more emphasis on broad ethical principles when executing his judgments. He hardly used skewed interpretive structures of the constitution.
Needless to say, the contemporary socio-political culture in United States was largely shaped by the famous yet sometimes controversial Warren Court rulings. For instance, racial segregation in United States became a thing of the past in most states.
By 20th century, though the relationship among certain races remained overwrought, they had begun to share common, social, economic and political grounds (Frederickson 94).
The frequency of association in the social setting has increased at a larger percentage in the recent centuries. Vividly, different races have intermarried hence declining social disapproval among themselves. Astoundingly, the mass media highly worked toward discouraging racism and other forms of stereotypes (Monroy 188).
Certainly, almost all races considered minor in America enjoyed their progress in the country. To reiterate on this, America became a boiling pot of culture. Moreover, increased immigration in to the state transformed America into a heterogeneous entity. New mode of culture among the natives and newcomers entirely resulted to ethical balance.
Abolition of racism fostered cultural pluralism among diversified groups. This increasingly made it possible for natives to maintain cultural patterns of their choice. Needless to say, negative altitude toward racism emerged as a new aspect in redefining America (Frederickson 137).
Today, majority of the Asians and Hispanics have ventured into inter-ethnic marriages. Economic mobility was witnessed specifically with the robust growth in the industries in America. Predominantly, assimilation and social altitude renewed by the state of cultural pluralism among the American, Asians and Hispanic people.
Works Cited
Blitz Lisa, & Green, Mary. Racism and racial identity: reflections on urban practice in mental health and Social Services. New York. Haworth Press, Inc. 2006. Print.
Fredrickson, George .Racism: a short history. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 2002. Print.
Monroy, Douglas. Thrown Among Strangers: The Making of Mexican Culture in Frontier California. London: California University Press.1993.
Yong, Chen. Chinese San Francisco, 1850-1943: A Trans-Pacific Community. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2000.Press.