It is true that the whites, also known as Caucasians, are the dominant group in America. However, they are not a basis to understand the experiences of the minority groups. They only help get a glimpse of what the ethnic minority lacks. This is because they are the reason for the mediocre lives of the ethnic minority. The only way to understand the experiences of the ethnic minority is by learning about these specific ethnic minority groups.
Direct interaction with these groups is one way of achieving this. The white Americans lead better lives and their lifestyles cannot be used to understand that of the ethnic minority groups. Even though the whites have equal exposure to the best available privileges and opportunities, they vary in terms of socioeconomic status. I think that the skin color signifies a lot because by the mere fact of racial cross-breeding, discrimination does not end.
Some of the ethnic minorities are descents of European immigrant but their black color of African origin and non-white facial features alienates them. The dominance by the whites nonetheless has stood the tests of time. The whites in America are a mixture of various immigrant descents but despite the cross-breeding, the white Americans continue to dominate in the US. There are various definitions that in use when referring to the term whites/Caucasian.
One definition has it that the whites are of European immigrant descent while another more recent definition has it that the whites are descents of Europe, Middle East and North Africa. The latter definition is presumably due to constantly diversified racial categories of the whites. Hence, everyone with white characteristics based on his or her skin color or facial features is a white regardless of his or her primordial race. The fact that ethnic minority exists shows that ethnicity is very eminent in the U.S.
It is because of ethnicity that the whites hold socioeconomic power, and they don’t suffer from prejudice and discrimination. The American national identity is for the whites hence; they are the nationals of America. But even the ethnic minorities have a bearing on the white identity.
Thus, they should enjoy the same privileges as the “white Americans”. Just the same way Barack Obama of East African descent received an equal opportunity to seek the American presidential seat is the same way that the ethnic minorities should receive equal opportunities to seek high paying jobs.
To some extent, this instance supports the proposition that discrimination against the ethnic minority has decreased. The notion by most whites is in fact changing and they believe that they are a different people who respect everyone. This needs confirmation because in the U.S., despite the fact that some ethnic minorities hold high job positions, a high preference is toward the whites.
High job positions, which are the basis for social power and wealth, are mostly held by the dominant ethnic groups. Structural discrimination is the reason for this kind of discrimination, which still exists in the U.S. As a way of clearing itself of discriminating against the ethnic minorities, white Americans point accusing fingers at structural discrimination.
The ethnic minorities are not aware of structural discrimination. According to them, structural discrimination exists only in the eyes of the whites. Much as they whites try to vindicate themselves of not being discriminative, the facts speak for themselves. The whites embrace ethnicity rooted in aspects such as skin color and social privileges, and because of these the less privileged in society (ethnic minorities) get looked down upon.