Racism is a huge problem in our country. It creates wedges that divide us, sometimes polarizing u
and turning us against each other. Ripping apart friendships among races, religions, and most
terrifyingly, humans themselves, racism is not something to be toyed with. It should be treated like a
disease, as it is undoubtedly deadly, if we, as a society, do not proceeded it with extreme caution and
resolve to address it head on.
What can we do?
Awareness is the first step towards breaking free of racism's tight grip on our society. At school, we
are taught about depression, mental health, smoking, and much more, but very little about the types
of racism and how it impacts individuals, groups, our community, and society at large. Many people
even ignore certain types of racism. Sure, we know what racism is, and how it excludes people from
society, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Many of us don't know the types of racism, the
different forms it come in, and the wide range of people negatively affected. Racism is a parasite
eating away at the roots of our society, and it will continue to harm more and more people until
everyone is aware of the immediate danger it proposes and are willing to address its systemic
causes.
Racism against Asian Americans has occurred throughout history as well. After the bombing of Pearl
Harbor in World War II, Many Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps under the order of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This is now considered one of the greatest violations of American
civil rights.
In the modern day, discrimination against African Americans appears in many different forms. They
are treated horribly, often times with violence, contempt, and scarring insults. In fact, they are even
mistreated by the police, who are supposed to be the nation's protectors, guarding us from harm.
Like mentioned previously, African American poverty rates are higher than any other race, and that,
just because of the color of their skin, is overlooked by many. This leads to low four-year college
graduation rates for African Americans, with only 16% receiving a college diploma. While African
American men face their own set of discrimination and racism, African American woman face even
more. Living at the intersection between discrimination based on gender and color, the views of
African American women are sometimes neglected, and ignored, even. Women were allowed to vote
in 1920, but African American women were excluded. They were only granted that right in 1964.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Recent happenings are making lives better for
African Americans as the days go on. Barack Obama became the first African American president,
proving to America that African Americans are just as dedicated to their country as anyone else. The
Black Lives Matter movement, founded in 2013, has led and advocated many protests, having a huge
impact on society in the process.
Recently, a shooting occurred in Atlanta where eight women, six of them being Asian, were killed.
The shooter tried to deny it was the outgrowth of racism, though it was completely obvious that he
had prejudiced beliefs against both Asians and women. In fact, the shooter himself admitted that it
had to do with misogyny, which is, as well, a form of racism. What’s worse, some police officers were
supporting the shooter, as he supposedly claimed that it was not done out of discriminatory
attitudes. Even in the unlikely case that this is true, is that an excuse to kill eight women, six of them
being the same ethnicity? And why are police officers not showing any respect for those who lost
their lives, but instead defending the murderer himself? It surely is time to reform the biased, racist
way American society has been enculturated.
Racism Against Asian Americans
The United States, almost every race/ethnicity is threatened by racism in some way. For example,
discrimination against Asian Americans has been increasing rapidly over the past year, just because
COVID-19 originated from China. Imagine bullied about a virus that you, as an individual had no
connection with whatsoever. Wouldn’t that create a lasting impact on your mental health?