Response to another blog - racial issues

Response to Jodi’s blog:

Q: After the election of our first African American president, and great stride in equality and civil liberties, does racism still exist?

America has made great strides in racial issues over the past 60 years, but the country is still plagued by people who can only see things in black and white. African Americans have received the blunt of most of the prejudices when it comes to racial issues, discrimination and stereotypes. Most people have moved beyond looking at the color of one’s skin and based the last presidential race on the qualities the candidates’ possessed rather than the color of their skin. Unfortunately, the election has showed that the country still has racial issues that are buried deep and will probably never go away. While researching this topic I have seen that there are sites that say that President Obama was only picked as president because he was African American, and that all black people vote for him; others say they did not vote for him because of his skin color, but “Obama argues that Americans are assessing him by his efforts to reverse the recession – and not by his skin color,” (Sidoti, par 6). If America were as forward as we believed itis, then the election would have never become a race or gender issue; it would have been based on the candidates’ values and ideas.

Racism toward African Americans is seen in basic situations that occur everyday. In the article Behind the Scenes: Black Shopping in America, Wells –an African American woman – went into the mall with her three friends and were gawked at while she looked around multiple stores. Wells was even accused of shoplifting. Did Wells  do anything out of the ordinary shopper or exhibit any qualities that would suggest she had stolen something? No, she did not, she was just black. Many people stereotype African Americans based on events seen in TV, movies or the news, but until these ridiculous instances, like the one Wells had to go through stops, African Americans will always have to think twice before doing everyday chores in their lives that most people take for granted. Wells stated, “No matter your education, your status or profession, some still only see the color of your skin, “O’Brein, par. 9). This phenomenon that they experienced was called shopping while black. Not only are African Americans stereotyped as shoplifters they are also labeled as rapists or murderers. In my English class I watched a video that depicted two different situations – one where young black teenagers were vandalizing a car and the other situation had young white teenagers were vandalizing a car. When people saw the black teenagers they stayed far away from the car and called the cops; they seemed very scared. Whereas when there were young white teenagers vandalizing the car people either didn’t do anything, or they approached the teens and told them to stop. When is the double standard going to end? Why are people so much more afraid to pass an African American on the street instead of a Caucasian?

There are more types of racism in America that do not include African Americans – American Indians, Asians, Middle Easterners and those are just naming a few. In 2009 I am disappointed to say that America is still a place where racism exists. America must move passed the prejudges that have haunted our history for so long. 

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