Racism
...l, we’re still struggling in the white man’s world”. (Shakur, TuPac. “White Man’s World”, Jive Records. 1991.) When TuPac grew up into a young man, he lost some friends because of racism. Those who weren’t murdered was shot and badly hurt. “Two gun shots to my homie’s head, died in his rest. Shot him to death, and left him bleeding for his family to see, I pass his casket, gently asking, is there a heaven?” “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave, I rise I rise, I rise.” (Angelou, Maya. “Still I Rise”. New York: Random House 1994.) Those are some famous lines from the controversial poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou is living out her ancestors dream by not letting them down. She is explaining how she won’t get down on herself and will not live the life of her ancestors (slaves) and will rise when she feels depressed. “Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops? Weakened by my soulful cries?” In the early 1900s, racism was at its worst. Blacks and whites had different bathrooms, schools, water fountains and banks. Rules were different for whites than blacks. Mostly whites received more privileges then blacks. The blacks did receive water fountains to drink from; however they may have been broken or dirtier than the ones the whites got. The African Americans had to sit in the back of the bus and the whites were allowed to sit in the front or wherever they pleased. One African American lady, Rosa Parks, refused to get out of a white mans seat in the front of the bus. Rosa Parks was arrested. She feels good for what she did and stands up for her people. Her and many other people didn’t feel she was treated right. That’s just another case of racism in the world. The James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Act was an act named for the Jasper, Texas Blackman who was dragged to his death by 3 white men in a pickup truck in 1998 (June 29, 1998). James Byrd was dragged to death after being stabbed. “Let me smoke with you white boys,” (Bragg, Roy. “Jasper’s trial defendant says Byrd’s neck was cut”. San Antonio Express News. www.texasnaacp.org/jasper.html). Brewster mocking Byrd. Seconds later King and Byrd were brawling. Brewer kicked him and then sprayed his face with black paint. “Byrd had his hands up,” Brewer testified, “and I guess that’s when Shawn cut his throat.” The act strengthens penalties for crimes motivated by the victim’s race, religion, color, sex, disability, sexual preference, age or national origin. Racism does not only occur to African Americans. Every nation in the world experienced Many people are hated because of there religion, disability, and sexual preference. Unfortunately, there are not many ways to prevent racism because of the United States 5th amendment, freedom of speech. Freedom of speech gave people like the Ku Klux Klan ability to say what they want about African American and other races. There is no law that states that a group of people can not rebel or fight against what they may think is right or wrong. These are the treatments and tragedies of African-Americans “The income of 2.1 million African-American families (26 percent) was below the poverty level. Incidents of racial...