Rooted Discrimination towards African Americans in American Society
...ominating social status that whites economically deserved. The relationship between race and economy promotes the rooted discrimination in America towards African-Americans. After the civil war, the abolishment of slavery left America poor. The white’s domination had been challenged by President Abraham Lincoln humanitarism and blacks now had to survive as free citizens from three hundred years of socio-economic discrimination and no resources. However, freedom did not come without a cost. Instead of being admitted as equals in American society, white retained their dominated attitudes and alienated African-Americans away from being accepted free citizens like their white counterparts. New free slaves were now legally discriminated against with the creation of segregation laws and lack of rights, keeping the same attitudes, values, ideology, and racial negativity that the judicial system reinforced. Blacks suffered from severe alienation within a society that they were now legally apart of. Blacks were considered inferior by genetics, which was reinforced by their skin color. With the inadequate exposure to euro-American values, norms, lifestyle, and no African roots from slavery, blacks were in need of cultural enrichment. As they adapted to their oppressed lifestyle, the need to reinforce white dominion began to go too far. Laws were meant for the encouragement of whites and blacks had no protection or power. Hundreds of black people were being wrongfully accused of silly crimes costing them their life in legal hate crimes. It was very clear that as years went by blacks did not belong and were to live in fear to whites. The civil rights movement successfully challenged white dominion. There had been a profit in maintaining racial discrimination. With legal oppression blacks the economic status of whites was secure. Instead blacks suffered in poverty, unemployment, discrimination, inadequate housing/facilities, and received poor education. Blacks were legally viewed as second-class citizens and were expected to be grateful since it was not the slavish state they were in once before. However with no culture, blacks had no other choice but to identify with whites; blacks compared their lives with whites and saw that they were not free. Freedom indicated that there would be equality, and with the southern segregation laws, this was not reality. Blacks needed power and rights, a voice in society. With the passing of the civil rights act blacks and all non-white members of society were able to be active members of American society by voting. They were given rights and protection which was the ideal freedom. Now laws that once encouraged discrimination had been changed and new ones were created allowing blacks to become prosperous with out any legal oppositions. Blacks were given a fair chance which took political struggle from 1954 to 1978. Now blacks could have rights like their white counterparts and be given legal advancements within society. However the laws were only words that forced compliance with whites and blacks. Though racism and discrimination were not allowed, this set back endorsed a new, hidden form of racism. Within society whites had always been dominant, and with the inflation of newer minorities, the economic status of whites brought them, (the majority), into America’s elite class. Now with the same rights of whites blacks were expected to improve their impoverished state and compete with the elite class, however this was not successful. Newer and more hidden forms of racism exist and society constantly tries to close the gap between whites and blacks with laws such as affirmative action. Blacks have not been able to progress since the civil rights movement and many wonder why other minorities have been able to compete with whites more successfully than blacks are. The problem lies with in the constant reinforced state of hopelessness from a cruel class based social system. From slavery, blacks had been placed in poverty. Living in a society that they had been alienated from for over three hundred years, the success of adaptation has been obscured by unnecessary societal class distractions. From the beginning of slavery blacks relied on their white masters for means of survival. With the abolishment of slavery blacks were forced to provide for themselves starting with nothing sending them into poverty. Since the end of the civil rights movement blacks have been criticized by white the white elite who were forced to denounce the system of discrimination that has placed them in their elite-ness. Even Affirmative Action could not help backs post-civil rights movement, due to the sudden inflation in 1970 to 1979 where prices had doubled sending un-employment to hit the black community in 1982. In a quest to keep up in society other means of income had been introduced to the black community in order for survival, crime. The criminal behaviors of some blacks are reactions to the hostile conditions in America. As a culture, Americans have always viewed the poor as pity and angry. Poverty is harmful in the sense of physically, economically, and morally/psychologically. Being deep in poverty more blacks result to crime due to the lack of jobs and money. According to Private Troubles and Public Issues over ninety percent of criminal acts are to obtain money or property that can be exchanged for money. Already adapted from the alienation as free slaves, impoverished blacks feel powerless against elite discrimination to change the conditions of their lives. Blacks are discouraged to be hired, employers believing that blacks are incompetent and distrustful. Blacks cannot get homes because of fear that the property value would go down due to integration, forcing them to live in cheap housing and forming “ghettos.” A lack of educational opportunities means that blacks receive low skilled jobs which limit income. Schools do not motivate youth to attend do drop out rates are high. Young student’s who exhibit low self-esteem may join gangs and then perceived to be violent. Because of these societal let backs impoverished blacks experience social withdraw and passivity which is associated with drug use to escape feelings of inferiority. Blacks have also adapted a “happy-go-lucky” attitude as a defense mechanism which is mistaken and stereotyped as being dumb. Some members are reduced to slyness and connartistry because of their oppression to get back at dominating elite and to survive economically. Impoverished blacks start believing set stereotypes of dominating groups and fall under pressure of oppression and identify with the aggressor, experiencing self hatred and a “not care” attitude and commit violent acts against each other. Searching outside the white middle-class societal norm for means of survival (“ghetto-centric norm”) results in crime, prostitut...