Curry 1
Nedra Curry
English 1020
3-14-10
Final Paper
The New Racism
Racism has been typically defined as the prejudice that members of one race are
intrinsically superior to members of another race. These “superior races” use
discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race. In my mind racism
is discrimination towards another race and verbal slander against that person(s).
However, this is not the case. Racism is alive in a very settled way. Racism is especially
alive in our school systems, workplaces, communities, and prison systems.
Racism has had an impact through out our nation for several centuries. Our nation
has endured many issues with dealing with racism such as slavery, civil rights, terrorist
attacks. As a society we used to see these issues as racism now that these types of issues
are no longer occurring we see racism as clearly dead.
However, everyday in the workplace one can see racism operating with it
unyielding tentacles. The unsuspecting hard working woman that gets passed over for a
promotion by her male counter part, the man that cannot put food on the table for his
family because he is overqualified for the position he applied for, the employers who do
credit checks before offering positions to possible employees. Women throughout the
world and especially in America have been fighting for years for equal pay in the
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workforce. Currently, 94% of all employees in corporate senior ranks are white males, at
a time when they make up only around 38% of the entire workforce (“Racism in the
workplace” par.3). Although there are signs of change, racism still continues to this day.
Texaco was ordered to pay $176 million dollars in damages after discriminatory
comments were said about blacks at a corporate board meeting. Racism in the workplace
is still practiced because racists are more successful at covering up their behavior
(“Racism in the workplace” par.7).
In regards to our public education system and universities, in recent years many
people have raised concerns about race being an issue when it comes to being accepted
into local schools and universities. Some feel that it should be considered because of the
differences between minority and non-minority students. Some come from less privileged
school districts they students may get passed over without their previous educational
background being taken into consideration. On the other hand there are those that believe
that it should not play a determining role and acceptance should be based on academics
and academics only. These opposing groups of people argue that it is flat out
discrimination that students from more affluent neighborhoods often pay more for the
same college classes and degrees that students from poor communities benefit from
government grants and tuition assistance. For example in my 4th grade year in the
Avondale School district I was pulled aside by the principal and asked where I lived. I
lived in Auburn Hills, which is within the district but the principal told me that they had
investigators following me and my family to and from school each day and that we were
going to Pontiac not Auburn Hills. My mother became involved and all hell broke loose
at that time. She attempted to explain that after school we were going to other family
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member’s residences because of her work schedule but again we lived in Auburn Hills.
My mother pursued legal action against the district and they did let me back into school
toward the end of the year. I however was not comfortable going back to the environment
right away it took me until 11th grade to feel comfortable to attend school in the district
that my parents pay taxes in. This is an example of racism in today’s school system.
The communities that we live in and are supposed to feel safe and supported by
are the same places that children of all races and backgrounds feel the pinch of racism the
most. “Children can be cruel” We have all heard this saying. But have you ever stopped
to think about whom children learned to be cruel from? Mom, Dad, Uncle even
grandparents have a lot of influence over young children they bestow in them the values,
morals and prejudices that they have. These can be very upstanding and good ethics that
all children should have or they can be racist and negative these traits been passed down
through generations. Until this manner of thinking is re thought there will always be cruel
children and racism to deal with at home and in our neighborhoods. For example When
the Ku Klux Klan was planning a rally in Springfield, Illinois in 1994; a local Jewish
couple decided that they should come up with a constructive form of counter-protest.
Project Lemonade-- whose name comes from the old saying, "When life hands you
lemons, make lemonade" -- counter-protests peacefully during the racist event, then
collects pledges for every minute that the hate rally went on. (Strategies for Reducing
Racism par.24). These are examples of forms of racism in our communities today.
That brings us to our prison systems. Prison yards become divided by racial based
groups there are white supremacists, Latinos, and Blacks cliques in our prison yards. Just
this racial separation alone is enough to cause fights, riots, and death.
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In Florence, Colorado a riot started when white supremacists’ targeted minorities
on Adolf Hitler’s birthday. The guards at the high security prison were forced to use live
ammunition killing two inmates when the non-lethal rounds were not able to control the
situation. Some prisons have had to resort to using SHU “special housing units” more
familiar term would be solitary confinement. This method is disputed by
Amnesty International and other human rights groups that claim this form of
imprisonment constitutes the definition of torture under international law. Because of
racial and gang related offenses in our prison systems today many states have resorted to
having solitary confinement cells for prisoners.
Blacks and Latinos seem to be imprisoned more than any other race. While
African-Americans make up 12.7% of the US population and Latinos represents 11.1% of
the US population African-Americans make up 48.2% of American adults in State or
Federal prisons and local jails and Latinos make up 18.6% of American adults in State or
Federal prisons and local jails. This is a form of racism going on in our prison system in
today’s existing world.
In conclusion, as I have pointed out racism today may not be as clear cut and
stand out as slavery or the civil rights movement did but it still does exist. In every aspect
of our lives and around every corner is an opportunity for racism to rear its ugly face.
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Work site
Racism in the Workplace, http://www.knowledgegalaxy.net/racism_in_the _workplace
racism in the workplace.html
Strategies for Reducing Racism, http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/news/record/362.
Prison Activist Resource Center, http://www.prisonactivist.org/archive/factsheets/racism.
http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html
What Do We Know About Prison Racism, www.allacedemic.com
Fighting Racism in the Community, www.aboutequalopportunities.co.uk/fighting-racism
Community.html
Racism in America’s Schools, ERIC Digest Series, Number EA49, Beswick, Richard,
www.ericdigest.org/pre-925/racism.html
Guards Kill 2 Inmates in Battle at Colorado Prison, Associated Press, April 21, 2008
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24241552.
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