Racism, Slavery, Discrimination - Essay Example

Essay Question Within the realm of politics and an interpretation of race, prejudice and discrimination are two terms that are invariably carelessly used. As such, a fundamental question that should be considered is with regards to how both of these terms are related and unrelated to one another. As a function of seeking to understand this differential, the following analysis will not only engage the reader with an understanding of the relevance, similarity, and dissimilarity that exists between prejudice and discrimination, it will also seeks to exploit the following quote: “race is not a simple matter of skin color and ethnicity is not only about nationality, instead they are socially constructed categories”. Through such a level of discussion and analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a more informed understanding of race and the manner through which social constructs are understood, engaged, and implemented throughout society. Firstly, it is necessary to understand the fact that both prejudice and discrimination, although having similar definitions are in fact unique. For instance, a very basic definition of prejudice is contingent upon an unjustified or otherwise incorrect approach towards an individual that is predicated upon a person’s adherents, or perceived adherence, to a particular social group. In this way, an individual might be prejudiced with regards to the fact that a particular workplace is, in their mind, no place for an individual of a particular social construct. By means of comparison and contrast, discrimination can be defined as actual behavior, invariably negative, that is directed towards an individual based upon the social group that they are perceived to belong to. In such a manner, the interrelationship that exists between these two terms is powerful. Ultimately, and less an individual is prejudice, they cannot exhibit a level of discriminatory treatment for an individual or group of individuals. By much the same token, an individual cannot necessarily discriminate against someone unless they already have a certain level of prejudice within their own mind/within their own worldview. Within such an understanding and definition, the reader can come to the realization of the fact that seeking to understand and define these two terms is an effective manner through which prejudice and discrimination can be reduced. As stakeholders in society understand the fact that prejudice is the seed from which discrimination grows, seeking to engage individuals within society, educate young people, and generally reduce the level of prejudice is an applicable means through which discrimination can be diminished over time. However, such an approach in and of itself is not wholly efficient. Instead, it must also be realized that there are many individuals that are already deeply prejudiced and this prejudice must be blocked from actively creating a level of discrimination. As a result of this, effective legislation, workplace code of ethics, and other practices have been created that seeks to block these individuals from actively translating their prejudice these into discriminatory/retaliatory actions against an unsuspecting/innocent member of a particular social group. A secondary issue that should be discussed with regards to this particular analysis is with respect to the quote that was provided within the introduction: “race is not a simple matter of skin color and ethnicity is not only about nationality, instead they are socially constructed categories”. From a cursory analysis of this particular quote, the reader is instantly engaged with the realize nation that race is not something that can simplistically be defined based upon the skin tone of an individual. Moreover, a further understanding would have one believe that race is as much about culture and norms as it is about any other aspect. In such a manner, the means through which an individual can be influenced, raised, or identify with a particular race is not necessarily constrain them to be defined as “black”, “white”, “Latino”, or any other racial definition (Lewis 136). Furthermore, even more stark example exists with respect to the fact that ethnicity cannot be determined based upon nationality. Taking the case of South Africa as an example, one can easily see that a South Africa an individual might be assumed to be black African; however, they may in fact be a descendent of a Boer. In this way, nationality is predicated not upon ethnic lines but instead upon the origin of a particular region in which an individual hails (Quigley 65). This fallacy and hardship that exists within this understanding has to do with the fact that individuals are daily encouraged to make broad and stereotypical assumptions based upon little information. As a direct result of these broad and stereotypical generalizations, the overall degree and extent to which the world can effectively be understood and personality traits of an individual can be appreciated is greatly diminished. Further, the reader can and should note that these socially constructed categories are only as useful as the information that they contain. Merely assuming that a person can be understood based upon the ethnicity from which they hail, or the color of their skin, or the geographic region from which their parents were born is a gross and mind bogglingly ignorant approach to defining an increasingly diverse and complicated world. Ultimately, a unique set of variables, all of which are socially constructed, goes into determining what defines an individual. Moreover, as the majority of these socially constructed norms are subjective, the overall fairness and their means of application causes a very high potential for both discrimination and prejudice. In such a way, individuals involved in civil rights movement have long warned against the dangers of broadly generalizing or stereotyping a particular group based upon core expected/perceived commonalities. Essay Question 3) Although many individuals would necessarily point to the fact that the Emancipation Proclamation, and subsequently the result of the Civil War, was the most important event and/or achievement in civil rights for African Americans between the 1600s and 1881, it is the view of this author that this was only a partial success with regards to being considered as equal and bearing the same humanitarian qualities as whites within society. Naturally, the process of civil rights and attempting to make the United States more fair and equitable is ongoing task that will not likely be accomplished within the lifetime of this author (Goodyear 26). However, in looking back into history and defining perhaps the most important moment of civil rights achievement between 1618 81, it is the view of this author that the ratification of the 15th amendment in 1870 serves as the greatest civil rights victory (Quigley 273). The rationale behind this has to do with the fact that freedom from slavery was only a partial victory with regards to civil rights. Upon the conclusion of the Civil War, tens of thousands of African-Americans exist at all throughout the United States; in varying degrees of repression, poverty, and freedom. However, even though the conflict had been won by the North, and slavery effectively ended, the overall representation of inequality within the United States still left a very great deal to be desired. As a result of this disparity in appreciation, the nationwide applicability of the 15th amendment is perhaps the most important event that took place during the 19th century with regards to the civil rights for African Americans. Freedom from slavery was only a partial victory (Lucie 347). Although this may seem as a bold and rather ludicrous statement, the ability of African-Americans to be three and a society that still viewed them as second-class citizens and unworthy of the same rights that whites could enjoy was not indicative of the great victory for civil rights that many historians and scholars have promoted. Instead, the ability of African-Americans to take an active part in the formulation of the Republic and the means through which representation was affected came to be an essential mechanism through which a greater level of equality could eventually be attained. Naturally, such a statement is not meant to say that the ability of African-American men to vote after 1870 level the playing field and created a fair and equitable representation of civil liberties for blacks as compared to whites. Instead, flagrant abuses of the system were implemented within the deep South as Jim Crow laws sought to negate the power of the vote that had been granted by Congress. Nevertheless, by considering African-Americans as worthy citizens of the United States, this particular legislation was, at least in the eyes of this author, the single most definitive and important step towards greater civil liberty and civil rights for the African-American community. It must be stated that even though the right of African American women to vote did not come until a full 50 years later, the impact of giving these previously ignored stakeholders within society the right to vote was an essential element in helping to promote a more integrated and fair society. Without the right to vote, the issue of civil rights would have continued to languish and the movement towards the greater civil rights reforms of the past several decades would have most certainly been delayed if this action had not taken place when it did. Works Cited Goodyear, Frank H. "Beneath The Shadow Of Her Flag": Philip A. Bells The Elevator And The Struggle For Enfranchisement, 1865-1870." California History 78.1 (1999): 26. America: History & Life. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Lewis, Patrick A. "The Democratic Partisan Militia And The Black Peril: The Kentucky Militia, Racial Violence, And The Fifteenth Amendment, 1870-1873." Civil War History 2 (2010): 145. Project MUSE. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Locke, Mamie E. "From Three-Fifths To Zero: Implications Of The Constitution For African-American Women, 1787-1870." Women & Politics 10.2 (1990): 33-46. America: History & Life. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Lucie, Patricia. "On Being A Free Person And A Citizen By Constitutional Amendment." Journal Of American Studies 12.3 (1978): 343-358. America: History & Life. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Quigley, David. "Acts Of Enforcement: The New York City Election Of 1870." New York History 83.3 (2002): 271-292. America: History & Life. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Quigley, David. "Constitutional Revision And The City: The Enforcement Acts And Urban America, 1870-1894." Journal Of Policy History 20.1 (2008): 64-75. America: History & Life. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Read More