Understanding and Solving Racial Discrimination - Essay Example

Understanding and Solving Racial Discrimination Racial inequality is a social problem that has persisted over decades. Factors such as prejudice and discrimination, capitalism, unequal exchange systems and norms of unequal reciprocity are behind the creation of racial injustices in the society. Consequently, majority races have continued to gain more power, money, and prestige than their minority counterparts do. When the minority races became aware of their sad situation, they started forming groups to fight for social reconstruction to enhance their rights. The groups and organizations gained strength after charismatic leaders communicated the oppression of the minorities to the society. The groups champion for less inequality, less alienation, and more human fulfillment among other needs. Many factors have created racial inequality, leading to the formation of the organization to advocate new social construction of reality. Prejudice and discrimination are among the forces that create racial inequality in the society. Prejudice includes beliefs and attitudes that justify, cause or support discrimination against people that belong to a minor race in the society (George, 2009). Discrimination is an action against the members of the minority races. In April 2015, police arrested a black man by the name Freddy Grey in West Baltimore without probable cause. They then mishandled him while in their custody, leading to his death. Many people, most blacks, rioted, and caused havoc in the city, prompting the authorities to hear their cries. The criminal investigation office found them guilty of manslaughter, unlawful arrest and misuse of office. The incident portrays the prejudice that most whites have against members of the black race. Black people have thus suffered from discrimination in the hands of the whites. The capitalistic economy has also led to racial inequality in the society (William, 2010). During the colonization of nations, the European countries took much wealth from their colonies. They also enslaved Africans and other minority races and made them work for them in the colonies and elsewhere. As the slaves provided cheap labor, they only received little compensation in the form of foodstuffs while their masters accumulated wealth. Since then, it has been difficult to offset the inequality in property ownership and wealth. The society has continually perceived blacks as sources of cheap labor for the white people. They thus receive low wages and occupy lower positions in the corporate world. Consequently, they rarely emerge above their white counterparts in property ownership. As people exchange goods and services in the society, they tend to create inequality in exchange based on racial background. For instance, a white businessperson may decide to sell scarce goods to his white folks at a cheaper price while raising the price for the same products when a black person buys them. The unequal exchange usually emanates from social prejudice and discrimination against the minor race. People tend to accept the prevailing exchange relationships as legitimate, leading to a norm of unequal reciprocity. Therefore, the society has accepted the norm that the blacks and people belonging to other minority races receive goods and services after the White have received them. Consequently, more inequality along racial lines continues existing in the society. The overall results of the primary causal forces are inequalities in money, power, and prestige. As the majority races continue gaining more wealth, they tend to accumulate more money due to economies of large scale (William, 2010). They can easily use their money to gain power in politics, social institutions, and economic arenas. Due to the capitalistic nature of the whites in North America, it has gained a high amount of political power over other races around the globe. They are in a position to influence and determine the economic, social, and political stands of the other races within the nation and beyond it. They can also lead a prestigious life since they have the money and power. On the other hand, the minority races cannot have enough money and power to influence their way of life. They end up serving the majority races. As racial inequality increases, the minority races discover that they are getting less opportunity hence strive to oppose the inequalities. Most African Americans do not begin at the same ‘starting line’ of equal opportunities as do white Americans because of the existing social injustices. Therefore, white folks end up having more opportunities to create property or enter into power than their black counterparts. As the minority races have less opportunity, they will find it hard to be upwardly mobile. That is why most people that occupy prestigious positions in governments, social and economic institutions in North America are white. The black people began communicating their frustrations and gained unity and strength. Charismatic leaders such as Martin Luther King Junior communicated dissatisfaction regarding the existing systems of inequalities. The black people have thus over the years become more aware of the racial inequalities directed against them. They have gained more feeling of unfairness. Thus, history has witnessed them questioning the legitimacy of existing social construction of reality, leading them to form groups and organization that fight for their rights (George, 2009). Eliminating Racism And Creating Equality (E.R.A.C.E.) is a foundation that aims to dismantle barriers that facilitate human hatred or apathy (The ERACE Foundation, n.d.). The organization believes that these invisible barriers have come into existence due to racial discrimination and other factors, leading to socially destructive boundaries. E.R.A.C.E. strives to promote unity and reconciliation among all races since it believes that all human beings are equal. It encourages people to celebrate diversity rather than applying differences in separating races. It hopes to eradicate the dysfunctional state of humanity through love, communication, understanding, and recreating relationships. The organization seeks to gain support from the public since to have an influence in the economic, social, and political arenas. The ERACE have sponsored several rallies, talks, and other peaceful ways in order to address the racial conflicts. They advocate for social change by spearheading new social construction of reality (The ERACE Foundation, n.d.). They advocate for less prejudice and discrimination, meeting of more human needs and fulfillment of minority races, the more equal norm of reciprocity, equal exchange relationships. References George, H. (2009). Social problems (2nd ed.). New York: Robert Schalkenbach Foundation. The ERACE Foundation. (n.d.). About ERACE. Retrieved from www.erace.com/about/activities.shtml William, A. (2010). Preparing to Solve our Social Problems. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/36031_1.pdf Read More