Racial Inequality in America

Dear Next President,

The African American community has been growing up in neighborhoods plagued by poverty, violence, and drugs. They attend schools that are underfunded and poorly functioning, or have to cope with constantly being perceived through a filter of distressing and disparaging stereotypes which makes developing basic skills and qualifications extremely difficult. The United States has come a long way with equal rights between the races but there is still some tension left. People of both races feel as if violence is the only solution. Watching all this violence span out on TV makes me fearful for what is yet to come. I believe that with the racial inequality that is so prevalent in our society creates a volatile atmosphere that encourages violence. The only way to reduce the violence is to make sure that people of races and ethnicities are provided equal opportunities.

In the United States there has been several cases of violence which has caused tension between the races. Within the last couple years there has been several cases of murder between the races. In 2014, Eric Garner from Staten Island, New York, and Michael Brown from Ferguson, Missouri were 2 unarmed African Americans that were killed by police officers. In both cases, grand juries declined to indict the officers involved for police brutality. However these African American victims were innocent and did not deserve to die. The rulings provoked a wave of protest marches, rallies, and road blockades across the country, as demonstrators of all skin colors proclaimed to the nation and to the world that “black lives matter.”

In 2008, Barack Obama was elected president. Many of Obama’s supporters viewed his election as a milestone in U.S. history, marking the dawn of a “post racial” society. It was an era in which the color of someone’s skin would stand as a barrier for achievements and opportunity. Obama insisted that “there’s not a black America and white America and Latin America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.” Now in 2016 with the upcoming election coming full speed ahead the American voters are very fearful of what is happening and what is yet to happen. The topic of violence caused by racial tensions is an issue you have very briefly been over. A key example of this violence is in Chicago, Illinois. The murder rates in Chicago have escalated within the past few years. Yet you have barely talked on the issue.

Although discrimination has by no means disappeared from American life, there are a few settings such as University admissions and faculty hiring are good examples where blacks have equal opportunity when their credentials and experience are equal of those of white applicants. In September of 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Executive Order 11246 prohibiting business and corporation officials from discriminating against employees because of their race, religion, sex, color, or origin. The Council of Foreign Relations found that the average wealth of white households in the United States is 13 times as high as that of black households. Now with the heavier promotion of equal opportunity in education and the work field the black community has an equal opportunity to make the same amount of money.

Overall racial inequality that is so prevalent in our society creates a volatile atmosphere that encourages violence. The only way to reduce the violence is to make sure that people of all races and ethnicities are provided equal opportunities. Even though this violence due to race boundaries at corporations and businesses are coming down. Also, with the racial boundaries at the criminal and law level are appointed by those of all races and ethnicities.

Sincerely,

Megan R.

Citations:

Wachtel, Paul L. "Mind the Gap." Tikkun, July 2000, p. 77. Student Edition.

Shelley, Marshall. "The year of fear: how do we minister amid terrorist attacks, racial violence, and the most polarized election in memory?" Christianity Today, Oct. 2016, p. S8+.Student Edition.

Harris, Fredrick C., and Robert C. Lieberman. "Racial inequality after racism: how institutions hold back African Americans." Foreign Affairs, Mar.-Apr. 2015. Student Edition.