IS RACISM A PERMANENT FEATURE OF SOCIETY? Racism is a deeply rooted problem in American society.

It is one of many issues that has affected American culture and politics. I believe racism will be a facet of American society for ages to come. African Americans have attained many civil rights and overcame many obstacles in the face of adversity. Derrick Bell asserts that racism is still alive to this day. He maintains that as long as people are race conscious they wont rise above it. Bell argues that few whites are able to identify with blacks as a group. Since blacks are so far behind whites in terms of living standards, Bell attributes this to a system where skin color affects how society perceives them. African Americans face a lot of difficulty pursuing careers and finding respectable homes. Couple this with the fact that some whites are fearful that blacks will get ahead. Neutral standards may have created an air of equality, but it has actually created an air of racial bias. Along with appropriate qualifications and proper background checks, blacks are also scrutinized by their skin color. The amount of melanin in their skin can be the sole reason one may not have been hired or be chosen as an apartment tenant. They could have the same qualifications as a white person, but a black person might be looked over. A lot of negative stereotypes surrounding blacks affect job hiring. Whites only respond to dealing with blacks when it is beneficial. In contrast, if blacks are an inconvenience then they will discriminate appropriately. DSouza takes the position where Americans can live alongside racism. He asserts that discrimination only hurts some African Americans rather than the entire group as a whole. The ones who suffer the most are the discriminators as they will lose out on talented African

Americans. The pressure would eventually get to them and they will concede to hire blacks. Blacks have to be competitive underneath these neutral standards. Otherwise, the inequality gap will still be prevalent and blacks will continue to lag behind other ethnic groups. Both authors would agree that racism is prevalent in this country. I like where Derrick Bell is going from. I agree with a lot of his points regarding racism in America. It is hard for African Americans to come up, especially underprivileged African Americans. Many are not fortunate enough to have the materials needed to succeed. A lot of resources necessary for success are also unavailable. If young black men fail to pursue higher education then they are more likely to find themselves in jail or on the streets. This is where much of the discrimination and stereotyping comes from. Furthermore, it can be difficult for blacks to achieve and come up as an ethnic group. With 30% of black men expected to go to prison, it is going to take a lot of progress to shake off that negative stigma (Younge). When one thinks of prison they might get the picture large, black men with tattoos. This is a stereotype that takes its roots from a predominately black prison population. Whites who are still uncomfortable with successful black people will never grow up and learn. The anti-black sentiment isnt very pronounced, but it shows politically and regionally. For example, those who dislike African Americans and Latino groups are in favor of voter ID laws (Bogado). In American politics, Republicans like to push for policies that hinder or slow the progress of African Americans. This is a big problem since it starts to take away from African Americans ability to vote and choose their politicians. It takes their voice away and gives it to a select few. Many feel blacks and other ethnic groups are not entitled to enjoy the privilege of voting.

What I propose for black people to advance as a group is for more initiative to pursue higher education. If more youths were inspired to become doctors, engineers, scientists, or politicians, then blacks would have a much stronger foothold in the country. While there are many who do achieve great careers and success, they are minute compared to underprivileged who are relegated to a life of failure and poverty. For the group as a whole to succeed, there has to be more motivation and drive. There needs to be more community leaders and positive role models. Many young men grew up without a father, for instance. I did not grow up with a father present in my life. There was only my nurturing mom who pushed me. Who knows where I would have ended up if I didnt have goals and expectations for myself. Bell says that underprivileged blacks make it harder for other blacks to succeed. I have not found that to be true in my case. I have never been treated disrespectfully because of the shortcomings of my peers. As a matter of fact, working hard and showing high motivation has worked in my favor. Whites and blacks have taken notice of this and even commend me for having goals and aspirations. It is hard to see others fail because it doesnt benefit anybody. If black people detached themselves from their degenerative culture then they would make great strides in advancing as a group. It is the negative aspects of black culture that holds many aback. It is the rappers, ghettos, and prisons that perpetuate a revolving cycle of failure. It has to be through schools, positive role models, and cooperation with other ethnic groups that can bring African Americans up. The case study has given me much insight on how blacks are viewed in society. I am starting to look at racism more closely. I have learned a great deal from Bell and DSouza. I have

to see my success through in order to be the positive role model to other African Americans. One cannot get rid of racism as racial bias is everywhere: the media, school, and politics. The day we stop looking at each other by skin color is when we get rid of racism.