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Sowell also ignores the substantial difference between blacks and other ethnic groups. Other ethnic groups migrated willingly to America, and were able to form communities surrounded by people of other ethnic groups. Furthermore, other groups were not subjected to the system of slavery, which set up the racial caste system that exists today. In fact, Sowell himself is guilty of perpetuating the same type of racism that helped develop the caste system of racism. Blacks are not given the same type of ethnic identity as the Irish or Germans, for example. He does not refer to these groups as Europeans or as whites, but acknowledges their different ethnic identities. Likewise, slaves who were brought against their wills to America came from different countries in Africa and were, themselves, composed of different ethnic groups. When brought here, they were mixed in with members of other groups, many times with traditional enemies. This prevented the type of zero-generation ethnic community building that was essential to the evolution of the group within society. Moreover, one cannot ignore the damage that slavery did to the individual slave families; while other ethnic groups could at least turn to families for support and understanding, early black immigrants were denied this basic ability....
Furthermore, one of the most damaging practices in slavery was the sexual use of slave women by their masters. This practice created children, many of whom were deeply detested by their slave mothers. These children were marked by this in their lighter skin and whiter features. However, some, though by no means all, white fathers freed their children, creating a caste of free blacks that was generally lighter skinned than the overall slave population. The practice also helped around the stability of slave families, since slave women did not have the luxury of protesting this sexual use. In fact, the practice of sexual assault against female slaves was so pervasive that, at the time of emancipation, most slaves in America already had some non-African ancestors. Ironically, this has led to the erosion of a multi-tiered caste system, such as the one that exists in India, and instead an absolute caste system, which places all non-black ethnic groups in a position superior to blacks. Of course there are exceptions; caste systems define the norms for the majority of the population, but the reality is that there is a race-based caste system in America, which certainly seems to be permanent.
Works Cited
Sowell, Thomas. Ethnic America: A History. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1981.
Works Cited
Sowell, Thomas. Ethnic America: A History. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1981.
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