Race Relations the Word Racism

Race Relations

The word racism has different definitions and a variety of connotations, but for the purpose of simplicity it can be described as racial accounts for dissimilarities in human nature or aptitude and that one particular race is better than another. Yes, racism exists, but it is not there in every person or in every comment. Dismissively branding someone a racist because you disagree with their view is not an effort to recognize deficits in order to recommend corrective measures. It is an assault, a bully approach projected to threaten someone who is perhaps trying to utilize logic and reasoning (Lester, 2010).

Playing the racist card often attains the desired effect of conformity but it comes with a cost. That cost is dislike. In America, people do not like bullies. They get fired, abandoned, chastised, ridiculed, and voted out of office. People prefer to spend time with people who lead certain lifestyles and display conventional behavior. If one is a member of a college sorority, a lodge, book club or forum they possibly feel the same way all the while condemning others for comparable actions and stances. If one doesn't like a person because they are predominantly white that makes them a racist. On the other hand if one prefers to not spend time with a person because one is quiet, keeps to themselves and is a lousy conversationalist then they are merely holding that person accountable for their unsociable behavior. The words that people use and the way they treat each other will form the lives and attitudes of the young children and to a lesser degree, their offspring. It is important for people to think before they speak (Lester, 2010).

In 2008, Americans selected a black man as President. The election was just as momentous as when in 1954; Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. It was up to that time established that running one mile in less than four minutes was physically not possible. Doctors around the world categorically stated that the human heart would blow up before it could be completed. And then one day Roger by accident did the unfeasible and lived to tell about it. Once runners recognized that breaking the four-minute mile was achievable they began trying. All it took was for one person to do what was thought couldn't be done (Lester, 2010).

Anyone who grew up south of the Mason-Dixon Line in the period that lead up to the Civil Rights legislation that was put into law in the 1960's can confirm to the societal and political progresses of all races since that time, especially Blacks. The disparities among then and now are plainly distinguished by the extremely discernible existence of blacks, Chicanos and Asian people in office, the academic world and pop society (Woodgate, 2010). Forced multiculturalism drives people away from each other, not the other way around. When one hears the race card being used arbitrarily chances are pretty good that they are being influenced, not educated. Political rightness is little more than intuition overriding (Lester, 2010).

The Federal Courts and the Educational systems have perhaps been the two most influential institutions that have advanced the cause for improving race relations in this country over the last forty years. Breaking down the social separation that existed in the classrooms and the work place has slowly extended greater chances to African-Americans, although poverty levels between blacks and other races are still considerable. Yet, there no longer exists prejudiced laws that limit voter's rights due to race. Blacks can lawfully live where they want and go to higher education establishments where their financial circumstances permit. Gone are the lawful restrictions that were so famous in the South and more subtlety planted in many northern urban communities that kept blacks within second class citizenship borders (Woodgate, 2010).

None the less, research has found that racial equality still has hurdles to overcome with many as society doesn't dispute what is becoming apparent to everyone despite their racial motivations. Acceptance of such linkage has advanced to a point that doesn't create public rage anymore. Advertisers and television networks are no longer protested or boycotted for displaying black images with their products and on household TV screens. In less than half a century black men have gone from being killed simply for whistling at a white woman to an increase of five hundred and four percent in mixed marriages over the last twenty five years (Woodgate, 2010).

Unfortunately all social change is slow. Old habits tend to die hard and a lot of suffering has to occur all along the path of progress. Race will perhaps forever be a factor in American civilization but the line will grow to be blurred as time pushes back in opposition to nearly three hundred years of human mistreatment. Racial hate is a strong feeling that needs very little to surface with some but to endure it must have social significance to inspire others to comparable levels of hate. As these racial typecasts gradually break up throughout incremental augmented levels of acceptance within the bigger society, that actuality will center less on skin color and all what that involves in a person's awareness. Those who persist on enabling these hateful typecast are more likely to be relegated to a cult status by the conventional culture than as a severe threat for social disturbance (Woodgate, 2010).

The enthusiasm with which so many Americans voted for Barrack Obama carried over to his inauguration and persisted through the first half of his first year in office. Many people asked if America could at last let go of its racist history. Sadly, political parties and leftist ideologies that found public policies on social and economic classifications will in no way be able to envision human beings as individuals. They will always view people as members of some set and conquer racial classifications. Even though many liberals have first-rate aims and want to assist others, their plans have enabled tension among social groups. Such plans have done more damage than good to the very neighborhoods they try to help (Anderson, 2010).

The vast preponderance of times that race gets national attention are when left-wing political leaders, media leaders, associations, or specialists utilize it as an instrument for political or personal feasibility. Playing the race card and pitting factions against other factions to attract media interest, influence public opinion to get political power, or augment donations is a method that the left often utilizes. America has moved beyond evaluating a person based on race as substantiated by the election of President Obama (Anderson, 2010).