Social workers' role in addressing racism in American society

Racism

There have been several well-publicized incidents of blatant racism in the news lately, including the bigoted remarks by the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, and the racist rant (suggesting that blacks were better off as slaves) by Nevada rancher, Cliven Bundy. Meanwhile other nationally known figures have also made statements about racism, including billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team, who claimed he, too, is bigoted against African-Americans (especially when he sees a black youth in a "hoody"). These remarks -- and the media's coverage of the verbally expressed racism -- have piqued my interest in the subject. So I have in this paper referenced the position of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) on racism, and have also presented some of my own views as well.

Section One: What is your person opinion on racism and what led you to this opinion?

My parents and my extended family of relatives, friends and colleagues all were shocked by the recent racist statements in the media, especially by Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Here is a man whose team is made up of a majority of African-American athletes, in a league that is dominated by African-Americans; and, incredibly, he attacks his girlfriend for bringing her black friends to the games? Moreover, Sterling launched an outrageous attack on Magic Johnson, a sports icon who is beloved in Los Angeles and elsewhere as a hall of fame player who has (in retirement) helped the African-American community by developing businesses -- and creating jobs -- in the inner city.

And of course the outrageous racist comments by the Nevada rancher would never have made the national news if he hadn't been for the confrontation with federal officials when Bundy refused to pay the fees to graze his cattle on federal lands. Still, given that these remarks have been played over and over again and every commentator has had his or her say, it created an interest in me to discover what the literature was saying about racism fifty years after the landmark legal decision, Brown vs. Board of Education, that supposedly made it illegal for states to have segregated schools.

My personal opinion is that racism is a social sickness that is terribly wrong but will probably always be with society. Although it is cruel and unfair, and illogical as well, it seems that these prejudices are handed down from generations, from parents to children. African-American students I have known, and other minorities (Latinos, Asians and Native Americans), have just as much right to a chance to reach their dreams as Caucasians do. My own upbringing included values that went against bigotry; I have always been comfortable talking with and being friends with people of color and with other minorities as well.

Section Two: What is NASW's opinion?

The viewpoints put forward by the National Association of Social Workers are to the point and cutting edge. "Racism is pervasive in American society and remains a silent code that systematically closes the doors of opportunity to young and old alike" (NASW). To say that racism is "pervasive" in the American society is quite bold, because there are people who will say that aside from a few nut cases like Sterling and Bundy, most people are not racist. But the NASW points out that notwithstanding Brown vs. Board of Education, the educational system in the U.S. "…systematically denies equal access and opportunity" to children and adults of color -- and "especially to those who are poor" (NASW).

How is racism defined by the NASW? It is the "ideology" or "practice" in which one group feels "superiority" over another group or groups by reason of "…race, color, ethnicity, or cultural heritage" (p. 6). That is a specific kind of bias that the NASW is relating to, because of course there is "prejudice" that is launched against gay and lesbian people based on their lifestyles but racism is directed specifically against people of color or whose ethnicity is different.

The conditions in schools and in business in the U.S. lead to "greater deprivation" and to "greater political, social, and economic oppression," the NASW continues. Given this racism on a national level, the NASW asserts that social workers should "act" in order to prevent and eliminate discrimination against anyone, any class of people or any group. In other words, showing leadership against bias and blatant discrimination is one of the obligations of social workers. On page 4 of the document the NASW points out that there is discrimination in public housing facilities, in lending institutions, in healthcare and in federal and local elected positions.

Racism really began in the United States with the "genocide of American Indians," but it was also shown through the "atrocities of slavery, colonialism, and the internment of Japanese-Americans" after the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 (NASW). In fact the NASW asserts that the U.S. conquered countries and populations (in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and in the American West, which was home to dozens of tribes) to obtain land and to obtain "cheap labor" and military outposts as a way to make the U.S. more powerful (p. 6).

Social workers have positions in which they are apt to "confront the damaging effects of racism: greater poverty, higher mortality rates, inadequate housing, higher unemployment and under employment" (NASW). And because social workers are obliged to serve those least served, they are very apt to be working with people who have limited educational opportunities, limited access to healthcare services, higher incidences of "mental illness," and a "disproportionate involvement in the criminal justice system" -- and this is why social workers are trained to help those least served.

Section Three: Personal Reflection

The NASW policy statement did not change my way of thinking but it did open up my eyes to the goals of the NASW. The NASW insists that there be a way -- not just to help those who suffer from injustice but -- to call attention to "the pain of oppression, the legacy of racism, and the contributions of racially oppressed groups," and I was not aware that the duty of a social worker was to make the plight of those oppressed known through public statements.

"White privilege" is another issue in the U.S. that the NASW asserts must be made known publically. However, I know for sure there are many Caucasians who don't feel privileged at all, but instead are proud that they worked their way through the system and made it by pulling themselves up by the bootstraps. Many of those same people would say (and do say) that anyone from any ethnicity can achieve financial success if they just work hard and follow the rules.

That having been said, the truth is that many people of color are not given the opportunity to achieve financial success. On page 9 of the NASW white paper on racism the issue of "…an adequate minimum wage that reflects the realities of the economy" caught my eye. There should be a much more realistic minimum wage put in place; President Obama has made this one of his issues, and he is advocating a $10.10 an hour minimum wage, which I agree with wholeheartedly. This brings up a point that I certainly agree with, and that is, people earning $7.00 or $7.50 an hour (in a 40-hour work week) do not have the opportunity to achieve financial success -- or even to keep a family of two or three healthy and happy.

I do not have a conflict with any of NASW's policy statements; in fact quite the opposite, I agree with every bullet point the NASW makes and as a social worker I will use the NASW guidelines on race and fairness as the basis for my own personal professional activities.