Racism And Its Effects Essay, Research Paper
Throughout this essay I will prove how racism affects people, and how to try to stop this. Racism is the belief that a race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. A racist is someone who is racially prejudice and discriminating.
I believe that racist beliefs stem out of ignorant and stereotypical views of a race that have been passed down through generations. If the people are taught and educated about different cultures, they will not fear what is different.
On December tenth 1948 in the Palis de Chaillot in Paris, the United Nation’s General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The document is made up of thirty articles, which deal with a series of basic human rights and duties.
It states ” The declaration is a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the people of member states themselves and among the people of territories under their jurisdiction.”
However this is not always the case, infraction to the human rights code are all too often practiced, today as much as 50 years ago. War crimes in the former Yugoslavia, terrorist acts in the Gaza strip, Political prisoners in China, female genital mutilation in orthodox Muslim communities are all too common. However the message this document stands for is one for the universality of man and womankind alike. It tells of such basic rights as freedom and life that are owed to every human being regardless of the language they speaks or the race they are born into.
Since the early development of society in the United States, racism has always been a divisive issue faced by communities on a political level. America was built from the immigration of people from an international array of backgrounds. However, multitudes of white supremacists blame their personal as well as economic misfortunes on an abundance of ethnic groups. African-Americans, Jews, and Catholics are only some of the groups tormented by these white supremacists. As the amount of ethnic diversity increased in the political systems of the United States, organisations rapidly formed to challenge the new ethnic variation in government. The Ku Klux Klan is one of the groups that were formed by people who were angered by the increase of diversity in political offices and the workplace. Local and State officials that were members of the clan aided in providing influence, money, and information to the racist organisation. As the civil rights movement became accepted, it seemed as if the power of racist organisations deteriorated. However, with the Klan demanding freedom of speech, and political figures related to Ku Klux Klan still bringing prejudice to politics throughout America, it seems that the Klan is still a threat to the ethnic citizens of the United States.
The world’s biggest desolation that caused the murders of millions of Jews took place during WWII. The Holocaust orchestrated by the Nazi Empire destroyed millions of lives and created questions about humanity that may never be answered. Many psychological effects caused by the Holocaust forever changed the way the Jewish people view the world and themselves. The Jewish people have been scarred for generations and may never be able to once again associate with the rest of the free world. Further, these scars have now become the looking glass through which the survivors and their children view the world. Through narrow eyes, the survivors relate everything to the experiences they endured during the Holocaust. Likewise, these new views on the world shapes how the survivors live, interact, and raise a family both socially and spiritually. Some survivors are scarred so deeply they can not escape the past feelings and images of terror.
I believe that racism is an evil that can and has the ability destroy society. It is a stain in the tablecloth of humanity. If we are drawn into racist beliefs than we are not moving forward but backward. I believe that racism is another word for primitive behaviour, the fear of the different that has caused millions of people, their self-esteem, dignity, and in extreme cases their life. We are in the 21st century, we are an intelligent and technologically advanced society, and yet racism still seems to find a place in this world. As a society we must learn to overcome our differences and act as a group if we are ever to evolve into a better community.