Race and Ethics: Experiential Research Paper

Race and Ethics

Experiential Research Paper

S0C350

During these seven weeks of class, I have learned more with interacting with other students. I found this class to be very interesting with all the information the author wrote about the different topics that relate to race and ethnics. Understanding Racism comes from personal experiences. By taking this class it has improved my knowledge and allows me to cope with things that have happen in my life. For example: when my car lost control and broke down, I called AAA to tow my car to a shop. While on the phone with AAA to get a tow the police pull up behind me to see what was going on with me and my car. I told them that I was on the phone with AAA to assist me with towing my car. While on the phone the police had my car tow to the pound even though there was a tow truck coming to assist me. I feel this was a form of racism because I did not give them permission to tow my car. I feel this was a racism act because if I was white they would be more sympathetic and would been more help (Van den Berghe, 1978).

Looking at my perspectives on race and racism we all are human beings. We share a lot in common no matter what color of skin. People were being classified by skin color, facial features and race. Years ago the idea was taking skin tone and facial features and categories them into races. The idea of race we know now white people invented so they could justify their mistreatment of people of color especially during enslaving of Africans and other group of settlers. Even today race is still being use to separate people, we still need to pay closely attention, because of how the white people still have the advantage to oppress people of color and affect the experiences that people to tend have in our society. One thing for sure God put all people on this earth and no one owns the earth but God. No human being was put here to be mistreated, hurt or separates from each other’s. Those ideas that came about was taught to hurt and harm was a behavior that came from Willie Lynch and others (Balkaran, 1999). We suppose to connect with different cultures to learn how to live and respect each other and share the good quality things between mankind; it should never be about the color of skin at all and we should not be separating ourselves from each another neither shall we let the history hinder us from own growth.

Colorblind is one of our goals that people not judged on the basis of their skin color or have stereotyped assumptions made about them. Colorblind is use not to noticed different or pretending not to notice, color or race. We should always notice each other, it helps us learn and understand something about that person experiences. Racism is still around today in the world in all parts. People of color are disadvantage, excluded, limited and mistreated systematically (Balkaran, 1999).

Trayvon Martin lost his life for a certain profile he carried on the day of February 26, 2012. Zimmerman shot and killed this young man for what he believed he saw which ended up being a bag of skittles and a Arizona ice tea (Lawson, 2012). Trayvon appearance with his hoodie led Zimmerman to believe that he may have been a part of the invasions throughout the neighborhood. When the charges for second degree murder of a black young man life, the judge said, “ Justifiable Homicide.” When Zimmerman was interviewed by the media, he stated he did not have any regret for killing Martin. This so stereotyped racism, you take someone life and no regrets and get to walk away from murder charges too (wow). The media turn things upside down and put information out there for the viewers and don’t have the real facts about what really happen, they just see another black young life has been taken and their parents can’t do a thing about it. As far as my opinion I feel that most of the killing that has taken place in United States is racist (Lawson, 2012).

I think some racism, today and the past can be personal racism and people hold on to ideas or feelings in their minds of individuals, and individual behavior. This will cause those individuals to act out hatred of a race, color of skin and will cause fear to one or more races, so they mistreat people of color. Looking back growing up in our neighborhood, I remember how my parents and some other Neighbors use to sit outside and discuss about the (KKK), who were very prejudice to all black and Hispanics, we could not go to South Norfolk area back then in the early sixties, black folks could not go over that side of town for no reasons if you went we would never see them again because they would hang nigga or shoot you. Even today when I go to South Norfolk I get this feeling in my stomach and I just hurry and get from over that area. I guess I just never forgot how they treated our kind (Black) people (Van den Berghe, 1978).

Systemic Racism is the way many advantages in the society are set up systematically, or built into the structure of society or how things, to benefit one racial group (white people) and disadvantage others. Here’s a good example schools in the poor neighborhoods are financed from property taxes, which are where most students of color live and going to schools that don’t have enough money to pay teachers, buy books, etc. only if the schools were financed from sports, they could provide equally good schools for all students, no matter what race they are. I think we should get these parents more involved in the school systems and meet with the local authorities like the mayor and governor of the city and ask them to help us better the public school for our children, they are the future to come so let get things better our children in all races (Balkaran, 1999).

Another important area that needs our attention is cleaning up the neighbor for children and senior citizens. These people have worked all their lives. They don’t deserve to sit and watch drug dealers take over the neighborhood or live in fear of leaving their homes. A lot of colorblind goes on because of fear. We must learn how to take back the communities with the help of the system like the police department and other authority to help clean up the neighborhoods and make living for all people in the communities. One thing is that if they see you care they will assist in making an effort to help get their communities back. We must be effective in helping each other and not let racism stand in our way. We must overcome and help each other to find a way to save our schools and neighborhoods. For example I would like to do a car wash to raise money to help our schools out and sell Krispy Kreme donuts, for every box you sell they give you a percentage toward the fundraiser (Van den Berghe, 1978).

Respect is the act of showing someone that you values his or her feelings and thoughts. Respect is a universal value that each person desires not only to give to everybody, but also to receive. Respect is not just what you say but also the way you act. Showing people that you take their feelings and thoughts into consideration are how to earn respect. If you demonstrate respect toward others, then others will respect you and listen to your opinions. Respect begins with self-respect and then extends to the respect of others. Self-respect occurs only when you listen to yourself and place your opinions and feelings before others (Van den Berghe, 1978). The more you value yourself, the more you know that you are worth something. The more you listen to your feelings and opinions, the more you know that you are worth something. Self-respect is an important value because its absence reduces self-confidence. If you do not value your emotions or outlook, then who will? Values in life are something that is extremely important to have in my life. A value is something that a person considers to be important to them.

Financial values vary from person to person. Not everybody wants the same lifestyle. Some people dream of having expensive cars, spacious homes and many possessions. Others search for the simple life, uncluttered by material goods. Our values influence the way we earn, spend, save, invest and spend money. Personal values are influenced by family and friends, by television and movies, and by what attracts us in the marketplace. For example, you may want to go to college, yet you want to earn money to buy a new car. If you cannot afford both, you must make a choice.

I’m enjoying sharing my thoughts with other students; the responses help me to understand how society use and how it operated through the society. Racism is everywhere, the USA government. Politics, schools, economic all these are used to show society who’s in control of the world as a whole. We discuss about Black Americans assimilating with the help of civil rights that included voting privileges and jobs. When thinking about unacknowledged male privilege as a phenomenon, when it was mostly likely a phenomenon of white privilege that was similarly denied and protected (Desmond & Emirbayer, 2010).

Whites were taught about racism as something to put others at a disadvantage, but white was taught not to see proposition aspects, white privilege, which put them at an advantage. Black Americans have assimilated in the earlier 1960’s into present which the 21st century, with the help of civil rights that included voting privileges, jobs. Denials that amount to taboos surround the subject of advantages that men gain from women’s disadvantages. These denials protect male privilege from being fully acknowledged, lessened, or ended. Thinking through unacknowledged male privilege as a phenomenon, I realized that, since hierarchies in our society are interlocking, there is most likely a phenomenon of white privilege that was similarly denied and protected. As a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantage. The mainstream U.S. is a process how we get to end results (Desmond & Emirbayer, 2010).

People of today need to come to realization that people are just people regardless of race, creed or color of their skin. In every race there are good, bad and the ugly, with that being said each individual have their personal preface in the way they choose to contribute to society. Whites and nonwhites committed to the principles of integration have helped build up stable, multiracial neighborhoods. But America is truly integrated will take many more committed individuals, for we still have a long way to go (Van den Berghe, 1978).

The media have and will continue to portray a self-serving negative stereotype of the African-American community. The societal and economic factors of racism have become more than just a bias. They are also a profitable industry, in which the elite will continue to suppress the lower class in order to maximize profits. According to Harvard professor Cornell West, 1 percent of the elite hold some 48 percent of America’s wealth. This means that media, racism, and stereotypes will continue to be employed so that those elite can be sure of their continuing economic stability (Desmond & Emirbayer, 2010).

To conclude, from what I have learned this far I can now use what I have come across in this class to help myself and others to become better aware of each other’s backgrounds and respect each other as individuals and as a whole.

References

Balkaran, S. (1999). Mass media and racism. The Yale Political Quarterly, 21(1), 19-32.

Desmond, M., & Emirbayer, M. (2010). Racial domination, racial progress: The sociology of race in America. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Lawson, T. F. (2012). A Fresh Cut in an Old Wound–A Critical Analysis of the Trayvon Martin Killing: The Public Outcry, the Prosecutors’ Discretion, and the Stand Your Ground Law.

Van den Berghe, P. L. (1978). Race and racism: A comparative perspective. John Wiley & Sons.

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