Racism in America: What Has to Happen for White and Black to Unite?

The subject of racism is a continual controversial issue within everyday American society. Racial equality is such a new concept within our lives that many raw emotions still cloud our judgement. Longstanding hatred and hurt feelings eat away at the good intentions and bold efforts that the majority of Americans are trying to promote. Far too many of us speak of equality and hope, yet secretly rationalize hate, based on little more than stereotypes and stories of atrocities that happened generations ago.

There is no debate of the oppression and inequality that has been imposed upon minorities in this country. Slavery is a black eye on the soul of our nation's history. There has never been an excuse for one human to own another. We humans as a species should always have been treated equally. There simply is no question to the validity of these statements. So why is it that racism still exist? What will it take for mankind to realize that despite the color of a person's skin, we are all amazing, complex, individuals, who posses wonderful characteristics that should be admired and loved?

Most Americans will tell you, that they are not racist individuals. Many of these people though, are either fooling themselves, or just being politically correct. When you delve deeper into the subconscious of the human psyche, you discover that many of us have reasons that we believe justifies racism. These so called reasons or excuses include the reverse discrimination of Affirmative Action, ignorance of other races, and the belief in the need for retribution for past injustices. Maybe we should all take some time to look at these issues and into our own hearts, to see if together we can learn to be better as a species.

Reverse discrimination of white people by the laws of Affirmative Action, has been an ongoing issue for the past forty years. First conceptualized by President John F. Kennedy, in 1961, and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, in 1965, Affirmative Action was supposed to be the long awaited catalyst toward racial equality. Pegged as the solution needed to afford minorities equal opportunities both in work and school, Affirmative Action, was hailed as the righter of wrongs and leveler of the field. There certainly is no doubt that in the 1960's at the epicenter of the civil rights movement, that the government had an obligation to pass legislation aimed at equalizing the races on at least a social level. The question now has become whether or not Affirmative Action has passed its prime? Does this once very necessary legislation now in today's society do more harm than good?

The idea true, true or not, that a person who is better qualified for a job or a college acceptance may be denied that right because of the need to fill a quota of minorities is a real fear among many white Americans. If a white person who is even equally qualified for a position is passed over for a minority, there is the question as to whether it is for reasons of Affirmative Action. How many employers are fearful of not hiring a minority for a position because they do not want to be accused of racism?

It is my sincere hope and belief that we as a nation have come to a point where Affirmative Action is no longer needed. People of today's society are hopefully more refined to the ideal of racial equality than they were just forty years ago. As more and more generations of Americans have grown up in the desegregated public school system, and work side by side with people of different races everyday, many stereotypes must have changed. The work force is filled with managers and CEO's of all races, and that would be very unlikely to change with a repeal of the laws. As a whole we have become a much more refined culture. It is certainly not socially acceptable to discriminate against another race. Therefore all Affirmative Action is really doing is keeping alive raw emotions and bruised feelings.

There will always be a need for a system of checks and balances to ensure equality. Affirmative Action is no longer that system. There will always be a select few idiots in the world that believe it is acceptable to discriminate. These racist individuals certainly need to be dealt with by the law. Legislation should be in place to protect the equality of all individuals without harming others in the process.

A much more difficult problem to overcome with racism in our country is ignorance. It has been a very short time frame in our history in which equality of the races has been obtained. As we all know it takes only a very short time to teach a person to hate, and yet you can spend a lifetime in vain attempting to repair the misguided web of lies racism encompasses. We still have generations of Americans, both black and white, which have grown up with racism. One of the most difficult tasks in life to accomplish is to overcome the core fundamental principles that you are taught as a child. Parents, Grandparents, and rolemodels, yield an enormous amount of influence in the moral development of a child. Therefore a child who grows up witnessing racism, as a way of life, is likely to become a racist adult. It is a vicious circle that must be halted. Hate breeds hate. We should all join together to stop the spread of racism among our youth.

How is it, that in such a refined society, there are still people who believe that they are better than others based on nothing more than the color of their skin? It is my hope and belief that, younger generations, (those who never experienced segregation), have the core knowledge to know that there is no connection between race and ability or community stature. It should be plain to see that in everyday society that there are multiple examples of upstanding honorable minorities. Far too many people point to the relative few who make up the stereotypical black person as an excuse for racism. We must be realistic in our mindsets. We are all human. No matter the color of our skin we should all be equal.

Ignorance is not only a white person's disease. It is just as prevalent in the minds of blacks as with whites. I have heard far too many times, a black person say that they were persecuted because of their skin color. Sometimes I am sure this is true, however everytime a black person pushes the race issue just as a way to get attention, they are worsening their cause.

Probably the most argument provoking excuse for racism is the thought for the need for minorities to be compensated for past wrongs. I will be very blunt on this issue. Slavery was a horrible atrocity committed in this country. There is no excuse for one human to own another. Also, more recently Jim Crowe laws and the harassment that was brought against blacks were just as wrong. However appalling these events were, and despite the three hundred plus years that racism ran rampant, I do not feel as though I personally should apologize or repay anyone for them happening. I was born long after the end of slavery, and do not know anyone who was a slave. It is my belief that we have come to a point in the history of this nation when we should all agree that for the majority of America's existence blacks have not been treated as equal. However now is not the time to make that an issue. To continue to harp on the past for the purpose of justifying hate, is to breed the type of racist thought that will do nothing more than fuel future generations to do the same. We as a nation should move forward together in a spirit of togetherness, and close forever this chapter of despair.

The only true solution to racism is for everyone to push past all of the stereotypes and unfounded ideas that we subconsciously passes. I understand that seems like a very simplistic solution to a huge problem, however; what truly is our basis for hate? A person's color has nothing to do with their ability to be a productive member of society. We should not need laws to force us to give everyone the same opportunities. We are more than just black and white. We are a single species. As a species, we should move forward to overcome our problems. Not be slowed down by bitterness and stupidity.

The world in which we all create, is the same society in which our children and our children's children will encompass. It is our duty as parents to see that future generations have the best opportunity at thriving in an equal world. Only through peace and understanding can we ensure the love, peace, equality and all things pure, are preserved for all who seek them.