Racism__Past,_Present,_Future

Racism Racism is one of the most critical issues facing the world today. All individuals must inspire human dignity and raise awareness that purposely decreasing those of a diverse background’s chance to succeed in life. It takes everyone to change the quality of life. Racism can destroy those individuals who are affected from and those who are around when it’s being practiced. When put to a higher level that gets to people physically and mentally racism can ultimately destroy the world. One of the reasons why it has historically been so harmful is that when you’re playing with racism, you can also be looking towards genocide. One of its missions is to put those who are the victims in a place where they are not considered to be human, so they can be dealt with as if they were a lifeless doll. Racism plays itself out institutionally and is shown from the way we deal with all ethnicities throughout the United States. For instance, throughout history many different places reflected the different value or amount of worth placed on an individual’s life. The primary focus that has been discussed all of our lives is to equalize all lives. Racism can ruins lives in ways that nothing else can. Victims learn to devalue their own life, therefore come to think that there are worthless and have no hope or chance to live a normal life. To those of a different race, it’s almost a curse and you have no choice but to hate your heritage. The “definition” of a black person isn’t decided biologically according to certain people but you are black if you have any known black ancestry. That is a way of promoting white purity and making being black something wrong that should be relegated, oppressed and enslaved. You have to be able to put yourself in someone else’s place to understand multiculturalism, once you understand the way of other cultures you’re more likely to understand yourself. No one is pure and free to do whatever they please, but we all can make a stand to prevent discrimination against anyone and know that we are all equal. If we all follow a path with no hatred towards others of a different race, we’d be heading towards peace and a better country. To accept and adapt to new surroundings and people is much more positive than to be outraged and create destruction that’s only making our world fall apart. There are many minorities that have entered the nation throughout time. One race that had an impact on society in the U.S. was the Chinese immigrants. During 1882 The Chinese Exclusion Act began. Citizens began to degrade the Chinese people by calling them yellow terror or the yellow peril. Samuel Gompers, a prejudice white male, thought that the “superior” whites had to exclude the inferior immigrants by law of it necessary by force of arms. During this outrage many Asians were hung by vigilante groups. By then people reversed the open door policy, which was signed by President Rutherford B. Hayes. This prohibited immigration from China and naturalization of immigrants already in the country. By 1881 40,000 Chinese immigrants had entered the country and dropped to 23,000 within the years. 200 immigrants were forced to board ships heading to San Francisco. The U.S. promised citizens that within a small period of time there would be no more Asian or Chinese immigrants. Racism played a big role on Politics. The 15th Amendment prohibits states from denying citizens the right to vote based on their race or color. This didn’t discourage or stop some people from destroying the lives of those of a different descent. In 1890 the state of Mississippi required the citizens that registered to pay a poll tax of $2.00. The number of Africans in Louisiana registered to vote fell from 130,000 in 1890 to 5,300 in 1900. In 1896 the Separate But Equal law passed. Racism and segregation has been affecting and destroying lives for multiple years. The only way that we can achieve peace and a better life is if racism stops. There is nothing good that comes from violence and separation; in the end everyone is hurting from it. Racism changes lives and manipulates innocent minds that should have the same chance of having success and being joyous as anyone else. God Gave you a life and he’s the only one that should be able to take it away or take from it. Everyone’s goal in life should be to better everything in any way possible and to always move in a positive direction, no matter what race you are. Because of racism, some people are afraid to look upon their history that was a blood shedding, tear bringing battle for years. Family’s heritage is destroyed; their past is affecting them today. Even though those that were contributing to segregation thought that they were superior, they’re wrong. Many hurt citizens today can look upon the heroes of history that took a stand against racism and smile knowing that hard work and hope brings unity.