Research Paper on Racial Discrimination

📌Category: Racism, Social Issues
📌Words: 1128
📌Pages: 5
📌Published: 21 January 2022

In a recent survey in the United States, 15.8% of students said they had been bullied or harassed because of their race (“11 Facts About Racial Discrimination”).  Racism is a worldwide social issue that has an impact on the lives of many individuals based on their skin color and race. Different ethnic groups, such as Latinos and Black - African Americans, are primarily targeted by racism, though in different ways. 

Although some people try to avoid discussing this topic because it “does not affect” them, it is abundantly obvious that it is a serious issue that cannot be ignored. Racial discrimination causes people of color to be treated unfairly by the police (Hill), Latino street vendors to be attacked and robbed (McAboy), and black women to be insecure regarding their skin color because of today’s society and its standards of beauty (Kebede). 

George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed as a result of police brutality directed against him because of his racial color. Floyd had purchased cigarettes with a $20 bill that the employees mistook for a counterfeit (Hill). Floyd was quickly pinned to the ground and unconscious by three police officers, where he unfortunately died minutes later (Hill).  McAboy states, “Mr. Chauvin, who is white, kept his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes and 15 seconds, our video investigation shows that Mr. Chauvin did not remove his knee even after Mr. Floyd lost consciousness for a full minute and 20 seconds after paramedics arrived at the scene”.  Despite the fact that the officer who murdered George Floyd claimed he was resisting, there is no exact reason as to why Floyd was held on the ground for so long. Floyd would have not been able to defend himself in a three-on-one situation. Floyd was clearly pinned to the ground solely due to his racial tone. There are critical occasions in the lives among several Black Americans that remind them of their vulnerability, one of those occasions was the death of George Floyd. 

Balzatar Tambriz Tziquin, a 23-year old Hispanic street seller, was unfairly attacked, battered, and robbed by three black men in San Bernardino (Chang). The three men approached him and began hitting him repeatedly, stealing $2,000 that he needed to pay rent, purchase food, and other basics (Chang). The three men have been charged with assaulting Tambriz (Chang). Tambriz was taken to the hospital and given stitches as well as medicine (Chang).  “While robbing Tambriz, the three men shouted at him, ordering him to “get a job” and to “go back to your country”(Chang).  Vendors on the streets are merely there to pay rent and support their families since they are unable to work other well-paying jobs. They are not harming anyone by selling products on the streets. The fact that three black males attacked the Hispanic street seller is misleading, because they are undoubtedly familiar with the feeling of being discriminated against due to their color. Regardless, this occurrence demonstrates that racism is not limited to one ethnicity; it affects people of all colors. 

Internalized racism is a major social issue that goes unmentioned. Internalized racism is the individual instillation of racist stereotypes, values, images, and ideas about one’s racial group by the White dominant society, leading to sentiments of self-doubt, hate, and scorn for one’s race and/or oneself (Daley).  In today’s society, with “beauty standards” for women, women with darker skin tones are insecure, so they modify the color of their skin using a process known as “skin bleaching,” in the hopes of fitting in (Kebede). According to Beth Daley, “Women of color seek chemical remedies to lighten their complexion, $2.8 billion was spent in the U.S alone.” The skin color of black women is not seen as “perfect” or “beautiful” on social media. The beauty standard for skin tone is white, which is why black women in a predominantly black community bleach their skin (Daley). The existence of a “beauty standard” in today’s culture speaks a lot about our society. There is no reason why some skin tones are considered attractive while others are not. The beauty standard must be abolished; women should not spend thousands of dollars to feel “perfect.” We were all born the way we were meant to be, and we should not alter our appearance for the approval of others. The idealization of lighter skin has an impact on women of color’s self-esteem all around the world. 

Some people believe that racism is a problem that has already been solved, but this is not the case; racism is a global issue that will never go away. It is impossible to eliminate people’s negative attitudes toward various races or skin colors, but it can be addressed. As for George Floyd, weeks after the incident, all four officers involved in the murder were fired (Hill). The main officer involved with the murder, Derek Chauvin, was charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second degree manslaughter (Hill). The fact that George Floyd received justice and that all of his assailants were charged with murder demonstrates how our country is improving its response to racist crimes. George Floyd’s death caused international outrage over police brutality, racism, and a lack of police accountability. Floyd’s death taught the public and reminded them that prejudice still exists. 

The issue of Latino street sellers being robbed and assaulted has gone unnoticed, and little is being done to assist and prevent such occurrences from occuring again. This is not yet a widely recognized concern in our society, but it should not be ignored; we must raise awareness. Tambriz, the robbed street vendor, had a GoFundMe page set up for him in hopes of recouping the $2,000 that had been stolen from him that he needed to support his family with (McAboy). Although society is not yet aware of the problem, comparable occurrences are beginning to occur, boosting public awareness. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved sooner rather than later.

The beauty standard in today’s society is unrealistic, particularly the idealization of light skin, which has an impact on women of color’s self-esteem all over the world. Social media is attempting to dismantle the beauty standard by spreading the notion that everyone is attractive in their own unique way, and that no skin tone is superior to another. It is one’s responsibility to feel secure with one’s own body, regardless of society’s beauty standards. The beauty standard must be abolished because it sets unrealistic expectations for young girls, who may grow up feeling insecure and wishing to modify themselves in order to conform to society’s expectations. 

Racism has an influence on many people’s lives, regardless of their origin or gender. It has the same effect on both men and women. Racism is a problem that cannot be disregarded; it has existed for hundreds of years, and it is our responsibility as members of modern society to help eradicate it. It’s a never-ending loop, a big disaster. It must be addressed in order to prevent future generations from making the same mistakes as previous generations. That racial disputes must be handled by love and understanding, peace and prosperity must be promoted throughout schools and households. Racism will not be abolished through hard deeds and vicious words, but rather with tolerance and decency, which we should all have learned.

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