Armendariz 1

Josue Armendariz

Ms. Dewey

English 101

30 October 2018

Racism
Racism is something most, if not all, upper class people would say does not exist today

because it was abolished in the past. In reality that is not the case. Our past has affected people

even to this day. History repeating itself and shaping our youth in the worst way. Although, yes,

many people are open to accepting their past, many want to ignore it. Some of the greater

causes of racial tension today are due to our unsettling history with the minority people. In the

US things like slavery, segregation and the civil rights movement were but a few of the reasons

why many can not get along with their fellow man today.

Being with start of America, slavery is what starts the racial tension, “The transatlantic

slave trade at first relied on existing African slave trading networks to capture and transport

slaves to the western coast of Africa, where they were purchased by European traders.” (Laben,

1) This was of course the first example of mistreatment of African Americans and all colored

people. Tension between the two races began to grow here because of how badly slaves were

treated, working day in and day out with no pay and little food was not a way of living for

anyone. The dehumanization of these people built a barrier between these people that stayed

up for generations. Slavery is what the United States was practically built on and will remain a

stain on our history.

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As America worked to erase their practice in slavery, minorities became more and more

apart of normal society. Unfortunately, race began to affect the next generation, “They attended

separate schools and churches, lived in separate neighborhoods, and used separate recreational

facilities.” (Veney, 1) Again, here they were just pushing the two further apart by essentially

eliminating any sort of social interaction. In turn this did not show this new generation that they

were both human, one in the same. They all had feelings and thoughts that were the same as

theirs. Many people believed that separate but equal would be ideal, instead, the tension grew.

Children became aware of the ignorance and discrimination. They grew up thinking that it was

okay and that it was normal. The more their differences were pointed out and exploited the

tension and hatred increase. This caused riffs in society that we still see today.

Many people began to speak out and fight against their oppressors. Groups of African-

American men and women fought for change, “The boycott lasted for 382 days until

discriminatory laws mandating seating were changed. The boycott, a demonstration of King's

avowed methods of using nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience to affect change, showed

the power of a united African American community.” (Civil Rights Movement, 1) All throughout

these peaceful protests they were beaten and bullied those who did not see them as human

beings and still only saw them as monsters. During these times even the police not only took

part in the beatings but turned the cheek and imprisoned African Americans when there was an

altercation. Even though many of these protests were peaceful, authorities and the public saw it

as an act against them. In a way, it was but a malicious one. All they wanted from the public was

to treated as people.

Although many have accepted minorities and don't have problems with them, there are
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still people who believe in keeping their families integrity in tact, “They'd caught me dating an

African-American man before and were extremely angry - threatening to cut me off, saying that

I don't care about my family and relatives and saying they hope I die.” (Gale Group, 1) Parents

are the forerunners on passing down their racial views. Over time children mirror what they see

their parents doing, following in their footsteps and trying to live up to their expectations.

Similar effects happened during the war in Vietnam, young men fighting in a war to appease

their father who fought in World War II. Fortunately in this instance the woman was not

affected choosing her own views but it is very clear if things had gone differently she would've

passed down these racist views to a new generation.

These causes have affected our community a lot more than many might think. Although

there are many who do not have these thoughts, tension is still very high. These events should

not be overlooked and be considered as a more serious part of our history and how it may

affect us. As much as we try and push for change, all we as a society can do is try. There will

always be those who try and antagonize a groups of people for their differences.

Works Cited

"Civil Rights Movement." Gale U.S. History in Context, Gale, 2018. U.S. History in Context,
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http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/VMQGZF821121940/GPS?

u=mcc_glendale&sid=GPS&xid=5ff7515a. Accessed 30 Oct. 2018.

Veney, Cassandra Rachel. "Segregation." New Dictionary of the History of Ideas, edited by

Maryanne Cline Horowitz, vol. 5, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, pp. 2198-2200. Gale Virtual

Reference Library, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3424300720/GPS?

u=mcc_glendale&sid=GPS&xid=40ea c8c6. Accessed 30 Oct. 2018.

Laben, Carrie. "Slavery and Indentured Servitude." Immigration and Migration: In Context,

edited by Thomas Riggs and Kathleen J. Edgar, vol. 2, Gale, 2018, pp. 751-757. In Context Series.

Global Issues in Context,