Racial Inequality in America
The Topic
Globalization has significantly altered the way people view race and ethnicity. In particular, globalization has opened-up national and geographical boundaries enabling people of different races and ethnicities to interact in one global setting. The United States is one of the nations that have significantly benefited from globalization. It illustrates high levels of racial diversity in its citizens. Despite these substantial advances, racial inequalities remain high in the United States. According to Williams (2018), racism in the United States has advanced from its traditional form to an advanced form that is highly formal and institutionalized.
The effects of this modern type of racism on minority races have been tragic. Specifically, this modern type of racism is the primary cause of racial inequities observed in the United States’ labor sector and immigration department. It has also been blamed for the widening gap between the rich and the poor in the United States (Gunn, 2018). Therefore, various human rights groups have embarked on intensive campaigns to sensitize the public on the adversities of racial inequities. Moreover, policymakers have formulated several antidiscrimination policies aimed at combating the fast-growing racial inequalities in the United States.
The Controversy
Several experts and scholars have voiced their concerns about the effectiveness of the government’s strategies to combat racial inequalities in the United States. These critics point out that the current government tactics are outdated thus ineffective in mitigating racial disparities. In its defense, the government contends that it has enacted sufficient and effective policies to attain racial equality. Amid these debates, however, statistics indicate that racial inequalities are on the rise in the United States. In fact, some observers maintain that the United States might be headed for another civil rights movement era if urgent and effective measures are not implemented. In reality, the modern generation illustrates an insufficient understanding of what racial inequalities entail and its effects on the country. The citizens seem to underestimate the implications of racial inequalities to current and future stability of the United States.
Pro Side of the Controversy
Although several critics question the effectiveness of the strategies employed by the government to mitigate racial inequalities, these measures are instrumental in suppressing the adverse effects of racial inequalities. Racial inequality has resulted in a biased enforcement of the law. In their analysis, Aranda and Vaquera (2015) point out that the current immigration enforcement regime has institutionalized racism, resulting in the oppression of immigrants. According to Aranda and Vaquera (2015), the undocumented immigrants residing in the United States have been associated with criminality. As a result, these immigrants, particularly Latinos have been victims of illegal arrests over crimes that they have not committed. These individuals are perceived as criminals in the United States instead of citizens. Thus, eradicating social inequality will liberate such immigrants from being labeled as criminals.
Moreover, mitigating racial inequities will end the biased arrests made in the fight against drug trafficking. As stated by McCoy (2018) and Martinovich (2017), racial inequalities such as the impartial application of the law have impoverished individuals from Hispanic and African-American communities. Supporting this stance, Bloome (2014) asserts that racial inequalities have resulted in generational poverty in the oppressed races. Such adverse economic implications affect the overall progression of the United States’ economy. In this respect, eradicating racial inequalities will improve the living conditions of the oppressed races as well as contributing to the overall stability and development of the United States as nations.
Con Side of the Controversy
The prospect of combating racial inequalities has been received positively in the United States. A significant percentage of citizens and activists believe that eradicating racial inequities will eliminate the present social and legal injustices. However, several scholars point out that the current fight against racial inequalities will only further the rift between the various races in the United States. In their evaluation of the present racial trends in the United States, Bayer, Fang, and McMillan (2014) contend that residential segregation will increase when the current racial variations in education and other socio-demographic attributes narrow. In reality, conventional arguments and understanding of the implications of reducing racial inequalities in the United States are insufficient.
The critics of the current fight against racial inequalities in the United States note that there is a high probability of the races that have been victimized before segregating themselves even after eradicating the existing racial inequalities. In their study, Bayer, Fang, and McMillan (2014) predict that an increase in the number of highly educated African- Americans in metropolitan areas is likely to give rise to new neighborhoods dominated by these highly educated African –Americans. Consequently, the current settlement segregation witnessed in the United States will increase as the racial inequalities reduce. Notably, the critics of the current efforts to reduce racial inequalities worry that the current strategies to combat the vice are likely to produce unexpected results such as retaliatory acts from the formerly oppressed races. For instance, Hispanics or African-Americans can decide to revenge against the whites or decline to transact with them after the attainment of racial equality. As a result, it is instrumental for the government to address the issues of racial inequality comprehensively including assessing the unexpected outcomes of these initiatives.
Tentative Thesis Statement
Although the fight against racial inequality should be intensified to attain social justice and cohesion in the society, the current strategies should be revised to suppress retaliatory acts from the currently oppressed races in the future.
References
Aranda, E., & Vaquera, E. (2015). Racism, the immigration enforcement regime, and the implications for racial inequality in the lives of undocumented young adults. Sociology of race and ethnicity, 1(1), 88-104.
Bayer, P., Fang, H., & McMillan, R. (2014). Separate when equal? Racial inequality and residential segregation. Journal of Urban Economics, 82, 32-48.
Bloome, D. (2014). Racial inequality trends and the intergenerational persistence of income and family structure. American sociological review, 79(6), 1196-1225.
Gunn, D. (2018, February 28). Four Figures that Explain Racial Inequality in America.
Martinovich, M. (2017, June 25). 3 areas that show America’s racial inequality.
McCoy, J. J. (2018, July 9). Despite Recognition of Injustice, Arrest Rates for Cannabis Remain Unequal.
Williams, J. B. (2018). Accountability as a Debiasing Strategy: Testing the Effect of Racial Diversity in Employment Committees. Retrieved from: go.galegroup.com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu, Georgetown University Law Center 2018, 1593-1638.
