Steroetypes
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Racism and Anti-Semitism in the United States
Lucy Comstock
PHI 103 Informal Logic
Doug Stave
May 28, 2012
It is easy for many Americans to deny that racism is still an issue in America today. While most people would never openly admit to it, there are those that are quite proud to express their opinions in regards to prejudices against certain races, religions and sexes. Now more than ever there is a trend to be “politically correct” in views towards minorities, cultures and people. However, stereotypes still help form the opinions of those that are judgmental in their views. Today racism and anti-Semitism are still issues that should not be taken lightly or ignored. While racism is not the huge issue it was 50 years ago, it has never gone away and in some cases has taken a completely different form.
In the 1950’s and 60’s the main target of discrimination was on African Americans fighting for civil rights. ‘Black’, which up to the 1960s was a derogatory label, has been re-appropriated and revalorized by the civil rights and Black Power movements of the USA (Rattansi, p 91). The black population was deemed not worthy of rights and were not even considered American citizens by many. The treatment they endured was extremely humiliating and often violent. Many white people resisted having to be subjected to desegregation and fought against it. While they have come a long way in their fight, African Americans are still a population that must continually fight to be treated equally. There are white supremacy groups such as the KKK that still hold onto old ideas in regards to the black population and feel they are superior to this race.
In recent years the Mexican population has come under fire for crossing the US border illegally to seek work. Those who oppose this often claim that they are taking jobs away from American citizens and using government resources that should only be used for US citizens. There is also the idea...
Lucy Comstock
PHI 103 Informal Logic
Doug Stave
May 28, 2012
It is easy for many Americans to deny that racism is still an issue in America today. While most people would never openly admit to it, there are those that are quite proud to express their opinions in regards to prejudices against certain races, religions and sexes. Now more than ever there is a trend to be “politically correct” in views towards minorities, cultures and people. However, stereotypes still help form the opinions of those that are judgmental in their views. Today racism and anti-Semitism are still issues that should not be taken lightly or ignored. While racism is not the huge issue it was 50 years ago, it has never gone away and in some cases has taken a completely different form.
In the 1950’s and 60’s the main target of discrimination was on African Americans fighting for civil rights. ‘Black’, which up to the 1960s was a derogatory label, has been re-appropriated and revalorized by the civil rights and Black Power movements of the USA (Rattansi, p 91). The black population was deemed not worthy of rights and were not even considered American citizens by many. The treatment they endured was extremely humiliating and often violent. Many white people resisted having to be subjected to desegregation and fought against it. While they have come a long way in their fight, African Americans are still a population that must continually fight to be treated equally. There are white supremacy groups such as the KKK that still hold onto old ideas in regards to the black population and feel they are superior to this race.
In recent years the Mexican population has come under fire for crossing the US border illegally to seek work. Those who oppose this often claim that they are taking jobs away from American citizens and using government resources that should only be used for US citizens. There is also the idea...