Racism Alive in America Essay

Racism is said to be complex and hard to characterize however it is obvious that it is alive and still going on. Racism was said to have ended in the early 1960’s when equity for all was the statement. Are we all equal here in America? What happened to â€Å"We the People of the United States†? However even now in 2012 racism is alive and going strong. Most people say let’s not make it about race yet in America everyone is not treated equally. There are so many injustices in America for minorities from racial profiling, to the housing equality, even to the President now that we have and African America president. Just since January of this year there have been several injustices around the world not just with African Americans but to all minorities. Minorities are African American, Hispanics, Indians, and Arabs. Racial Profiling Racial Profiling, although it is illegal, is a form of discrimination in which a person’s race or cultural background is cause for them to be considered a suspect. Right now there is a case of injustice in Sanford Florida. On February 26, 2012 a seventeen year old young man by the name of Trayvon Martin was gun down because he was in a rich area and was wearing a hoodie. His life was taken because he was â€Å"WWB† walking while black. He was racially profiled because the neighbor he was walking in was and upscale area. Martin was visiting his father in Sanford when he was shot to death by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. The unarmed teen was returning from a local 7-Eleven carrying only Skittles and an iced tea at the time of the shooting. I can’t believe that in more than five decades we are still not treating everyone equally. There are other forms of racial profiling such as â€Å"DWB† driving while black. This means that African Americans are targeted and stopped by law enforcement more often because of their race and not for traffic violations. After watching an ABC special on DWB and getting the information that profiling is still going on even after the law is to be in effect. Studies show that African Americans are more likely to be stopped and search because of being targeted by law enforcement. Just in the state of Maryland on I-95 72% of the drivers that have been stopped or pulled over were African Americans. Thanks to all the Civil Rights attorneys for educating the African American community with the knowledge of their rights. If you feel you are stopped due to racial profiling be aware you are not required give permission to search your car politely say no. Do not argue or provoke the police if they try to intimidate you. Make note of location, time of day, officer’s name, badge number, squad car and file complaint if you feel you was mistreated. (http://www. ethnicmajority. com/racial_profiling. htm). In 1995 a State Trooper filed a law suit against his department because he refused to make illegal stops of Blacks and Hispanics in order to meet his quotas for arrests. The head of New Jersey state police Carl Williams, is quoted in saying â€Å"that cocaine and marijuana traffickers were most likely to be either black or Hispanic† to the Newark Star- Ledger. An invitation to police scrutiny is being a black driver. (http://www. counterpunch. org/1999/06/15/driving-while-black/) Another type of profiling is called â€Å"FWA† flying while Arab. Since September 11th there have be racial profiling in the airports as well. Some believe racial profiling justified, some even say they are ashamed but still do it. Former President Clinton is Quoted in saying â€Å"racial profiling is morally indefensible†. Kennedy also stated â€Å"†Racial profiling poisons the water. It’s one of the things that makes racial minorities distrust the police and that makes their work more difficult†. Let’s stop judging a book by its cover. Racial Housing Discrimination In 1968 Congress enacted the fair housing Act which stated that all Americans no matter what race, religion not sexual origination everyone has an equal right to own a home. In 2005 the housing market fail due to mortgage fraud and to buying more than one can afford. Studies suggest that the gains for minority groups owning or purchasing a house, increase from 1995 to 2004, were disproportionately tied to relaxed lending standards and subprime loans. In 2008 the homeownership for African Americans declined by 43. 5 percent. Unlike John McKinley, most minorities are not able to understand what they are signing. Mr. McKinley , an African American , after reviewing the loan that was drawn up for him and was told that it was a 30 year fix discovered that it was a 10 year fix rate that would increase his interest so he declined the agreement. In those few years of increase minority homeownership, the African American and Hispanic people who only wanting to live the American dream of owning their own home lives began to crumble. (http://www. usatoday. com/money/economy/housing/2007-04-25-subprime-minorities-usat_N. tm) What is a subprime loan? â€Å"Well a subprime loan is a type of loan that is offered at a rate above prime to individuals who do not qualify for prime rate loans. Quite often, subprime borrowers are often turned away from traditional lenders because of their low credit ratings or other factors that suggest that they have a reasonable chance of defaulting on the debt repayment†. (http://www. investopedia. com/terms/s/subprimeloan. asp#ixzz1qXGXjGzP). According to Pew Hispanic Center African Americans and native Latinos has increased in the economic downturn then those of Whites. Studies show that Hispanics and African Americans are twice as likely to have subprime loans as whites even if they are in the same income bracket. Compared to the 17 percent of Whites in 2006 that took subprime loans minorities were 52 percent. This information shows how little or no down payment for minorities with low credit scores lead to the high rate of foreclosures in the U. S. In 2007 compared to the 12 percent of whites rejected Latinos and African Americans were 26 percent and 30 percent. (http://www. nytimes. com/2009/05/13/us/13homeowner. html? r=1) â€Å"The decision by some banks to not follow the FHA’s policy is cutting qualified borrowers off from accessing credit, and in doing so, causing harm to their ability to prosper, build wealth and for our economy to grow,† NCRC president and chief executive John Taylor said in a statement. How are minorities able to avoid being fooled into subprime loans? President Obama Who is President Obama? Where did he come from? What did he do to the American people to make them disrespect him in so many ways? What elf-respecting person would heckle the President of the United States? He is the commander and chief the man elected to office in 2008 right. Since President Obama has been in off the Republican Party has been more focused on getting him out of office instead of helping and rebuilding the economy. Sadly the within and outside of the GOP most of the racist and disrespectful messaging are embraced. Reaching the history of the last 43 presidents none of them have gone through such scrutiny as President Obama. The vicious attacks on the race of this president and his wife have been called offensive and inappropriate. The Republican Party committee member that it was funny enough to spread a raciest email, depicting a family portrait of apes, with President Obama’s face in the place of the infant ape of the family. The photo has a caption at the bottom that reads, â€Å"Now you know why no birth certificate. † The racism is so horrible to the fact that two pastors in 2009 came forward stating that they pray Obama would die. Pastor Anderson of Phoenix Arizona ask his congregation to join him in a prayer to end President Obamas life. This pastor is also quoted in saying â€Å"I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today,† he said. â€Å"I’m gonna pray that he dies and goes to hell when I go to bed tonight. That’s what I’m gonna pray. † Why would any God fearing man of God wish death to another human being? The term â€Å"tar baby† has long been used as a derogatory term to reference black people, taken from the stories of an old black male character named Uncle Remus. We are in the year 2012 and still dealing with racism. We all have the same type of organs, bones, and blood. Why does it matter that our skin is a darker shade? Does the color of our skin really make us inferior? I have never seen any other Presidents in the past that has been so disrespected in the history of Presidency. With groups like the Tea Party, making statements like, â€Å"We want our country back! ,† members of the black community have begun to question whether these expressions are code words for wanting America to return to a land that promoted racial segregation and black oppression.