Racism Is Something We Have All Witnessed - 1322 Words

Racism is something we have all witnessed. Many people believe that race is a way to categorize other humans, but it is typically a stereotyped classification of people with no accurate reasons. In other words, the distinction we make between races has nothing to do with genetic characteristics. Race is not a real difference in people, and was created by how people see and understand ideas, culture, and customs of people we are not used to or don t seem the same as us.. The definition of race depends on when and where it is being used. In U.S. history, the label â€Å"white† has different meanings and has changed over time, adding groups like Italians, Irish and Jews. Other groups, like African, Latino, Asian, etc., have found the path for†¦show more content†¦This is because our brains are accustomed to seeing a colored person less than a white person. A little roll of the eyes or a look of disgust may seem like no big deal, but to the person receiving these actions, it may be very hurtful. Nicholas Kristof says, â€Å"Research in the last couple of decades suggests that the problem is not so much overt racists. Rather, the larger problem is a broad swath of people who consider themselves enlightened, who intellectually believe in racial equality, who deplore discrimination, yet who harbor unconscious attitudes that result in discriminatory policies and behavior.† Most people these days probably believe in equality and are unaware that they are discriminating. Racism can be silent and hard to spot but it is â€Å"evil and sharp as a knife.† White supremacy in America has been happening for many centuries, and even the abolition of slavery only set them free, they still did not have any rights. Instead, it was kept alive throughout society in other ways in a racial caste system known as Jim Crow. Many doctors and researchers agree that â€Å"the worst racial atrocities that took place in the Jim Crow South were carried out by the medical establishment, not by night riders cloaked in sheets.† Jim Crow was not just a set of laws, it was considered normal to keep people of color from exercising their rights as full citizens. Jim Crow showed that whites thought they were superior to other races,