Minority In America Essay, Research Paper

Being A Minority in America

Race and minority issues has played a pivotal role in the history of the United States, and in our nation’s struggle to realize the entire story. This essay provides the reader with a place to begin a meaniful view of this subject.

Let’s begin with the definition of a minority group. A minority group is a group of people sharing common ethnic, racial, or religious backgrounds, especially when constituting a comparatively small portion of a given population. Minority groups often have fewer rights and less power than majority groups. This last statement seems to be the standard way of thinking in America.

Over the last decade, there have been many changes in the treatment of minorities. Immigration laws as well as an increased number of immigrants arriving into this country have called for new and revised laws. This has placed a strain on everything from the economy to the public administration systems. Racially bias hate crimes have been on the rise. The socioeconomic conditions that plague our inner city schools and neighborhoods have served as the platform for many political endeavors. Unfortunately, they are long forgotten after the election process. Why is this? Well it is due to the status in which this country views its minority African Americans. It’s due to the overall philosophy of the American people.

A few months ago, an unspeakable crime was committed on a lonely rural road outside of Jasper, Texas. Three white men, with alleged ties to a white supremacist group, beat to near unconsciousness James Byrd Jr., a 49-year-old African American, before shackling his ankles to the back of a pick-up truck. The men then sped down a bumpy road, dragging Byrd to his death and scattering his dismembered body parts in their wake.

News of this incident repulsed and angered many Americans who hoped that the days of senseless racially motivated crimes were behind us.

High black crime rates, an extraordinary amount of African Americans on the nations welfare rolls and low education standards among black families have caused the society to view African Americans as a burden. Due to this, minorities are not viewed as an asset but rather an inconvenience.

Being a minority, you are cut off from the dominant forces of society. You are usually cut off from both from a full involvement in the workings of the society and from an equal share in the society’s rewards. Most minority groups are usually poorer and politically less powerful than the dominant group, although certain exceptions do exist.

The structure of society here in America affects the role that minorities play in it. By definition, minority groups, African Americans are ranked somewhere below the top rung of the social hierarchy. The degree of social mobility depends whether societies are closed or open. The United States is considered a somewhat open society. Thus allowing and individual to his role, with corresponding changes in status.

Some people have recently suggested the solution to race relation’s problems in the United States is better dialogue among races. After sorting through various verbal, written, and electronic comments. I have noticed certain differences between the ways black and white people view the same subjects. I believe people have allowed these differences, along with the way we perceive these differences, to inhibit the efforts to create effective dialogue.

It seems when people engage in interracial dialogue; their main priority is to prove their views are the correct views, as opposed to those of other races. This works against the goal, which is to gain an understanding of other people’s perspectives, as well as present your own. In efforts to prove their own viewpoints, people seem to create barriers and, rather than carefully considering the views of others, tend to listen for keywords they have already prepared a response for. Accusations of Black people being responsible for high crime rates and lack of government funds. Accusing someone of being racist, insensitive, or responsible for a situation that person does not understand, can obviously lead to resentment, whether the accusations are true or false.

Being a minority in America is an experience that one has to learn to overcome the many obstacles that are placed there historically as well as the present. The present conditions do not allow for the compassion or understanding that should and must come from both sides of society or all races. We all must learn to live together in spite of our differences. The realization that the situation will change only when we can make concessions that will allow economic and social reform. We must make a diffrence for our children. This positive step will insure our future as a strong nation despite of our history.