Systematic Racism.
Systematic racism, also known as institutional racism, is a form of racism embedded in nearly every facet of life as a normal practice within organizations and society against people of color. Systematic racism has been there in our societies for a long time. It is heartbreaking that in this era where man has made all kinds of innovations and technological advancement, we still don’t know how to coexist as human beings in a healthy way. The magnitude of crisis the society is facing today of mass incarceration to communities of color due to systematic racism is something every human being should be pondering about in their minds regardless of their skin color. As human beings, we should not form our judgment based on the color of our skin. A lot of social injustice people of color are facing today is due to systematic racism. There are discriminations against people of color in criminal justice, health care, education, housing, and political power, among many other issues. As a result, development in parts of the world dominated by minority groups still lags. A lot of men of color are behind bars serving jail terms for crimes they never committed. Death of men and women such as Breonna Taylor and George Floyd caught the world by shock. They were a reminder of the sad state of affairs that have been caused by systematic racism.
Effects of racial injustices. Racial injustices cause a lot of discrimination against the minority. One of the significant racial injustices people of color have to face regularly is racial profiling. To understand the magnitude of the crisis caused by racial profiling, we should consider the community’s public health. Racial profiling should be recognized as a public health and health disparities. Health should be a fundamental right to every human being; however, racial discrimination has made this fundamental right to be an unachievable dream for people of color. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the most significant human beings’ rights regardless of their political belief, race, religion, or economic or social condition. (Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 2017.) Racial profiling has robbed people of color of every human being’s fundamental right to enjoy the best standard of health care attainable. People of color have been significantly impacted by racial discrimination in both direct ways and indirect ways. For instance, violent police confrontation with people of color has caused injuries and even death. During police confrontation with people of color, they use macro aggression and micro-aggressions. Words have power, and some of the words used by police during those confrontation has caused a lot of mental health among many men of color. Sometimes, police also use vicarious and perceived threats that can adverse health consequences to their victims, who are mostly people of color. Some of the indirect ways racial profiling affects people’s health are through knowledge or when a person has a close relationship with a person of color that directly experienced racial profiling. There are also public events where police kill an unarmed person because of racial profiling without personal knowledge. Such an event may cause the whole community or an individual to perceive the act as a threat. It is high time that each person and organization are sensitized about the clinical effect of racial profile. We should not be losing our youth to homicide because of racial injustices. It is unfortunate that are a lot of young lives are cut off because of people who are so blind to the racial injustice that the world is facing today. I have observed a lot of racial injustices that are happening in our society today. People of color who are in power have had their fair share of racial injustices. People of color are not judged based on the character or their abilities; it is never a fair game for people of a minority group when competing against a person who is not from a minority community. They have to work extra hard to stand a chance of winning a political position. In our community, I have also observed very talented and gifted people who have been denied the chance to pursue their dreams because they are from a minority community. The world is a very unfair place for a person of color. We are all human beings because no one should be denied the chance to live their best lives because of their skin color. Today’s generation has advanced is the most informed generation the world has ever had, but we have failed to understand the importance of unity among all human beings. It is high time we start having the uncomfortable and challenging conversation of racism that is has engulfed the world today like a dark cloud. The world cannot experience light and make effective progress if we can not see our brothers and sisters beyond their skin color.
Efficient ways society can use to end systematic racism.
One of the most important things most people don’t know is that systematic racism hurts society at large. It does not matter whether one is from a minority group or not; at some point, the effect of racial injustices is felt by everyone. Racial injustices are being experienced in the workplace, hospitals, schools, criminal justice system in ways a lot of people may not notice. Maybe they are ignorant because they are not been affected by the injustice directly or they play blind to the racial injustices that we see every day. Racial injustices makes everyone’s lives worse. The world would be a better place without racism. End of systematic racism will benefit everyone. Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr, spoke on how war, racism and poverty are all connected. Every single person or organization and the ability and agency to call for equality and do something about it. The society must start having difficult conversation of racism form their homes to their work place. The barriers towards togetherness as a human race are the only one we have impose on ourselves. All is not lost through, the recent popular protest against racial discriminations have showered there is a “generation of change.” It is a generation of activism that want to see real change. The work places are the most affected by systematic racism. It is high time all organizations vows to end systematic racism through commitment to diversity and inclusion. Every person seeking for employment should be given equal opportunity by organizations regardless of their social background or race. Organizations should also redefine their commitment on how they should use language that is appropriate for every person. They will avoid using vague language that might hurt a person of color and use language that is geared to help them accomplish their goals. Systematic racism has deep historical root and the only way we can combat is by involving everyone in this conversation. Everyone has homework to do when it comes to systematic racism. No one should claim that that they are non-racist and leave it at that. We should have interrogations with ourselves and with our own racial experiences. It starts by acknowledging that they have earned privileges because of their race or ethnicity while other comminutes are disadvantaged because of their ethnicity or racial background. Everyone should be well educated about racism such that they are able to identify signs of racism work towards eradiating racism in our neighborhoods, workplace, schools and network. It is possible for our society to move beyond systematic racism that is holding our society back. Systematic racism is not only a threat to the colored people, it is a threat to humanity.
The need to eradicate systematic racism is in the society best interest as a whole. Racism is like an infection our society is facing today and has faced for many years and if left to fester, it will bring the whole society down. Inequality brought by systematic racism breeds hatred and contempt between people of color and non-colored individuals. There is no nation in this world has been made stronger by racism. Racism only slows the progress of a society can even lead to wars and crimes as we have already experienced in the world in the recent times. There is nothing to celebrate about with injustices done to minority group due to racism. I strongly believe that when the minority groups and the disadvantaged groups in our society start being treated fairly, loved and protected by every individual in the society, the world will be a better place. Togetherness as human race will take us to new heights of progress in all areas of life in way we have never experienced. The world is full of gifted and talented people who are form different ethnicity and race. Nature does not discriminate, every person has something special they can offer to this world if given the chance.