Racism and Prejudice free essay sample

Racism is an ongoing force that negatively impacts the lives of Americans every day. The racist mindset in America stems from the times of slavery, where blacks were thought to be inferior to whites. Throughout history, the ideas of race and racism has evolved and developed several different meanings. Today, we can still see the devastating effects of racism on people of color, as well as whites. â€Å"Racism, like other forms of oppression, is not only a personal ideology based on racial prejudice, but a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as beliefs and actions of individual† (Tatum, pg.9). As a result of this system, it leaves the oppressed at a great disadvantage in society. This includes access to social, cultural, and economic resources and decision-making. In order for change to come about and for the American society to reach racial inequality, we first have to acknowledge the problem openly, which our society has yet to do. We will write a custom essay sample on Racism and Prejudice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Su (2006) mentions that it is unethical to practice without the knowledge, expertise, and skills needed to provide culturally relevant services to an increasingly diverse population. This semester has given me some time to think about the different concerns that are impacting our community, placements, and the community of our clients. I work at a homeless shelter in an urban community in Boston. More than half of this shelter’s population is made up of women of color. These women deal with so many different systems, such as; The Department of Transitional Assistance, The Judicial System, Welfare System, Education System, Department of Children and Family, and so many more. More than half of these women do not understand these systems and the effects they have in there everyday life. As a case manager at the homeless shelter for women and children, I would like to implement a group that can educate the women in the shelter on some of the issues that come up for women of color especially issues of race and oppression that are seen in some of the systems that they deal with on a daily level. The group will teach the women why these system are around, how they effect people of color, how to navigate these systems on there own, and how to get the best result from these systems. This group will also analyze the meaning of racism and how it affects both people of color and whites. In doing so, the team facilitating the group will explore how racism impacts one’s racial identity, using life experiences as examples. They will also demonstrate how racism leads to prejudice and discrimination and provide examples of these. The plan is to end with some form of solutions and ideas to improve our communities and this agency as a whole. We want to start of by defining racism as a system of advantage based on race (Su 2006). In America whites have control over resources such as jobs and education. This gives them the power to be racists toward others. Because people of color do not have this power, they are not able to be racist towards whites. Many whites would not consider themselves as racist, but there are different forms of racism. Active racism is what most would consider racist behavior. Active racism is blatant, intentional acts of racial bigotry and discrimination. Today, a more common form of racial unfair hiring practices to go unchallenged, and avoiding difficult race-related issues. Another form of racism is called cultural racism. This is when the cultural images and messages that verify the superiority of whites and the assumed inferiority disadvantage people of color. Because racism is so ingrained in the structure of American institutions. Racism exists because of prejudice. Prejudice is defined as a â€Å"preconceived opinion or judgment, usually based on limited information,† (Tatum, p. 5). If a person’s has prejudice attitudes and opinions, they allow it to effect their decisions and actions, creating the racism. Stereotypes, omissions, and distortions all contribute to the development of prejudice, and most of these are found in the media. Prejudice is one of the inescapable consequences of living in a racist society. It is like smog in the air. Sometimes it is so thick it is visible, other times it is less apparent, but always, day in and day out, we are breathing the air in. None of us would introduce ourselves as â€Å"smog-breathers† (and most of us don’t want to be described as prejudice), but if we live in a smoggy place, how can we avoid the air? (Tatum 1997) It is the responsibility of all those who are aware of the pollution to clean it up, even if we weren’t the ones who polluted the air. It is important that we do not pass prejudice views to our family, friends, or anyone else around us. When you combine â€Å"prejudice plus power†, you form a strong e system of oppression. Su (2006) explains this: â€Å"Racial prejudice when combined with social power, (access to social, cultural, economic resources and decision-making), it leads to the institutionalization of racist policies and practices,† (Tatum p. 6). As a result this cycle of prejudice and racism continues. In the past 3 months of working at this agency I’ve notice the residents carry negative thoughts about themselves because of their upbringing and lack of education. This cycle of oppression has negative effects, especially on people of color. If a person continuously hears negative messages about his or her racial group, over time they actually start to believe these stereotypes. When people start to internalize these messages, it turns into internalized racism. Bivens (2002) shared that Internalized racism may have people of color feeling inferior or different because they have come to believe, have internalized, the dominant society’s message that they are different and do not belong. The way that this type of group would be most affective would be to have a mandatory training for the staff as well as a group for the residents at the program. The staff’s upper management is mostly white women although the program is very diverse. It would be beneficial to both employees and resident to understand what internalized racism means and how it affects people of color. Bivens (2002) discusses the main effects of internalized racism. Internalized racism can generate questions and doubts in the minds of people of color placed in a predominately white setting. It can also lead people of color to question their own thinking and judgment about racism. Internalized racism can be a divisive force, creating a desire in people of color to be white. Imagine being a person of color who is living and depending on an agency of mostly white staff. This type of information would improve they quality of work in the agency if there were a mandatory training that involved all staff. After speaking to a few of the women at the agency about some of there stories about race and racism they shared details that stayed with them until now. It is clear that most Americans claims to be colorblind, where people do not see skin color, but they just see people as human beings. Some of my clients shared things that people would say to them that I know now are racist. â€Å"One of my best friends is black,† or â€Å"it’s not race, it depends on a person’s background †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and they have also said things like, â€Å"Blacks hold themselves back, not racism† and â€Å"Blacks live in the past. They need to get over it and move on,†. This colorblind thought makes it seem like discrimination has disappeared, but it actually has just become institutionalized and harder to identify (Su,2006). After my experiences in the social work field, I do think that the most program is positive in some ways, but the programs doesn’t really solve the root of the problem. The fact that our clients don’t receive a quality education in urban public schools, aren’t able to get employmen t due to lack of education, and have so many different systemic barriers keeping them from succeeding is terrible and we need to start by educating ourselves and informing them of what racism really is. The best solution would be to fix the urban schools so that all students can receive an equal education, rather then only a limited number of motivated students being forced to travel to predominately white suburban areas just to receive a good education. From the time of slavery, to the present, racism has had many destructive and negative effects on the people in our society. Prejudice leads to racism and then when you combine prejudice with power, it leads to systemic discrimination. All of these systems of oppression are keeping us from moving forward and progressing as a whole. In order to break this cycle, we need to educate ourselves and others, and discuss these difficult race-related issues that have been avoided for so long. Education is the key. The more we educate ourselves and the people in our communities, the more we will see a change. When a person is educated, they are able to recognize cultural and institutional racism and other forms inequality and how to address these issues. We have the responsibility, and the resources available to educate ourselves so that we will not repeat this cycle of oppression with our children. (Tatum, p. 51)

Nothings changed and Not my Business Essays

Nothings changed and Not my Business Essays Nothings changed and Not my Business Paper Nothings changed and Not my Business Paper The most predominant theme in the two poems is that of sheer desperation. The notion of hope and hopelessness is effectively conveyed, representing the poets anger at the absence of democracy and equanimity in society. They struggle to restrain this frustration towards the outrageous political and social racism made against ethnic minorities in the way they have been. However, thematically, the way the oppressed deal with the unjust and prejudiced policies installed into society differs greatly between the poems. In Nothings Changed the poet returns to the wasteland that was once his home, and relives the anger he felt when the area was first destroyed. When confronted with the new hotels and the restaurants, which are surrounded by the poverty and suffering his deep content forces him to want to destroy the restaurant with a stone or a bomb. This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. Nothings changed. Therefore, the subdued message in Nothings Changed is the Whereas, in Not my business a different message is conveyed, as in the beginning stanzas Osundare sits back, grateful he is safe, as those around him are taken away. Eventually, he too is taken away and the reader is left with the distressing and uninspiring ending. The poem runs parallel to a quote which came through from the most devastating human conflict in history, World War Two, Edmund Burke once said that all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. This concept is particularly relevant in the poem and reflects the general theme of it, the way Osundare is allowing the government to act, rather than protesting. Similarly, both poems have a memorable last line. Afrika writes Nothings Changed for his last line and because the last line and the title are the same, a cycle is suggested, that simply nothings changed, and never will. It also suggests that he is returning to district six after his campaigning, and finds despite the removal of all the whites only signs, the town is still filled with prejudice. In Not my business. The theme of social division and the poets thoughts on them is a clear one throughout all the poems. In Nothings Changed, Tatamkhulu Afrika comments on how even though district six has ended its apartheid, people are still prejudiced towards black people, when he writes whites only inn. No sign says it is: but we know where we belong Afrika develops a sense of desperation and longing for a place or ideal society. He is desperate for district six before the apartheid, when people of all races and beliefs lived peacefully, as he says No board says it is: but my feet know. He finds himself longing for the past, when he was a member of the African National Congress, fighting against apartheid. The anger of the poet comes through as he reflects on his childhood, his hands burn for a stone, a bomb, to shiver down the glass of the Inn, as he did when he was younger. All three poems compare two ways of life. In Nothings Changed, Afrika compares his life with the ANC, fighting for equal rights, to his life now, after his victory, where prejudice still remains. Furthermore, through consistency and regulation in the structure the poets reflect the relentlessness of government regime and ongoing racial attitudes. Despite the morally unjust and unsubstantiated discrimination which still exists, there are no breaks in the poems and this represents the way racism has become embedded into society and peoples lives, so much so that the poets see no reason to stop the fluency of the poem because of it. On the other hand, this consistency in the structure could relate to the emotional state of the poet and their reaction to the injustices progressing in the poem. In Nothings Changed the structure appears regulated, implying the poet is managing to keep his emotions in check and accept the racism in South Africa. However, within the stanzas there are irregular line breaks and punctuation giving the poem a sense of choppiness, suggesting there are internal issues which the poet is struggling to control as the poem becomes progressively unfair. These line breaks and irregularities may, alternatively, symbolise the way that the government claim to have ended the apartheid and it appears over, however there are still underlying issues which exist in society. In addition, the punctuation creates speed and therefore tension, which creates a sense of ambiguity; the regularity of the stanza construction, evoking the concept of detached rationalism, contrasting with the wildly fluctuating line length, suggesting that the poet is struggling to contain his emotion. This structure successfully encapsulates the interior conflicts existing in South Africa. Whereas, In Not my Business the stanzas appear regular to represent the implacable government regime, inflicted on the oppressed peoples. The repetition of the sentence lengths and stanzas implies that, despite the death and kidnapping, the poet does not see it important enough to break the consistent structure. This poignant message optimises the idea of the whole poem that if there is not a will to protest, evil will go on and ultimately succeed. Finally, in the last stanza the indented few lines of what business is it of mine? , which seem to have been catching up with the poet throughout, are replaced with a full stop representing finality. Finally, the use of linguistic techniques, most predominantly the use symbolism, is most effective in helping the two poets convey the meaningful and differing messages intended. An important image in Nothings changed is that of the glass which shuts out the speaker in the poem. It is a symbol of the divisions of colour, and class often the same thing in South Africa. As he backs away from it at the end of the poem, Afrika sees himself as a boy again, who has left the imprint of his small, mean mouth on the glass. He wants a stone, a bomb to break the glass he may wish literally to break the window of this inn, but this is clearly meant in a symbolic sense. He wants to break down the system, which separates white and black, rich and poor, in South Africa. In Not my Business the image of the jeep is effective in personifying the government as threatening and monstrous. The jeep is symbolic of the establishment throughout the poem, it appears a like a predator, as it stuffed him down the belly implying they are monstrous and ruthless toward the victims. The government seem like a faceless and impersonal tyrant, who through bribing the people of their yam are enforcing a deadly regime that, much like the Nazi one, sees people taken away randomly, to die. The range and extent of the vocabulary used differs mostly between Not my Business and Nothing Changed. In Nothings changed Afrika is very detailed in his description of the wasteland. The purple flowering represents the White population at the beginning of the poem. The purple connotes royalty and class representing their superior position in society. The flowering implies growth and development, perhaps, socially, the problems getting worse and the racism is becoming stronger. This juxtaposes the amiable weeds which relates to the Blacks position, the way they are out of place and unwanted in society. The Blacks have removed them like an owner of a garden would remove a weed. Moreover, the images in the poem of the wasteland itself, the expensive restaurant, and the working mans cafe are sharply contrasted to create a sense of division, mirroring the division within the country itself and within the poets mind. The stark difference In Nothings Changed, Afrika says the Inn is flaring like a flag meaning it is glaringly bright. Flaring has another meaning: spreading gradually outwards, which is relevant to Afrikas feelings, as the Inns whites only prejudice is spreading throughout district six.

Notarial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Notarial law - Essay Example Even if it were agreed that notaries should judge whether document signers comprehend the documents being executed, precisely what does that mean' What is the legal test of whether a signer comprehends a document being executed' One version of a legal standard for a signer to comprehend a document is whether the signer understands both the detailed substance of the terms of the document and the practical and legal consequences of the instrument. If this is the test, the mental competence of the signer would necessarily be implicated, for a signer could not possibly comprehend the full meaning and import of a document if the signer were mentally incapacitated. 5Obviously though, even a competent individual might not comprehend a particular instrument. Further, substantial confusion is caused by the imprecise use of the concepts of "competence" and "comprehension."6 As suggested above, while competence refers to one's ability to understand the nature and consequences of his/her transactions generally, comprehension refers to one's actual understanding of the nature and consequences of the particular transaction.7 Yet, these definitions are regularly substituted for one an other, just as the terms competence and comprehension are in artfully interchanged as though they were synonymous. 8 Now, the entire discussion leads one to the most important moot point of notaries verifying Power of Attorney documents. There can be no doubt that power of attorney is the most powerful document as it entrusts someone with all powers of another to represent him and act completely on his behalf .Therefore , it is necessary that signing of such document is duly notarized and validated as it may be tool of defrauding people This is essentially why it is so vital to ensure that such super powerful documents are notarized and following the reasoning already laid out in this paper , in matters of such importance , the notary public should try and find out if the signor is competent to sign and also has comprehended what he is signing . A possible version of the legal test of document signer comprehension is that the signer appreciates merely the general nature of the document (i.e. the kind of instrument being executed). Not only do the authors not object to the imposition of a duty on notaries consistent with this notion of document signer comprehension, but we endorse it. 9 However, one may safely presume it is the former definition of document comprehension, or a comparable meaning, that the proponents of a duty of notaries to determine document signer comprehension have in mind.10 For example, in his book Notary Public Handbook, Alfred Piombino seems to advocate such a heightened duty for the notary, for he suggests (during his discussion of "competency") that the notary should inquire into the signer's understanding of "the nature of the act to be performed" as well

When and why did historians become interested in the history of women Essay

When and why did historians become interested in the history of women - Essay Example This is of course due to the fact that it took a fundamental shift with regards to the way in which colonized people were understood and appreciated in order for the history of this particular. To be analyzed through a different lens. Naturally, it cannot be understood that the particular unit of focus that has been utilized throughout the current era is the most effective. For purposes of this analytical research project, the author will discuss the way in which why and when historians came to be interested in women’s issues and history that these stakeholders had participated/endured. Naturally, in order to answer such a research question, a fundamental and full-bodied approach to women’s issues and the manner through which historians began to integrate with them, as well as the causal factors for why this took place, must be analyzed. Accordingly, this student will present the reader with a greater level of understanding with regards to the impact that movements conc erning egalitarianism, equality, liberty, self-determination, and eventually women’s suffrage had with respect to the way in which these determinants were eventually accepted by historians as a valuable means of determining the way in which past history had taken place and the inference that could be drawn from it (Osterud 267). Firstly, it must be argued that merely because historians did not pay a close level of attention to the way in which women impacted history and their overall contributions to it, the reader should not come to the conclusion that these interpretations of history were correct. Rather, since the beginning of recorded history, and long before this time, women continue to represent fully half of the extent human population. As such, these women were vital stakeholders with respect to the way in which societies grew and cultural interpretations/legends/myths/religion were inferred and imparted to subsequent generations (Tharne 34). Accordingly, seeking to d istance oneself from the fact that women only recently began to have an impact upon history and the means through which it is understood is and oversight of the most severe degree. Even though women within early modern and pre-modern society were most certainly constrained by a great litany of patriarchal norms, they nonetheless were able to have profound levels of impact with regards to the way in which these societies evolved and furthered themselves (Schwarts 775). Few historians argue that the past several hundred years have evidenced a rapid degree of change and growth with regards the way in which society is organized and integrated with other societies. Yet, it must not be understood that the change with regards to how women were viewed and how historians and scholars came to view their contributions to history was something of a watershed moment (Wenming 74). Instead, the process was gradual; punctuated by key events throughout several decades. It is the ultimate premise an understanding of this author that the increased level of development, both technological and philosophical, is the main determinant for why women studies, the impact of women in history, and a general focus upon women’s roles and world affairs has shifted of late (McDermid 254). Although it is difficult and somewhat dangerous to delineate a specific time in which this shift ultimately occurred, it must be noted that the core precursors to this happening can be

Pakistan and Policy Essay Example for Free

Pakistan and Policy Essay National integration is unity in diversity. It means a feeling of oneness. It implies social, political, economic, linguistic and cultural unity. It is the development of a mental climate that would help reacts in terms of oneness, irrespective of the region, language or religion of the people concerned. It means a heaven of freedom where the world has not been divided into fragments by narrow domestic wells. It is based on feeling of oneness, common ideals of life and a common code of behavior. It implies confidence in nations future, deep sense of values and obligation of citizenship, mutual understanding and respect for the culture of different sections of the nation. Need for National Integration National integration is the feeling that binds the citizens of a country. Its aim is to put individuals best efforts for the optimum growth, prosperity and welfare of the country as a whole. It does away with inter-state, inter-linguistic, inter-religious and inter-cultural differences. It promotes a spirit of tolerance and respect for the view-point of other cultural groups. To Kanungo, Every country at every time needs national integration but India needs it the most. Indias passing through a critical period these days. The integrity of India is in danger. Therefore Indians will have to act carefully. In India national integration is needed due to following reasons: Threat of Foreign Aggression National integration is vital for Indias survival especially at a time when the country is under the threat of foreign aggression and internally the people are divided on the basis of castes, religions, regions, communities, languages and Races For the Development of National Character National integration is an essential element for the development of national character. These days there is lack of national character. Corruption is increasing day-by-day. We are sacrificing national interests for the sake of money. National character can be formed only when we have the feeling of national integration. For Success of Democracy India is a democratic country. National integration is an essential pre-requisite for the success of our democracy. It is a basic need for the success of democracy; otherwise, the fissiparous tendencies in the country may lead to serious consequences. For Diversity National unity is essential for any country at any time. There is unity in diversity in India but now unity is in danger. Therefore, national unity is essential in order to maintain the eternal value of unity in diversity. For Peace National integration is essential for keeping peace at national and international level. Modern age is the age of science. It has changed the whole world in a family. Every nation is dependent on one another. Therefore, scientific achievement should be used for constructive work in order to provide peace to humanity. This feeling can develop only when we have the thought of national integration.

Romanticism Vs. Survival In Th :: essays research papers

An important theme in The Death of Artemio Cruz, by Calrlos Fuentes, was the comparison of romanticism and survival. This is shown through two important characters: Artemio Cruz, and his son Lorenzo. A romantic (Lorenzo) is a being that has ideals and fights for them. They know their goals and try to achieve them, while survivors have an only goal of keeping themselves alive. The survivors live through their choices and the romantics die as heroes, but each one complements the missing half of the other. Artemio Cruz is a typical survivor. He “knew how to fuck up other people and not get [himself] fucked over'; (PAGE 137). His choices allow him to survive and others to be killed. Although he lives through his choices, Fuentes shows through his interesting narrative device of expressing Cruz’s unconscious, thoughts and memories that he regrets and reflects upon while on his deathbed. When the second person narrator says that you “are going to live...You are going to be the meeting point, the universal order’s reason for being...Your body has a reason for being...Your life has a reason for being...You are, you will be, you were, the universe incarnate'; (PAGE 305), he is trying to show that everyone has a reason for living. Fuentes shows the reader why Artemio’s life is so important and why he believes that he is a model to the people. Artemio Cruz lives through his choices. He chooses to be a survivor, but each time he makes a choice, he leaves part of his romantic half behind since he saved himself instead of others. Instead of following his ideals, he follows his greed. He chooses to become rich and corrupt and to abandon his dreams, but he regrets doing a lot of those things because he killed many people in order to survive, including a part of himself. He said that he “could have died at Perales...with that soldier...I survived. You died'; (PAGE 236). After everything is passed, he stops to think about what he did wrong and regrets it, but at the time, he just cared about himself. When he went to war he met Regina and they started to have a relationship, but since he is a survivor, once again he saved himself. Regina got killed, but he didn’t. However, his son Lorenzo, has a completely different life story, but of the same importance.

Medical Terminology Paper

Medical Terminology Paper #1 A Friend of mine went to a girls basketball game with his daughter one night a couple of weeks ago. While they were there, his daughter Nia was complaining of CRAMPING in her right GASTROCNEMIUS, it got so bad at one time her Dad (Scott) told her to point her toes upward to try and stop the CRAMPING. When she did, she had temporary PARALYSIS in her legs and fainted. He then took her home where she seemed to be fine for a while.After a while had passed she then went to get up to do something and fainted again. He then called the rescue squad who came and took VITAL SIGNS and with their DIAGNOSIS brought her to the Glens Falls Hospital Emergency Department to be assessed in the TRIAGE room. After several blood samples and ANGIOGRAPHY there PROGNOSIS was she was full of THROMPLIC OCCLUSIONS from her ABDOMIN CAVITY to her TOES.At that time the PHYSICIAN decided to send her by helicopter immediately to Albany Medical Center where they have a NEUROLOGY SPECIALT Y GROUP. Once she was assessed in TRIAGE there they immediately ran a PHLEBOGRAPHY along with a DUPLEX ULTRASOUND, and lots of bloods samples that checked ERYTHROCYTES, HEMOGLOBIN, LUEKOCYTES, THROBOCYTES, LYMPHOCYTES MONOCYTES, NEUTROPHILS, among many other things.The SURUM is very important in a blood sample of this sort because it is used to find FRIBRINOGEN AND PROTHROMBIN which is CLOTTING PROTEINS. After the test where done they started her on an ANTICOACULANT to prevent any more clotting, and a DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS TREATMENT to break up the clots she had. After a few days the THROMBUS were gone and she was able to come home. She is still seeing SPECIALIST because they have not found out why this has happened. All they know is that it is a Factor #5 defect.