Ethnic Groups and Discrimination

I am a white or a Caucasian American. My ancestors came to this country to colonize it and make it country where men could live free, speak as they pleased, and worship in a manner that they saw fit. My family, as well as many others, moved to this country and set out on a mission to make America the best country in the world.

White people from Europe came to America with hopes and dreams of a better future. At the same time people from China, Italy, and various other countries saw the great opportunities that were just across the ocean. Many Africans were brought to this country to be sold as slaves to serve the "upper class." Along with this mission of greatness and hope, came misunderstanding and hate towards some people that were different. The Chinese, Italians, Africans, and Indians were persecuted as being less than human and without feeling or intelligence.

Racism and discrimination have affected many people on their quest to reach their full potential. One area of interest is the Dual Labor Market. The Dual Labor Market is what separates the upper class and the lower class in their place of employment. The upper class individuals are able to work higher up in a company and do the "easy" work. Whereas the lower class of people are stuck with menial jobs that do not allow for any advancement within the company. Many of the menial jobs do not offer any health insurance, 401K options, or any other type of aid to their employees. Typically the white men have been able to obtain the the better paying, more rewarding jobs, while the minorities do all the "dirty work."

Environmental justice issues have also risen. Many lower class neighborhoods have been built in areas that are hazardous to the health of anyone around it. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has done some work to ensure that companies emitting toxic chemicals, clean up and make the surrounding areas livable.

Another way that racial profiling is apparent is with Redlining. Redlining involves regarding specific neighborhoods or areas of town as unsafe or unapproachable because of the group of people living there. In history loan officers, which were always white, would circle areas on a map that housed black people or minority groups. The people within the outlined areas were unable to secure a home loan and if they did get a loan it had extremely high interest rates.

There is a huge gap in income as well between the dominant white group and the minority groups. White men are able to secure higher paying jobs and the median income is nearly $20,000 higher than it is for a black male. Colored women are even worse off though. Black women have what is considered a double jeopardy. They make less because they are women and because they are black. The same goes for Hispanic women. Having higher educations means that these women will bring in a higher income, but they still make about $10,000 less than an man with the same amount of education.

African Americans have also been discriminated against unintentionally. Institutional discrimination means the different groups of people are not given equal opportunities. It may be with IQ tests, home loan procedures, or the hiring standards for a particular position. As society changes some procedures for simple things have not changed, which has lead to institutional discrimination.