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Racial inequality or oppression: Do they truly exist in today's society?

by Carona Micheal Davis

To say that racial inequality and or oppression does not exist in today's society is like saying that the world is free of ignorance, violence and hunger. When we speak of racial inequality we can look back on the days of segregation in the south and realize how far we have come but what a way we still heave to go on this particular subject. We now have a an African-American President and some might say "what else do they want?" There is always a string attached in reference to a black person gaining recognition or political power in this society. Whether it is realized or not we do indeed judge on gender, race and personal background whether we are in the same predicament as the judged or not. The reaction of President Barack's journey to the White House alone would place an accurate answer to the question to as if racial inequality and oppression really exists in today's society. The reactions of the masses namely, tears, anger, violence, racial slurs and fear has heightened since Barack's progress into the oval office.

To figure out why as a society we fear difference and non-formality will put us on the road to finding out why social injustices exist. When this is experienced even in the same race as the judged then we are looking at sociological reprwecussions of what we have become as a country. African-Americans not acknowledging the strength and the opportunities of their own race while on the other hand others are parallell in the same ideas then how can we rid ourselves of oppression and racism. What blacks call "Hating on eachother" is just another form of veiled racism.

It would be one instance if violent attacks or acts of ignorance were random but when you have individuals hiring because of a persons color and not there educational status or job related experience then you have racism. When you have individuals hanging nooses from trees in school yards then you have racism. When there are slurs in relation to your ethnicity harshly belted out at you from across a crowded street then you have racism. There is honestly no way to hide from this truth. You would need to be as an infant bundled up in your own little world to not see these social injustices. This in concurrence with unfair housing, employment discrimination, and status deterioration due to an individuals color is unmistakably oppressive and can tear at a people's individual core making them violent, suicidal, unlearned and indifferent to society's rules and ways of life.

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