Research paper on sociology race and ethnicity in american life

Racial inequality continues to dominate the world even though we claim to be in post-racial state. As much as man remains social beings and bases their treatment of their background and history, then discrimination persists. Sociology explains the essence as to why racial discrimination is still rampant in the world especially in developing countries. People expect such countries to lead as role models in depicting the importance of ending racial discrimination. America needs to create policies and programs that would help in eradicating racial discrimination.
America is one of the developed countries in the world; practically it still requires focusing on eradicating racial inequalities as witnessed in various sectors of the government. As witnessed in the held election president Obama was re-elected considering the fact that he was a black American, about 30 percent of the total population were against him not because he did not have good policies but because he was a black person. Policies to curb the menace have been enacted; this includes the prosecution of people who practice racial discrimination. In accessing public utilities all; Americans despite of their background or race have equal access in using public facilities. Strict measures to push for the policies to take were discussed and agreed upon that heavy fines shall be imposed to offenders. Many incidences have occurred related to racial discrimination for example; the Harvard professor who was jailed on baseless claims that he was involved in the robbery, the officer who claimed that the professor be investigated was accused of being biased. Sergeant Crowley crashed into the professor’s gate’s residence accusing him of breaking into the house of a different person, but the professor showed his identification by producing his Harvard identification card, Massachusetts driver’s license to prove that he lived in the house. The incident occurred after the officer received a call from a female policed officer that he had seen two black men break into a house. Professor Gates was frustrated since he was subjected to unfair treatment by the police officer and pressing charges against him. Professor Gates’ lawyer Dr Counter was wondering if the professor was a white person, the egregious act would not have happened. This incidence depicts the act of racial prejudice since the black professor even after proving his identity as being the owner of the house is subjected to humiliation (Fordham and Ogbu, 2000).
On performance the black people in most instances are regarded as unlearned and dishonest in class. Racial inequality still occurs in America. In earlier years some schools would not admit any black student into their institution considering them as low class and immigrants yet they are American natives. In the article black students’ school success, the misconception of seeing blacks as failures and dishonest students in depicted in the article; it is important for the policy makers include the importance of creating free learning environment for students regardless of their background. In the magazine of the Washington DC titled ‘ success’ explains the incident were the teacher used past records to judge the student on the performance at school. Since the teacher was a white person and the student a black man, the scenario of racially discriminating arises, the student feels discouraged by the teacher due to the comments subjected to him of his nature of being black. This malpractice has led the parents of the students that ‘ the need to do much better to get half far’. The essence of the black students ‘ acting white’ in order to outsmart the white community is discouraged. The orientation embodies the social pressure of striving towards achieving the required academic goals. The cultural orientation is shown by the practice of schooling. The major problem with the black students perform poorly in school is due to the experience of inordinate ambivalence and the effective dissonance concerning their academic success and effort. The issue comes up because American did not believe that the African American students are in any way capable of intellectual achievement. In addition the lack of mistrust of the black themselves to have faith in their performance in the dissonance of avoiding acting white they get discouraged by peers. Even the potential students perform on average due to the fallacy of believing that academics are not part of their life. Regarding the changes of America on racial discrimination, the state needs to revise some of its policies, to achieve the dream of completely eradicating discrimination ( Fordham, 2005).
Many black students lack proper environment to expound and explore their talents and abilities, often the fear of racial discrimination deprives them from accessing the essential resources to use in realizing their abilities. It is important to leave ethical grouping in economy and strive together to go for the best way of maintaining solidarity. Immigrants also experience the essence of discrimination since they are linked to their origin of the American social structure that is racial. Racial inequalities set the economy of a growing state behind since one of the goals of economics is a free market. If such vices shown in the market, the market will be biased and the end result will be falling out of the aggrieved parties either pulling out of the business or exploiting the undesired race.
In the education perspective the achievement of the required academic goals would lead to one securing a good job. Hence better living standard, though this is a good argument of employing someone in accordance to their academic credentials, there is still the incidences of racial injustices and discrimination, in most corporate companies people working on the management level are entirely whites only, yet the blacks only work as subordinate staff and performing other odd jobs. Private investment and self employment is as a result of racial inequalities since the discriminated groups try to make ends meet in order to meet the human wants. Moreover in accessing the social amenities for example, hospitals, public grounds and instructions, students who perform poorly are transferred to law school, yet they would create an enabling environment of learning, especially due to bullying by fellow white students. Ethnocentrism as explained by famous socialist that it concerns one ethnic group believing that they are more superior to the other ethnic groups.
The re-election of president Obama may seem to mark the end of racism in the country but there is still a lot that needs to be implemented in order to ensure that there is full racial equality. President Obama plays a major a major role in closing the gap between the white race and the black race since he acts for both the interest of the white and black people. It is evident that on a variety of occasions, president Obama has advocated for racial equality and discourages discrimination of an individual basing on his or her race. Despite all the effort done the country has not fully eliminated racial discrimination hence calls for more focus on the factors that would facilitate the implementation of policies required to curb the vice. It is not justified foe a person to rule out that president Obama re-election has brought a solution to racial discrimination because there are still traces of the practice in some of the day-to-day activities within the county’s economy. For instance, during recruitment of staff in a business entity of any other agency the committee would tend to act in favor of a black or white candidate depending on the composition of the committee. This is evident in the case of Mr. David Simon who seeking the committee of three white executives to facilitate his idea of transforming his book into a reputable television series. Though the executive did not show much concern on the fact that Simon was white racial discrimination still took place. They preferred him collaborating with a black author arguing that the target group was the black residence in Baltimore. This indicates that the African American author got the job because he was a black hence indicating the need for effort racial equality. The government has recommended for more measure that would ensure racial equality existed in all the states (Fordham, 2005).
The black race is still facing many challenges despite the fact that president Obama is advocating for racial equity. In most of the public amenities African Americans, do not get equal treatment as the white people. This means that racial discrimination is rampant in hospitals, schools, and any other public place. In most scenarios black Americans are branded the bad image hence get a poor response from the authorities. Black people are associated with negativity such robbery, criminal gangs and drug abuse. The fact of the matter is the both black people and white are all the same in all aspects of life. In recent cases a black Harvard professor was mistreated by a sergeant on allegations that a white woman suspecting to have had a force entry to a house in the neighborhood. This clearly shows that the levels of racial discrimination are still high are required immediate attention because it causes the bad relationship between the citizens. The professor’s frustration was felt by Harvard colleague and referred it as a racial discrimination because if it were a white professor the sergeant would have handled him in such a manner. It calls for a combined effort from both the white and black society to ensure that there is racial equality. This is because it is very essential for the country’s political and economic sector since to would enhance the creation of a favorable environment for business transaction and improves the kind of leadership in the government.
The society has an impact to the character of an individual. It manipulates a person’s feeling. It thus means the discrimination affects the children in school causing frustration hence not realizing their goals. It lowers their performance especially in instances where a certain race is believed to superior to the other one. Racial equality would enable the people interact freely and would promote development of a new generation which is bonded by the same moral value. The absence of racial discrimination is a key element to determine the level of development that would be taking place in the country (Wilson, 2009). That is the government decision- making process would become effective hence resources would be allocated to each state regardless of their races. Effort for racial equity needs to be reached because they would enable the country to enhance and development good relation with the other nations hence getting an advantage to expand their market. Racial discrimination has its roots in most of the African American states. There are many practices which are against the racial equality and needs to be tackled with immediate effect (Kim, 2003).
President Obama tenure requires full support from the common citizen in order to achieve the goals and objective of eliminating racial discrimination in United State. A racial equity program that is currently in place is doing just fine but it requires more effort and attention for it to be a bit more effective. The black and white people should mingle freely during social event and conference to create a platform of good understanding and sense of appreciating each other in terms (Kim, 2003).
In conclusion it is paramount for the America to formulate policies that are workable. For racial discrimination to end, blacks and other minority groups should be treated equally in accessing and using the resources. The government needs to focus its efforts on creating harmony and peace. The social mobility is seen in regards to racial and ethnic difference in academic achievements, experience, spatial patterning and opportunities with the enforcement of the law of the United States of America.

Reference

Fordham, S., & Ogbu, J. U. (2005). Black Students’ School Success: Coping with the ” Burden of ‘Acting White.” The Urban Review, 18(3), 176.
Kim, D. Y. (2003). Living The Ethnic Economy (3 ed.). New York: Havard University Press.
Wilson, Alba and Nee, Bonilla-Silva, (Carey; Kleinfield) (2009). Spatial Patterning, NY Times
http://www. nytimes. com/2009/07/21/us/21gates. html? _r= 0
http://www. nytimes. com/library/national/race/061100scott-corner. html