FREE ESSAY ON RACISM

RACISM

Institutional Racism in American
Society
Racist and racism are provocative words
in American society. To some, these words
have reached the level of curse words in
their offensiveness. Yet, racist and racism
are descriptive words of a reality that
cannot be denied. African Americans,
Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and
Asian Americans (people-of-color) live daily
with the effects of both institutional and
individual racism. 
Race issues are so fundamental in American
society that they seem almost an integral
component. Some Americans believe that
race is the primary determinant of human
abilities and capacities. Some Americans
behave as if racial differences produce
inherent superiority in European Americans
(whites). In fact, such individuals respond to
people-of-color and whites differently
merely because of race (or ethnicity). As a
consequence, people of color are injured by
judgments or actions that are directly or
indirectly racist. 
Much of the attention of the last 20 years has
focused on individual racist behavior.
However, just as individuals can act in racist
ways, so can institutions. 
Institutions can behave in ways that are
overtly racist (i.e., specifically excluding
people-of-color from services) or inherently
racist (i.e., adopting policies that while not
specifically directed at excluding
people-of-color, nevertheless result in their
exclusion). 
Therefore, institutions can respond to
people-of-color and whites differently.
Institutional behavior can injure
people-of-color; and, when it does, it is
nonetheless racist in outcome if not in
intent. 
Racism....A word that means a lot of things to many people. To some, that word is the
description of
a way of life, to others, it is a repulsive term that represents closed-mindedness. In my
own eyes,
there are no Blacks, no Asians, no Hispanics; there is only one race, and that race is
HUMAN. No
matter what our color or physical features may be, it all boils down to the fact that we
are all
HUMAN. This is yet another concept that we must seek to fully understand before we can
consider
ourselves ready to attain true peace. 
Conclusion
As you can see racial discrimination is, quite simply, the result of ignorance.
Historically, people
automatically assumed that their race was superior. Not bothering to learn more about the
races they
despised, they began to harbor grudges against them, inventing reasons why other races
were
Bibliography
Institutional Racism in American
Society
Racist and racism are provocative words
in American society. To some, these words
have reached the level of curse words in
their offensiveness. Yet, racist and racism
are descriptive words of a reality that
cannot be denied. African Americans,
Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and
Asian Americans (people-of-color) live daily
with the effects of both institutional and
individual racism. 
Race issues are so fundamental in American
society that they seem almost an integral
component. Some Americans believe that
race is the primary determinant of human
abilities and capacities. Some Americans
behave as if racial differences produce
inherent superiority in European Americans
(whites). In fact, such individuals respond to
people-of-color and whites differently
merely because of race (or ethnicity). As a
consequence, people of color are injured by
judgments or actions that are directly or
indirectly racist. 
Much of the attention of the last 20 years has
focused on individual racist behavior.
However, just as individuals can act in racist
ways, so can institutions. 
Institutions can behave in ways that are
overtly racist (i.e., specifically excluding
people-of-color from services) or inherently
racist (i.e., adopting policies that while not
specifically directed at excluding
people-of-color, nevertheless result in their
exclusion). 
Therefore, institutions can respond to
people-of-color and whites differently.
Institutional behavior can injure
people-of-color; and, when it does, it is
nonetheless racist in outcome if not in
intent. 
Racism....A word that means a lot of things to many people. To some, that word is the
description of
a way of life, to others, it is a repulsive term that represents closed-mindedness. In my
own eyes,
there are no Blacks, no Asians, no Hispanics; there is only one race, and that race is
HUMAN. No
matter what our color or physical features may be, it all boils down to the fact that we
are all
HUMAN. This is yet another concept that we must seek to fully understand before we can
consider
ourselves ready to attain true peace. 
Conclusion
As you can see racial discrimination is, quite simply, the result of ignorance.
Historically, people
automatically assumed that their race was superior. Not bothering to learn more about the
races they
despised, they began to harbor grudges against them, inventing reasons why other races
were