Introduction
In the current world, the USA still has challenges in overcoming racial inequality. Whether people practice racial inequality for job promotions or payments, some individuals have to handle unfair practices that prevent individuals of a different color or gender from benefiting from the job opportunities. In the 18th century, African Americans underwent unjust actions from other individuals of a different color and gender (Bailey et al., 2017). Despite the racial inequality in the USA, the US government has to solve the problem by creating antiracism awareness in education centers, health facilities, and among members of the public.
The Problem
Racial inequality continues to be a challenge in the USA, where people of different colors face brutality. For instance, the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota in 2020 resulted from racism (Dixon & Dundes, 2020). While most individuals regard the USA as a prosperous nation where they fulfill their dreams, it is still ranked as the most racist country. African Americans often experience police brutality in the USA, whereby most Black families grieve in public for losing their loved ones at the police’s hands.
The recent era has been challenging for people of different colors and gender in the USA. Racism continues to increase in the USA, leading to an increased number of Black deaths. While racial inequality continues challenging the USA, it is among the issues the USA has been fighting since the 18th century. The US has been implementing measures to eliminate racism practices in the USA, but all the solutions have not fully worked. The USA should play a significant role in implementing proper strategies that will allow people of a different color to access education and health opportunities in the USA.
The History of Racial Inequality in the USA
Racial inequality in the USA started in the 18th century between 1525 and 1866, whereby individuals of a different color and gender were kidnapped and sent to the USA for the slave trade. Most people died due to hunger, and few people managed to arrive in the USA. The Africans who criticized their low payments while in the USA were killed by white soldiers. Throughout the history of the USA, white Americans have been enjoying legal privileges that they deny people of a different color and gender (Mustaffa, 2017). Racial inequality has existed in the USA since the colonization period when most African Americans faced economic, social, and political restrictions.
Causes of Racial Inequality in the USA
Some of the causes of racial inequality in the USA include self-interest, science, retaining the status quo, discriminatory guidelines, and people’s ignorance of racism. Self-interest is among racial inequality causes in the US because of the kidnapping and slavery of people in the 18th century. Slavery and kidnapping were due to the Europeans’ view that the Africans were not human and deserved to be slaves (Bailey et al., 2017). While many individuals argue that ignorance attracts racism, science replaced superstition and religion during the 18th century and justified man’s beliefs. Children of different colors experienced more health challenges and shorter lifespans.
Retaining the status quo is often regarded as a way of maintaining law. In the USA, most people believe that individuals of a different color are more dangerous and violent; are not bothered by police brutality. Discriminatory guidelines in the USA motivate racism by preventing black individuals from staying in particular neighborhoods and offering them poor-quality houses. Ignorance of people against approaching racism is also among the causes of racial inequality in the USA. Many individuals are against racial inequality but fail to challenge it by reviewing the habits, losses, and beliefs that discriminate people of a different color from being USA’s equal citizens.
Effects of Racial Inequality
Racial inequality denies people the opportunities of accessing education and health benefits in the USA by stimulating high education costs, unaffordable resources such as medical facilities, and high living standards. High education costs contribute to financial distress for individuals of a different color and gender (Mustaffa, 2017). People often estimate budgets depending on the current tuition expenditures and are never ready for increased education costs. Discrimination of people of a different color and gender impacts their access to loans that may cater to tuition fees, making them miss education opportunities. High living standards in the USA discourage individuals of a different color and gender from accessing education and health benefits in the USA due to environmental challenges, scarcity of resources, economy, and poverty.
Solution
The best solution for eliminating or reducing racial inequality in the USA is to create anti-racial awareness in schools, and health centers and practice diversity. Creating anti-racial awareness will equip learners with knowledge of the importance of racial equality and diversity (Estime & Williams, 2021). In addition, anti-racial awareness will encourage education centers or publishers to involve characters of a different color when publishing books or holding special events. Most people who engage in racism would also learn about practicing racial equality through awareness. The USA should also use media platforms to create antiracism awareness that will enlighten people of different colors on the need to practice racial equality by respecting each other’s originality. Creating anti-racial awareness is vital because it will mobilize people’s knowledge of racial equality.
Strategies to Implement the Solution
The US government should consistently remind its citizens to maintain racial equality, engage in activities that enhance racial equality, and create partnerships that campaign for racial equality to implement the solution effectively. Reminding citizens consistently about maintaining racial equality will discourage them from discriminating against people of a different color. Engaging in activities that enhance racial equality will motivate people to practice or engage in activities that do not discriminate against people of a different color (Bailey et al., 2017). Finally, creating partnerships that campaign for racial equality will create anti-racial awareness in a large population hence enlightening more individuals on racial equality. However, people may object to creating antiracism, claiming that the solution has been implemented in the past years but has failed to eliminate racism successfully even though it is the best solution to reduce racial inequality.
Conclusion
Racial inequality had taken roots in the USA since the 18th century during colonization when the whites forced African Americans into the slave trade. Racism affects people of a different color by increasing their living standards, declining their education opportunities, and declining them from accessing health facilities. The US government should fight against racial inequality by creating awareness in education centers and organizations. The USA should also participate in activities that enhance racial equality and develop partnerships that campaign for racial equality to create antiracism awareness effectively.
References
Bailey, Z. D., Krieger, N., Agénor, M., Graves, J., Linos, N., & Bassett, M. T. (2017). Structural racism and health inequities in the USA: Evidence and interventions. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1453-1463.
Dixon, P. J., & Dundes, L. (2020). Exceptional injustice: Facebook as a reflection of race-and gender-based narratives following the death of George Floyd. Social Sciences, 9(12), 231.
Estime, S., & Williams, B. (2021). Systemic racism in America and the call to action. The American Journal of Bioethics, 21(2), 41-43.
Mustaffa, J. B. (2017). Mapping violence, naming life: A history of anti-Black oppression in the higher education system. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 30(8), 711-727.