Racial prejudice is an ugly truth in white societies propagated by perpetrators’ years of ignorance, indifference, or malicious intent. The United States, while serving as a bastion of peace and equality, exhibits racism in many facets of its society. Past writings on the issue have been predicated on the existence of a segregation system known as Jim Crow laws that overwhelmingly favored the white majority while deliberately denying the rights of colored individuals. While these notions have significantly dropped, the country and other white-dominant societies do not adhere to article 7 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. This section determines that everyone is equal before the law (UN). They have a right to equal protection and should not be discriminated against for any reason (UN). The US constantly exposes people of color to violent and inhumane conditions. Therefore, the US and other major white-dominant countries impede minority groups in their countries’ right to equality before the law while promoting a false narrative that these individuals and groups have freedom of expression.
The Black Lives Matter movement in the US and many countries worldwide sparked numerous debates. These nonviolent protestors were regularly portrayed as violent and extremists while protesting against being killed indiscriminately as in the case with BLM protestors marching to protest the killing of George Floyd (Harlow 1). Some individuals noted they are fearful of leaving their houses. At the same time, the world was treated to a barrage of videos showing police officers physically abusing and escalating situations involving black people. George Floyd, a fatality from this excessive use of force, did not elicit changes to the policing system in the US, indicating indifference by the US government to protect the right to life for this group. Martin Luther Jr. defined protests in Birmingham were labeled extremist despite their peaceful nature (King Jr.). This leads one to question the US government’s commitment to alleviating widespread inequality that has resulted in many killings in the past. Blaming people for complaining about their rights being infringed indicates an oppressive system where the victim is held responsible for pointing out flaws.
Perpetrators of racial injustice use violence in the guise of morality to enforce racial prejudice and prevent oppressed communities from successfully pleading their case. “You warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping “order” and “preventing violence.” I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes….” (King Jr.). The author wrote this letter from a jail cell in Birmingham and detailed the necessity for the US to address the racial inequality evident in its system. He deemed it an infringement of moral law as the oppressive Jim Crow laws were enforced to put down people of color by the white population. This situation is similar to contemporary American society, which is opposed to or silent about black people’s rights. The double standards are evident when Martin Luther King Jr. mentions the Boston Tea Party as the Americans considered the British oppressive for taxing them following a war with France (King Jr.). It is vital to note black individuals are fighting to avoid the indiscriminate use of force that has led to numerous killings.
The existence of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and neo-Nazi organizations in the US and other countries around the globe is a blatant insult to societies affected by these groups. It shows the government’s nonchalant manner in handling issues related to race. Former US President Donald Trump claimed there are ‘good people on both sides,’ excusing the KKK, an extremist group whose actions involved burning colored people, specifically black individuals (SPLC). While one could argue that banning such groups is directly opposed to the freedom of association, this argument falls apart in light of logical reasoning. The KKK and neo-Nazi ideologies involve hatred against certain groups in a society. They have historically committed human rights abuses such as genocide. Nonetheless, they continue thriving in developed countries. A person’s rights and freedoms end where another begins (UN). In this case, these governments actively endorse hate groups by allowing them to operate in their areas. Their predecessors inflicted significant physical and emotional damage to these groups, where their revamped organizations serve as a gruesome reminder that racial injustices can occur without reprimand.
Black individuals have persisted and exhibited some semblance of growth, albeit at a slow pace, in gaining some crucial milestones. “…we see two Black families daily struggle to live despite the unjust systems that permeated 1970s New York City.” (Tolbert Jr. 302). Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other protestors advocating for black rights and freedoms were constantly thrown in jail to reduce their resolve and break the spirit of injustice and an assertion to fight against racial prejudice. It is important to note that American prisons are widely skewed and encompass minority groups, most from the black community, while exhibiting few white individuals. Police departments may argue that prison populations indicate society, though this statistic is distorted. Policing in black individuals’ neighborhoods is more common than in white communities, a factor that is left out in these reports. These individuals are consistently considered dangerous and put in the prison system.
Mass incarceration predominantly affects black individuals in the US and leads to a domino effect that limits their spouses’ or children’s capacity to gain advantages afforded to others. For instance, the trauma associated with having a loved one jailed may result in psychiatric problems. It is more probable they would have financial issues and risk making these people homeless due to discriminatory rental and mortgage prices (Tolbert Jr. 305). People that grow up in such a system are predominantly exposed to substance abuse and are involved in a vicious cycle that prevents them from getting care similar to their white counterparts.
UN Declaration of Human Rights dictates that human beings need equal rights to avoid bias and more concern for a particular race. The first remedy to this problem involves revoking old laws that allow people of color to face discrimination in social settings. State and federal governments should investigate which draconian laws exist concerning slavery and racial discrimination. For instance, Facebook allowed targeted advertising that realtors used to pre-determine their potential clients. In this instance, they would target individuals based on their association with certain cultures and ethnicities, leading to discriminatory housing practices (Robertson). They should use these issues to develop an effective system that deals with the problem. Nonetheless, it is crucial to note that creating a law does not mean it would be enforced in different states (King Jr.). The government should aggressively monitor if individuals comply with the law and provide proof those violating this law would face the US justice system. In this way, people would have a punishment system that deterred them from criminal activities. One should note various instances, such as removing a Jim Crow system facing significant pushbacks from white individuals.
Furthermore, the US government should mandate police officers to wear and record any interaction while working. The criminal justice system provides a wrong perspective in such areas. Therefore, interactions should be monitored to ensure police officers adhere to rules when making arrests regardless of a person’s skin color. Recent tensions between the police and citizens of different colors have left many people skeptical if they should call the police for anything. Additionally, more people are increasingly adopting a hostile attitude towards police officers, making it challenging to conduct their duties. Recording would allow the government to determine people relations and whether police officers target people of color unilaterally.
In conclusion, the US should develop its adherence to the UN Declaration of Human Rights and ensure it protects people of color from deep-seated racism. The country’s issues are ingrained in society and visible in almost every facet of American life. Nonetheless, recent actions by black individuals fighting this skewed system elicit the necessity for change. While the country has various procedures and laws to avoid racial prejudice, it exhibits some racist groups and criminal justice processes. Arguing in favor of a hate group’s freedoms of association does not negate its malevolent intentions and advocacy for violence against minority groups. In this aspect, the government continually appears guilty of favoritism since it does not address the plight of these minorities and plays down dangerous behavior that poses a legitimate issue to minority groups.
Works Cited
Harlow, Summer. “Analysis | There’s a Double Standard in How News Media Cover Liberal and Conservative Protests.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 2021.
King Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”, African studies center-university of pennsylvania, 1963.
Robertson, Adi. “Facebook’s Ad Delivery Could Be Inherently Discriminatory, Researchers Say.” The Verge, The Verge, 2019.
SPLC. “Ku Klux Klan: A History of Racism.” Southern Poverty Law Center, 2011.
Tolbert Jr., Joe. “Making a Way out of No Way.” University of North Carolina Press, vol. 70, no. 3, 2020, pp. 302–309.
UN. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations, United Nations.