Background
James Baldwin is one of the renowned writers in the US whose piece of work covers issues of racial discrimination faced by black people in the country. The author is African American who lived in Harlem, New York City, in the 1930s. Majorly, the themes of Baldwin’s writing are focused on African American lives and their position in the US society. In his letter, the writer addressed his nephew on aspects of biases associated with skin color the young one will encounter in the nation. The paper will entail the element of racial challenges facing the black people in the country, considering current situations that clearly portray the existence of such ethnic discernment influenced by skin color.
The Theme of ‘Innocence’
In his work, the author used the word ‘innocence’ to describe the perception of white people concerning the matters of racial discrimination portrayed in the country. According to the writer’s interpretation of the ‘innocence,’ the whites are not able to identify the unjust practices they undertake that undermine and hurt the feelings of black people. In most cases, the white individuals showed some level of ignorance since they failed to understand the consequences of their noble actions toward the African Americans. Furthermore, the majority of them believe the notion of racial discrimination is exaggerated in the country.
Furthermore, the white people perceive the US as a country that does not support any aspect of racism. The author mentioned that American society dismisses the claim that the country is experiencing persistent racial biasness. The writer relates the conditions being faced in the country to the ones described by Charles Dickens over a century. The statement by Baldwin ‘I hear the chorus of the innocents screaming, “No, this is not true,’ clearly indicates the perception of the whites about the racial context (Baldwin, 1962, n.p). The white people refute the existence of judgment and mistreatment in relation to a person’s skin.
Innocence Privilege
The concept of innocence is a privilege to white people. The American system tends to value and favor white individuals more than their counterparts African Americans. As the country provides various opportunities to the whites, black Americans are presumed guilty right from birth. In his statement, “you were born where you were born and faced the future because you were black,” he suggests that African Americans have limited privileges to influence their future (Baldwin, 1962, n.p). In other words, skin color directly determines the living condition one faces in the country.
Prejudices Faced by Black People
Unlike the white Americans who enjoy a number of privileges in the country, the black people are facing severe challenges that are majorly influenced by the system bias. In the US, individual skin color plays a significant role in determining the future living condition of the person. The author told his nephew that his skin color made him be born in the situation he was facing. Similarly, African Americans were not expected to aspire for excellence; instead, whites wanted them to remain mediocre. The black race was entitled to live and experience the unwelcoming ghetto life and die there. In addition, African Americans were supposed not to receive adequate education and a good law system.
Accepting Racism Situation in the Country
The overwhelming racial discrimination in the US requires African Americans to understand and accept the condition for a better existence. The author advised his nephew to approach the aspect of innocence and guilt from the acceptance perspective. Furthermore, Baldwin instructed the relative not to become like white Americans. Based on this point of view, the writer discouraged nephew from embracing the beliefs of white Americans. In addition, the young man is informed not to expect his white counterparts to accept him since he is African American. The nephew was encouraged to show love to white people and treat them well. The author suggested that by loving the whites, they might realize the reality and thus overcome the fear in their minds regarding the status quo.
Contemporary Racial Prejudices in the US
Racial discrimination in the country has persisted for a long duration, and the possibility of ending it is slim. Currently, black Americans are still encountering a number of challenges due to their skin color despite reforms to curb the prejudice. For instance, in the recent past, several cases involving police brutality have been reported where African Americans are the common victims. Such actions by law enforcement officers have resulted in several deaths of Black people in the nation. During crime activities, African Americans become the first target since they are stereotyped as chief criminals in the US.
The US justice system is considered unjust following many rulings that ensure cases involving black people result in imprisonment. The aspect has resulted in a high rate of incarceration of African Americans in the country. On the contrary, when white Americans engage in criminal activities, the likelihood of them being convicted is low, thus making their number in prison low compared to black people. In addition, prosecutors handling court cases of white people are less committed, unlike if the offender was a person of color. The increased police shooting in the country resulted in the creation of Black Lives Matter Movement to advocate for the well-being of African Americans in the US.
Current Cases Linked to Skin Color Prejudice
In the country, cases of mass shootings are rising, and several families have lost their dear ones in such incidences. Most of the killings are targeted at African American neighborhoods where most residents or workers are people of color. For instance, at Buffalo, several innocent individuals currently lost their lives because their skin color betrayed them (Oxford Analytica, 2022). There is a growing aspect of racial manifesto in the country that prompts some white teenagers to engage in such killings. The situations make African Americans experience poor economic and education systems, which affects them negatively. In addition, black Americans are exposed to living in poor conditions in the ghetto, where their right to receive better utility services from the government is deprived.
References
Baldwin, J. (1962). A letter to my nephew. The Progressive Magazine.
Oxford Analytica. (2022). Mass US shooting in Buffalo highlights familiar issues. Emerald Expert Briefings, (oxan-es). Web.