Despite the fact the US is presenting itself as a democracy and striving to fit that standard, contemporary American society is far away from being egalitarian. No number of polite smiles would erase the discrimination that is present in the United States. While class inequality is the most visible problem, it is only one of many. Furthermore, removing class inequality in America would require rebuilding the system from the ground up, so addressing other problems would be more rational at this moment. One of such fundamental, yet less normalized problems is racial discrimination.
With the 2020 US Presidential election drawing near, there are more news articles covering voter suppression than necessary for noticing that there is a problem. Ethnic minorities across the nation are being targeted by fake social media accounts, telling them not to vote or posting misleading information about the election date. There is a tendency of the non-white population having lower income than their white counterparts, and of wealthy non-whites having to assimilate to be treated according to their economic status (Berger & Guidroz, 2010). Every time an election – be it a presidential one or of another kind – is in place, they are excluded from American democracy. In the last several elections, voter suppression has been utilizing social media more than ever before, which has, arguably, worsened the social stratification that had been present already. Even though positive changes to the system would require tremendous effort, there is hope.
Nationwide demonstrations against racially-charged police brutality show that it is not only the oppressed that desire change. Across the nation, white people show solidarity with the victims of institutionalized racism through protest and activism. Despite the problems present, US society is still moving towards a brighter, more equal future. It is a long time until there would be as many non-whites in country clubs as there are whites, but the change starts from the basics, and it is already there.
Reference
Berger, M. T., & Guidroz, K. (2010). Intersectional approach: Transforming the academy through race, class, and gender. Web.