There is a serious problem which faces our nation today which many people choose to ignore.Over one-hundred years after slavery was made illegal,we still live in a nation of bigotry and racial tension.Some people still believe that their race is superior to,and should be dominant over,other races.It is sad but true that in this, The Age of Technology,the primitive beliefs associated with bigotry still exist.I think a man named Adolph Hitler proved to the world that bigotry is a sick,cruel and inhumane practice.Unfortunantly,the recoil due to bigotry usually includes violence. Violence is not a bigot and therefore innocent people get hurt far too often in situations of racial tension .Even though the violent answers to racial situations are understandable,they are truly ignorant and spontaneous reactions.By this last sentence I mean no offence to the party being discriminated against.I simply mean that violent reactions occur when people lose their tempers.A bigot proves his ignorance by his racial actions.One should laugh at him instead of beating him up.It makes him look like more of a fool that way instead of hurting him physically because he is ignorant.These violent reactions,an example being the L.A. Riots,are sometimes provoked by our ever so honest media.These reactions can be viewed as a tiny fire while the media is represented by a can of gasoline being poured on that small fire.The media in no way created the problem,but they provoked the spontaneous and ignorant response spoken of earlier.Yes,people need to be informed of the horrible actions that took place on those dreadful days during the LA riots.What they do not need is to have the actions drilled into their heads until they lose all rationality and choose a violent course which they normally would not choose.
Racial tension is felt and put forth by many people world-wide on a daily basis. Many people are under the misconception that there is no problem and they are wrong.
Just because a law is passed making segregation illegal does not mean that racism will cease to exist.People are segregated from certain groups every day. Segregation lives on in the minds of every bigot alive today.As this statement clearly shows,some whites shield their bigotry behind the myth that the law envoked had instantaneously issued equal rights to the African-American people. The mentality being we helped you,why didnÕt you help yourselves?Well,given little education and no opportunity IÕd be impressed to see anyone help themselves!
One of the most recent and saddest exibitions of bigotry was performed by officers in Los Angeles,California.Rodney King ,a black male in his twenties,was the unfortunate recipient of this bigotry.King was brutally beaten by a number of officers when he was pulled over for speeding.
Now someone please justify these so called law enforcerÕs actions for me.They beat an unnarmed man until he coughed up blood.The scarriest part is that if it was not for a camcorder this would just be another undocumented racial issue that no one knows about or particularly cares about.
Now it gets even better.They used stun guns on him while he was lying on his stomach.Then Mr. King remembers being dubbed a nigger!These officers probably treat their house pets with more humanity than they treated Rodney King on this particular evening.
Another large problem is the media and television today.The media seems to be a catalyst for most major racial problems today.The L.A. Riots can be partially credited to the media because they often seem to tell half of the story and tell that half in the most controversial way that they can come up with.The job of the media is to inform the public of current events,not provoke controversy.
Was this really a necessary conversation to put on a major T.V. sitcom.Obviously,this show was looking for higher ratings and not worried about who it offended.This show seems to want to give the impression that every middle-class, white male is a bigot. I ,as well as many other middle-class,white males , took major offense from this occurance.Everyone knows that racism exists.Everyone knows how horrible racism is.Why must a major television sitcom attempt to put everyone in a bad mood and get everyone riled up?
As I previously mentioned,the result of racial tension is usually violence.This is a sad but true fact.The L.A. Riots is a huge national disaster that occured solely because of a few bigot police officers and a white,twelve-man,bias jury.Violence was no way to punish these people.
This damage ,although understandable ,was ignorant and spontaneous.The only true solution I see is to reduce personal bigotry.This nation will unfortunantly never be completely void of racism.We should , however , do all in our power to reduce it.
First,and foremost,we need to look at the solutions that must be activated on the individual level.We need to try to make bigotry a minority feeling for lack of better words.We need to put bigots into a minority status so as to reduce their power.This can only be done on an individual level.People need to ask themselves whether they are acting on their own feelings or those induced into them by their elders.
Let us now look at the problems which can only be solved by a group effort.We need to realize that violence is not a good solution to any and every problem.We need to educate the public on this fact.
This is a statement which many people would read and just throw in the trash.If one was to take a closer look at this statement,they would see the importance of it.The best way to fight back against racism is to fight back politically.It may seem to be the least direct route to solving the problem but it is the only practical way of going about it.
Some people would see it fit to oppose this last proposal.Many would agree only to a violent solution to the problem.If a violent rebutal were to be used then a profession of giving up would be made.This would tell all bigots world-wide that they have won.They have gotten to those people which they are trying to oppress.During the L.A. Riots I am sure that bigots everywhere,as they watched the riots on television,were pointing out how dangerous and out of control those "niggers"were.Therefore,I propose use of non-violent means to end bigotry.
The next proposal I have is to start weeding out police officers and judges who are bigots.The L.A. Riots were started partially because of both of the previous.Maybe potential police officers and judges,as well as potential jurers,should have to take lie-detector tests before they are accepted as candidates for their positions.They should be asked,under oath,how they feel about certain ethnic groups as opposed to others.Since judges and police officers both have a substancial amount of power and responsibility,they should be monitored.Not just anyone should be put in such a decision oriented position.
Some people may feel a need to oppose my last proposal by calling it hypocritical.They may insist that I cannot be bias against certain applicants for a job as opposed to others.Well,IÕve got news for those people.If the people in question were put in a control and decision-oriented position such as a policemen or judge,they would deprive hundreds of innocent people of what our nation was built on ,equality.
It all comes down to individuals learning to think for themselves.People must learn that no matter what color or race a person is,the individual is still a person.They still have feelings and,as the old saying goes,when you cut them,they bleed.
Now that I have proposed a few answers to the problems of racial tension and bigotry we will look at who can help these solutions go into action.Obviously,people need to try to stop racism on a personal level.The biggest problem is bigotry on a personal level.As far as weeding out police officers and judges who are racist,this must be done on a governmental level.A bill must be proposed by your stateÕs representatives to congress.Therefore,it is the responsibility of every person to write their state representatives and complain until the bill is proposed.People should also include their dislike of the mediaÕs freedom ,which leads to controversy , in their letters.It is all up to you as an individual to do your part to help clean up these problems.
The
problems of bigotry and racial tension have been a reality for a long time.There
have been improvements made throughout the years but the problems still exist.The
only way that these problems will ever be resolved is if people start viewing it
as a real problem.It is easy to say that since you are personally not a
racist,you have no other responsibility.It is time for everyone to step up and do
a little extra.People need to go above and beyond the call of duty and personal
morality.If we as a nation do not act soon,then we may live to see a race war
that will literally end The United States of America.If you think that bigotry
and racial tension are not big problems then wake up and smell reality genious.
Works Cited
1)Rodney King testifies for the first time author not listed
gopher://gopher.acs.ohio-state.edu/00/news%20and%20weather/the%20lantern/1993%20-%20wi
03/10/93
2)Rodney King and democracy in America Danial Ashworth
gopher://garnet.berkeley.edu.1250/00/political/.left/.coc/.dand1/.di3/.2
03/18/93
3)Libertarian Candidate Points to effect of Wars on Drugs on Rodney King verdict
Gary Johnson gopher://gopher.tamu.edu/00/.data/politics/marrou/m24.txt
april 30,1992
4)Television Re-enacts L.A. Riots
gopher://gopher.acs.ohio-state.edu/00/news%20and%20weather/the%20lantern/1992%-%20fal
09/30/92
5)My last source entitled ,Rodney King Takes the Stand for the First Time,is no
longer on the net so I can't find it.