2) The extent to which the United States can be characterized as an antiracist and democratic society.
The United States of America has taken every necessary step both in words and action to pursue antiracism. Antiracism deals with experiences and challenges that minority people face daily l in society. Antiracism focuses on the material and experience of the minority as they interact with the superior society. The race is a thorny issue in America. A Lot of people avoid public discussions about issues that revolve around race. The denial is very dangerous as race and contrasts brought about by it influence authority and dominance in the society (Asante, Molefi and Karenga p2).
The philosophy of antiracism involves searching for relevant information and production of the information so that it can assist to spread awareness to different people through various platforms. Antiracist is fuelled by personal encounters with racism in social settings and experiences associated with it. Analytical antiracism is based on the fact that people think and can speak for themselves. Both the minority and the majority, therefore, have the ability to stop racism. To try and dictate to people what to do is unintellectual (Asante, Molefi K, and Karenga).
Individuals’ beliefs, reactions, movements, and policies have often been used to oppose racism. Antiracism tends to exist in all forms such as inter culture and a combination of people abled differently. These individuals usually have the intention of altering any system that supports racism . Antiracism in the US has been promoted by people who believe that it is pervasive and damaging to other sectors of society such as the political, economy, and social sectors. The fact that some people can decide to fight racism in the unites states shows it’s a democratic society (Hazard, p79).
When the current president of US was elected, he claimed that when people are patriotic, there can never be room for racial discrimination. Patriotism has never solved the race issue in the United States. Some of the country’s notable figures were racists and had racist ideologies. Ku Klux Klan has always paid allegiance to the American flag. Lack of patriotism cannot be blamed for racism either . Ignorance and hatred is not an excuse to be racist as the public has always been made aware during events such as black history month . Ignorance and hate is not enough to sustain the production of racism that has been witnessed in the US . Instead, racism ideology has often been perpetuated and produced by shrewd minds of each past era. These men and women did not promote racist ideas because they hated black Americans. Time and again, the authority and bright minds of these powerful men and women has made ideologies to fit their own agenda and to hide policies that promote racism. Antiracism fights racist ideologies and makes an effort to institute policies that will support equality amongst all people and change the perceived existing notion that racism is in America to stay (Hazard, p56).
Most institutions have taken the initiative to combat racism. People are educated on showing empathy and standing against racism .Media influences stereotypes through their presentations of minorities. Stereotypes that support racism are often very common. In most films blacks and Latinos play roles that portray them as gangster or chaotic (Pollock, p 56).
The establishment of antiracism institutions and movements in America has enabled education and working atmosphere in which all the Americans can take part in and be treated equal and fair. Along with this obligation, antiracism organizations have pushed for awareness, insight and acceptance in regards to the contrasts that lie between races. Awareness is raised through seminars where issues related to race are discussed. Multiracial groups usually inform the public at the local level on how racism works entirely and ways of fighting it. Examples of such institutions is peoples institute for survival and beyond (Asante, Molefi and Karenga p7).
The democratic society in America is characterized by adults being given the opportunity to vote for their leaders. It also stipulates clear guidelines during electioneering periods and term limit. Through this voting procedure, the Americans are given the opportunity to choose whoever they want in office. The rights of the majority and the minority gives everyone a chance to be equal in society without any discrimination. Although as it is the norm in a democracy, the majority carry the day. Personal rights are guarded by maintaining a distributed local government entities. This helps in some extent to stop racism in its tracks. Democracy is also founded on the protection of individual rights such as freedom to equality. A democratic society such as the US protects racial diversity and allows different communities to be represented equally (Pollock, 34).
The media often portrays black American as dangerous people. Both white and black people belief that blacks are dangerous because of the manner in which they are portrayed in the media. Media is responsible for creation of meaning on race and shapes the way people understand identity, history and social institutions (Hazard, p90).
The media is not only influential while spreading information, it strongly determines what to include and what not to include. Information left out, may be valuable to minority communities and they may feel excluded and discriminated against. Minorities should be well represented in each and every broadcast so that they can feel included. The American society has confronted issues to do with race. Majority of white Americans have shown interest and declared their stand against racism (Hazard, p67).
Antiracist knowledge should be used to change stereotypical information. This will enable the society as a whole to disintegrate from relations that for long have held Americans captive to racism. Lending a helping hand from distant the educators will not help, all people must come together to challenge the entire American system that has normalized racism. And stereotyped knowledge on the topic. Antiracism information will develop and facilitate linking identity to relevant information that is not clichéd. America had provided institutions and policies that have enabled antiracism to be preached.
Works cited
Asante, Molefi K, and Karenga. Handbook of Black Studies. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, 2006 PDF
Hazard, Anthony Q. Postwar Anti-Racism: The United States, UNESCO, and "race", 1945-1968. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.
Pollock, Mica. Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School. New York: New Press, 2008
