ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: racism

Societies develop social standards, stereotypes, or labels to categorize people in, whether that is due to race, gender, social status, etc. These classifications can create injustices like racism and sexism, especially for immigrants. Discussing problems from a removed perspective can be challenging, but it is crucial in addressing these social problems. The novel, Americanah, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, creates a platform of dialogue in which she is able to analyze the roots of many of these problems, not only from a Nigerian perspective or an American perspective, but also from a different expressed awareness that transcends many societal stereotypes.
Topic: racism

Adichie is addressing the challenge of belonging and identity through the lens of Ifemelu’s African perspective. The American girl triumphs the Nigerian girl in a workplace setting. Ifemelu struggles to figure out how she should look to appeal to the customers at her workplace. Beauty is oppressive, as she goes outside of her comfort zone to please other people. Readers get a sense that she becomes aware of the difference in cultural beauty norms within America and Nigeria.
Topic: racism

Ifemelu also struggles with gender inequality, which is a continuous struggle throughout the novel. Gender is racialized, since Ifemelu knows that she would never act this way in Nigeria, but in America, she has no better instinct. Adichie shows how depending on which country you are in, the cultural norms vary and thus, you must adapt in order to appear as though you belong. Common ideals of being a young woman are different between Nigerians and Americans. Adichie would say that that white privilege plays a role, since the situation would likely change if she were white. Specifically, Ifemelu would not feel as uncomfortable trying to imitate a certain image. This justifies the statement that gender is racialized.
Topic: racism

In the contemporary era, women in the business world have to work harder than men to maintain a certain image. The present-day job market is notorious for placing an emphasis on beauty. There is a certain image Ifemelu is trying to match. It is noteworthy that although Ifemelu is portrayed as someone who has a lot of self-respect throughout the book, she still gets trapped under common ideas of what it means to be attractive. She is wise enough to escape from pretending to be someone she is not. Interestingly, although she is not an American, the American vision of what the ideal receptionist looks like is already instilled in her mind.
Topic: racism

Labour is racialized because Ifemelu is conscious of the fact that she is cannot maintain a fake American identity. One can argue that the reason she decides to act like an American is because she is desperate for income, which makes her lose self-respect. From a broader perspective, women all over the world may choose to give up their self-respect in order to achieve certain goals. The reason for this, one may argue, is that gender is seen as secondary for women in certain situations. Adichie would argue that females tend to have an unfixed identity or appearance when entering the job market. Her evidence would be the fact that Ifemelu openly admitted that she is fooling herself trying to be a professional young lady, when she knows she would rather wear a t-shirt all day.
Topic: racism

Adichie would agree that the expectations of certain jobs make women feel pressured to look a certain way. It highlights the idea that the American beliefs about beauty are superior to Nigerian ideals. She would also say that Ifemelu does not have a lot of social capital, since she felt really uncomfortable acting as if she were a high-class lady. If Ifemelu did not feel like an outsider-within, she would not feel uncomfortable acting like a professional, and she would just follow through with her act.
Topic: racism

One of the problems that was addressed early and continued to be addressed throughout the novel, was Ifemelu’s finding of her self-identity. Ifemelu was concerned with the generalization of self-identity by the host society. This could be seen in both American and Nigerian society. For example, early on in the novel when Ifemelu went to get her hair done, Aisha pestered her about her hair asking, ‘Why you don’t have relaxer’ prompting Ifemelu to respond, ‘I like my hair the way God made it’ (Adichie, 15.) In America, it was, and still is common for black women to use relaxer in their hair. This makes the hair straighter, like that of a white girl. Ifemelu did not want to be a white girl however, she wanted to be herself. She recognized that there was a societal expectation of her, but she did not let that overcome her. Ifemelu’s hair not only connected her to Africa, but it was an extension of herself. She can let everyone know who she is by keeping her natural hair. Ifemelu realized she did not have to relax her hair to be any more American than anyone else.
Topic: racism

He gave her everything she wanted, including a big house, money, jewelry, and whatever else she asked for. In Nigeria, it is expected that the rich remain in power. The General lived up to this expectation by making Uju ask him for everything she needed. This put her in a submissive position and gave the General control over her. When Ifemelu confronted her Aunt Uju about her situation, Uju insisted that she was going to ‘change’ her lover. Even though Uju made some progress, overall this relationship only contributed to Nigeria’s perceptions about relationships. Powerful and rich men get what they want, when they want it. They are often seen as superiors due to their wealth. This could be seen when The General was supposed to spend the holiday with Uju (instead of his wife) but he cancelled last minute. Instead of being mad at The General, she turns her frustrations toward Ifemelu who spoke up against him; Aunty Uju charged at her ‘the slap landed on the side of her face’ (Adichie 98.) Uju acted powerless in this situation, and Ifemelu recognized it. Aunty Uju simply acted as a servant to The General. Ifemelu attempted to have a real conversation with her Aunt, but she was in denial. Nigerian society had persuaded Uju that there was little she could do – and she believed it.
Topic: racism

This shows how perceptions can dictate the way people act, according to their respective societies. There are certain expectations put in place by that society which extends its bias into its people. Real conversations can be made much more difficult if these expectations are not addressed, and in many cases overlooked. Ifemelu was able to transcend many of these expectations using the power of her blog as a third diasporic space where problems could be analyzed and talked about openly. People could discuss their predisposed biases and surpass them to address the core of the issues at hand.
Topic: racism

When the United States elected a black man as president, every individual was talking about a post-racial America, a period that would see a change in the racial boundaries set in the United States. The country felt good about having Barrack Obama as president and went ahead and re-elected him for another four years term. Barack’s presidency was a profound moment and marked positive progress. Still, racism never ended, and having a black man as president never erased the racial injustices that the different communities of color had gone through in the previous century.
Topic: racism

In the article, Nikole recounts the dilemma she had to go through while selecting a school for their daughter. Living in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, a community regarded to be of low-income and mostly inhabited by blacks, where schools primarily reflect New York’s racial and economic disparities. Most of the students are either Blacks or Latinos, and the test results show how the section of the society gets marginalized. Systematic racism exists in schools, courts, and law enforcement agencies. Statistically, black children amount to 18 percent of preschoolers in the United States. However, interesting data is they also make 50 percent of suspension in the schools meaning, a black student is three times likely to get suspended than white children for a similar infraction.
Topic: racism

There is, however, a section of individuals who believe in the absence of discrimination of people due to their race. Jesse, in his excerpt, tries to differentiate segregation and racism and further asks if blacks were up for integration. “Racism does not exist” is what Jesse told Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson in one of the interviews, a quote that generated uproar from a section of society within the United States. Jesse believes that people often mistakenly associate slavery and racism. Slavery is always a part of life throughout history in several cultures and civilizations, and it was never about race. “People judge falsely and get blinded with anger,” Jesse says,
Topic: racism

The black community, according to Jesse were fairing on in the separate businesses and schools, and it was the influence of leaders who called for integration that brought the problem by shutting black schools and crowding schools of children from the white race with African American students. Blacks were respected and moral before the integration dramas as the community was never angry. Jesse thinks the present prejudice is against the white population. The black community pretends wanting an honest conversation on racism, but in the background keeps calling the whites racists whenever the whites portray their perception and concept of reality. The unfair part is the other communities can talk about the whites, but when whites speak, questions get raised. What surprises more is there is existing hate between Hispanics and Blacks, but that rarely regarded as racism. It, therefore, requires one to sever their integrity for them to live without any conscience. Linda Holtzman and Leon Sharpe in Theories and Constructs of Race estimates that 48 percent of white millennials are concerned about the antiwhite sentiments and discrimination that is currently rampant, and it has reached similar levels as the discrimination against the minority groups.
Topic: racism

The Psychological and social impact of race is one of the issues mostly ignored though have significance on the life of different individuals. Continually targeting particular competition together with fabrication of data that the said races have an impact, especially if the business gets passed through various cohorts through the media. The misinformation gets absorbed by other races hence leading to individuals having an inaccurate sense of group and personal identity. Through the centuries of negative stereotypes on people of color, white Americans are having the racial bias within them and regarding their race to be superior and a benchmark for what an American should get considered. Kaufman an American writer in one of his publications says,
Topic: racism

Such a norm not only identifies the African Americans differently but also regards them as deficient within society. Recent studies have indicated that there is a decline in racial bigotry majority of white Americans still identify white for positive and blacks to be negative. Evidence suggests that implicit racial biases can get witnessed in children when they are still young as six years, which continues until they reach adulthood. The inherent biases have the effect of influencing one’s judgment on their thoughts about other races. Contemporary society harbors negative racial attitudes and egalitarianism. The racial agenda in such society gets perpetrated through comments, slurs, and jokes, which happens in gatherings with a diversity of people. The other problem is misinformation, which has, in the years, contributed to the socialization of the African Americans living in the United States of America. Blacks in the U.S battle internalized racism, which Linda Holtzman describes as self-deprecating attitudes. Linda believes continuous subjection to psychological and physical abuse towards a particular race eventually leads to the race re-enacting the abuse upon themselves.
Topic: racism

What boggles the mind of many psychologist researchers is if the race is a concept that can get verified scientifically. Are humans racist by nature, or there are codes within our DNA that express racism in humans? Most biologist acknowledges that race results through an evolutionary lineage which comes with differences in genetic make-up. The genetic difference between races is evident, but they do not sufficiently define the different races. The physical characteristics like skin color and hair color are what the majority consider when determining race. Still, the question is do humans show differences at the genetic levels that can be the basis of classifying the different races. Jablonski and Chaplin would later conclude that:
Topic: racism

The 2003 documentary Race: The Power of Illusion indicated an exciting finding. Multiethnic students met with a genetics expert. The students compared their skin colors and submitted blood samples for DNA analysis. The experiment aimed to check which classmates shared similar genetic information. While it would have to get assumed that students from related racial groups would be close genetically, the results proved different. The whites did not share the same traits with fellow whites, nor did the African Americans, Asians, or Hispanics. Skin color for many years has been the threshold to determine race though it may not be a reflection of the genetic differences that exist among humans. Biologically, the diversity of our skin comes from years adaptation in our ancestral lands.To conclude, the racial debate remains to be a controversial topic, especially in a racially segregated country like the United States. The belief system in what constitutes race is what varies among different societies. Perhaps the analysis of Jesse about racism not existing holds water, and that racism is an illusion created in the minds of the generations. Students in American schools are perhaps receiving distorted or limited information regarding the racial history of the country. The evidence, however, is that Americans get divided into the ethnic lines, which limits the opportunity for the minorities who are victimized by the systems every time because of their skin colors. Imagine a world where nobody judges the other based on their skin color. That would be the best thing for humanity.
Topic: racism

said about Ubuntu; “We are all connected. What unites us is our common humanity. I don’t want to oversimplify things – but the suffering of a mother who has lost her child is not dependent on her nationality, ethnicity, or religion. White, black, rich, poor, Christian, Muslim, or Jew – pain is pain – joy is joy. In Southern Africa, we have a concept called Ubuntu – which is that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. You can’t be human all by yourself. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas what you do, what I do, affects the whole world. Taking that a step further, when you do good, it spreads that goodness; it is for the whole of humanity. When you suffer or cause suffering, humanity is diminished as a result.”
Topic: racism

“South Africa is Africa’s most industrialized country, and it attracts thousands of foreign nationals every year, seeking refuge from poverty, economic crises, war and government persecution in their home countries. While the majority of them are from elsewhere on the continent, such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Ethiopia, many also come from Pakistan and Bangladesh”. As a general rule, foreigners may be inclined to accept jobs at a lower rate of pay and this seems to enrage our locals as a large portion then have no work. I believe togetherness and standing up to the government to make sure it protects its people, would help curb the xenophobic attacks.
Topic: racism

A “Nelson Mandela” is in each and every one of us, if we only took the time as he did to realize that no one is better than the other, underneath it all we are all one. We were born Africans and we will die Africans, no amount of hatred, stereotyping, or generalizations can take that away from us. We may all be from different cultures, different religions, and different backgrounds but we are all Africans.
Topic: racism

My identity has been impacted in many ways, some do not think white people are African, but how can I not be when African is all I know. To me, I am more African than some. As a child in 1994 starting grade 1, with a classroom filled with multi-racial students was clearly a pivotal point in South Africa, little did I know back then how important that was. We as pure children did not judge one another, we all became friends regardless of our skin tone. I will never forget playing Barbie’s with a Zulu girl on the playground at breaks, she had a “black” Barbie and I had a “white” Barbie and we were so eager and so excited to make a trade as we loved how different we were and how different our Barbie’s were. Twenty-five years later I may even still have that Barbie, as I hold on to it for memories and to pass it on to my own children. My children will learn what it truly means to be African and what Ubuntu really stands for, having this common bond amongst us all, through all the interactions with human beings. We are humans first before we are anything else.
Topic: racism

Sterling received the ‘Integrity and impact’ award for his stand against all kinds of discrimination in football. This man is an inspiration to ethnic minorities due to his strive regardless of the struggles and challenges along his path to glory. From my little experience playing football as a young boy, I have come across various subtle hints of discrimination and racism, and the only way to overcome racism is to ignore. Ignore the words… because the words used are the attempts to get to one’s mind.
Topic: racism

Racism is not just a problem in Premier League grounds, it exists in every level of English football, from youth team’s right up to the national side; and we should make the effort to stop this atrocity! Racism can have devastating effect on young future players as it can lower ego, self-esteem, and confidence. Why should religion or country affect the way we are treated? On and off the pitch everyone is equal. Without racism there would be a richer and healthy environment for young players to develop in, which would only boost the success rate of football players and increase the chances of better football for the fans also; it’s a clear win win. The phrase “I didn’t mean it I was drunk” or “sorry I had a pint too much” just proves that people are not even realising the severity and gravity or their actions. Additionally, it just proves that alcohol is one of the key aspects leading to racism from the fans, and it should be banned to decrease the rate of discrimination. It is estimated that cases of racism in football would be half if alcohol was banned before or during the match.
Topic: racism

This paper will answer the research question, what is the relationship between racism and bullying and the education of Hispanic young adults between the ages of 15 and 19. Racism, according to Schmid, (2008) is defined as the lack of equality based on a person’s race only. Bullying is repeated unwanted acts over a minimum of 6 months. As reported by Fry, (2002), only about 10% of Hispanic high school graduates enroll in a four- year college immediately after graduating high school. In a study conducted by Peskin, Tortolero, Markham, Addy & Baumler, (2007) 1 out of 10 Hispanic teens will endure some form of bullying during their high school career.
Topic: racism

Research has shown the correlation between racism and protective adaptation. Protective adaptation is animal or humans evolved way of being protected from danger by changing their body. Although this mechanism is most common in animals such as frogs, humans throughout the years evolved similarly. The brain plays a pivotal role in this adaptation. The brain interprets what is threatening and what is non-threatening and responds accordingly. When an individual is a victim of bullying that stems from racism and find it too overwhelming to manage, the brain along with systems of the body that include the cardiovascular and immune send out messages throughout the body McEwen,(2007).
Topic: racism

Sensors and hormones are released, and over time since if these protective mechanisms are released often it becomes a natural part of a person’s thought process. This gives reason as to why a Hispanic teen would be discouraged to achieve a higher education because of the racism they endured. Another study by McEwens & Gianaros, (2007) found that the hippocampus, amygdala, and areas of the prefrontal cortex of the brain regulate processes that can cause bodily adjustments in response to certain stimuli. Using both of these studies, not wanting to pursue a higher education is the brain’s way of protecting the individual from the unwanted situations caused by racism and bullying.
Topic: racism

When reading research conducted by Rygren, (2003), xenophobia is common in most people that are considered to be racist. Xenophobia is the fear of living or coexisting with people of different countries or cultures. People with this fear believe it is natural to act in a hostile way towards countries or cultures. A person that has xenophobia would show antagonistic behavior to a person to ensure people of them are aware that they are not welcomed and are not of the same status. Other social psychologists Yakushko, (2008) also found that people with xenophobia can also result in not the desire but the drive to ensure there is no competition in getting certain jobs or getting accepted into certain school by those who belong to specific races. This is a reason as to why Latinos are impacted in academic levels. People who express these biases aim to prevent them from furthering their education.
Topic: racism

Natural supplements that can adjust the brain’s functioning can be effective in improving this social problem. Studies by Gad, Bateman, & Holtzheimer, (2017) have found that 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) can be used to reduce the levels of hormones released from the brain that cause an individual to feel overwhelmed by certain situations. By taking this supplement the brain would have no reason to release the sensors to protect the body due to an increased feeling of well being. 5- HTP also helps regulates the body’s dopamine and serotonin levels which in response causes the feeling of calmness. This can be taken as a pill, but it is also found in many foods such as turkey, chicken, milk, potatoes, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, turnips, and collard greens. Being that all that needs to be done is increase certain food intake or take pills this is not difficult. This intervention is culturally friendly because 5-HTP can be found in a plethora foods at are natural so it doesn’t require people of certain beliefs to go against what they believe in. In a two month study done on 78 people, 58% reported feeling better. In less than a quarter of a year more than half of the people expressed that they no longer constantly feel discouraged or put down by others. This method has reported high success rates. These changes can be measured by the individual’s behavior S?derpalm, B., Hjorth, S., & Engel, J. (1989). After taking 5-HTP, people report feeling confident in themselves and their abilities. The efficiency of this natural supplement can be determined by individuals choosing to do more activities that bring them out of their comfort zone or that are more public. This means that if this form of intervention were to be tested Hispanic teens would not only feel motivated but would take initiative to apply and enroll in college. The success of this intervention would create change in the Hispanic community in both a macro and micro level. On a micro level the individual going through this process will have the self confidence to apply, enroll, and complete their college careers. By doing this they not only will have a higher education, but it gives them the opportunity to apply for jobs that are not available for those who only have a high school diploma. On a macro level, college campuses will not only be more diverse, but there would be a higher probability of Hispanics going into higher status jobs such as government jobs. A Hispanic person can get elected into office for the first time just as President Obama was and bring change to the entire American population.
Topic: racism

Another intervention that can be effective in improving this social problem is psychotherapy. As defined by Horvath, Re, Fl?ckiger, & Symonds, (2011), psychotherapy is treatment in which a therapist and patient work together to improve mental conditions by focusing on their therapeutic relationship. By focusing on the relationship between the client and the therapist, the therapist can study their attitudes, behaviors, and thoughts. These therapy sessions target behaviors that affect family or social settings. Based on statistics found, the success rate for this form of invention varies. That is due to the fact that the success of psychotherapy is dependent on the relationship between the patient and therapist and finding a therapist that can connect to their client is difficult. As a result found by Brett & Kolko, (1999), only 34% of patients found therapy to be effective. However, when looking at statistics on studies based on children and young adults, teens’ therapy treatment reported to have a 92% success rate. Although adults only record a 34% success rate, children and teens are far more likely to have effective psychotherapy sessions. Psychotherapy is also culturally friendly. Since the goal of psychotherapy is to make the client feel as comfortable as possible with their therapist to help them better themselves, therapists are trained to accommodate to all cultures and religions. The efficiency of this intervention for racism can be determined by the person making new friends outside of their culture. Psychotherapy will specifically create change on a micro level. Its success and effects apply to the person seeking the help more than anyone else. Their views and standpoints are changed, and hopefully by the end of their therapy sessions they have a more positive view on other people. Since it is common for most people that are categorized to be racist have xenophobia, which as a result makes it nearly impossible to coexist with other racial groups, participating in psychotherapy would help eliminate their biased beliefs.
Topic: racism

In my opinion psychotherapy would be the best intervention for racism and bullying affecting education because it is a one on one approach with a professional that is tailored to help the individual. Being that we are all individuals and no two people are exactly the same, I find it best to use an approach that is tailored for that specific person. As opposed to giving someone a generic treatment, I feel psychotherapy allows the client to express their own feelings which in turns give their therapist the opportunity to help them in a way that is best suiting for that specific person. The aspect that does not appeal to me is how long it takes until positive results are seen. It could take months and even up to years until the therapist can finally have a breakthrough with the patient. Regardless, I still feel that this is the best intervention because it fixes the root of the problem. Rather than teach someone how to cope with people treating them in an undesired way I find it more productive to teach someone how to treat everyone with respect. I also feel that this intervention does not cover up the problem, rather it digs deeper into it to then slowly resolve it. By doing this children and teens will more able to act in a non hostile tone around their peers. This in turn would cause those Hispanic teens affected by this social issue of racism and bullying to not be as discouraged from pursuing a college degree.
Topic: racism

I quickly turned around and asked my husband why he would choose such a movie to watch. He looked at me and said it was a highly acclaimed comedy and that it would get better if we gave it some time. I decided to sit down and be open minded and give it a chance. I looked up a few reviews on my phone to see what others had thought of the movie and I was not shocked to see that others felt the movie promoted racism and was inappropriate due to its racist slurs and comments.
Topic: racism

As the movie progressed, I saw a different side to the movie and I realized the direction that Mel Brooks was pointing the audience to. He was satirizing Hollywood’s classic western films, as well as the role of African Americans portrayed in these films in comparison to their actual treatment in the historical ‘wild west’. Blazing Saddles demonstrates the racism toward black people that was never found in the majority of western films, and he uses comedy to emphasize the ignorance of racism.
Topic: racism

African Americans aren’t seen as individuals, but as thugs/criminals because of the color of their skin and that makes them a target. In the article of ‘Police Don’t Like Black People’ a black youth describe his encounter he have had with police. Travis explained how an undercover officer who incorrectly believed he was concealing drugs choked him in an attempt to obtain the requisite evidence: I was standing on the corner and we got these police we call the jump out boys.
Topic: racism

They the police that be riding them regular cars and look like regular people. They like “what you doing on this corner?” And I’m just steady talking to ’em and they thought I had some dope in my mouth. So this one cop grabbed me and just started squeezing my throat. I was coughing and spitting up stuff and I’m like “what you all doing this for?” and they kept on like “don’t swallow it son.” I’m like “swallow, I ain’t got no dope!” I opened up my mouth after they let go. I was showing them and everything. This type of action taken by police just to find drugs was unnecessary and there was no need to physical harm this person because of a belief of concealed drugs that was never there. African Americans are put into situations that end violent that are mostly the use of excessive force from the officer. In the article of ‘Police Don’t Like Black People’ another black youth describes what he witnessed from officers. Doug explained: I saw my uncle [get beat up by the police]. They said he had a gun, but they didn’t find no gun so they couldn’t say that. Then they said he was resisting arrest so they beat him up and stuff like that. But I ain’t see no resisting arrest [especially] when they have the cuffs on you, you can ‘t resist no more. Then they maced him, and I felt like how is he resisting now? Only thing he trying to do is get that [mace] out his eyes. And then I still saw them hitting him with clubs and stuff. This gives a glimpse of that abuse of power that police have and the exceeding of their limits of violence when involving themselves in a situation. Police brutality isn’t just a problem, but a inflicting issue that needs to be fixed.
Topic: racism

Racial favouritism still exists in South Africa. Racism takes a lot of mental and emotional well-being of everyone and no one is taking into account the perpetrators and its results. Racial inequality has always been a problem in South Africa, which has been affecting the growth of the nation. The Apartheid Era has left a mark on fellow South Africans and the economy. During the Apartheid era, there were laws put in place by the National Party which prevented non-white people from doing the same things or being around white people.
Topic: racism

An example of this would be the Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial. According to the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997 (2013), when a person has committed murder in South Africa, the minimum sentencing should be 25 years. However, Oscar Pistorius is jailed for 6 years. Sandile Mantsoe, the man who murdered his girlfriend and was sentenced for more than 30 years. This shows how the justice system favours white people, especially the known and powerful white elites. The justice system does not cater for all South Africans. Unfortunately, the justice system is not the only thing that white people are privileged to. They receive quality education where white schools have implemented e-learning in schools by using laptops and smartboards. HoweverOn the other hand, non-white schools still use the traditional learning by using chalkboards and textbooks. Some black schools in Eastern Cape do not have classrooms, tables or even computers. This will be a consequence for South Africa because the economy is moving into technological scenery. This means learners and students need to be taught basic computer skills. Unfortunately, government does not provide these services for many black public schools. The health system plays another role too. White people are receiving quality healthcare from private and public hospitals, while non-whites suffers from inferior services from clinics. Majority of non-white people cannot afford private hospitals because their income does not allow them to. Therefore, they have to settle for clinics which have inferior medical equipment. The justice, educational and health system needs to be re-evaluated in order to grow South Africa because they effect the country’s growth.
Topic: racism

Service delivery is distributed differently in South Africa due to racial discrimination. CITATION Sou09 l 7177 (South African Government, 2009) says “Allegations of racism affected service delivery in some of Mpumalanga police stations affected service delivery.” For example, South African Police Services (SAPS) respond differently in certain areas. According to Ebrahim (2019), a white male from Thornton, says that the police arrive as soon as possible when they call for assisstance. However, Ntamehlo (2019), a resident from Khayelitsha, says that the residents receive infeior services from the police. The interviewee further explains that they constantly receive excuses from the police. This has decreased the faith of the residents in the police. (Mayekiso, 2019), a resident from Gugulethu, says “Not at all. Last year, there was a break in at my house. They called the ploce, but they didn’t arrive because their were no police vans. When the angry mob took the law into their own hands, the police came as soon as possible.” This indicates how racial inequality exists in SAPS. Therefore, the justice, educational and health system, which are service deliveries, is affected by racial inequality and the non-white South Africans are being affected.
Topic: racism

The job selection process in business are affected by racial preference. There are many skilled, non-black graduates that are unemployed due to racial bias. . An example would be a white and a black graduate applies for an agricultural job. Both candidates are not experienced, but they have the same qualifications and are equally skilled. According to Pillay (2014), Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (B-BBEE) stipulates that the Act was introduced in 2003 in order to redress the wrongs of the past; but that is not the primarily purpose of the Act. It was created to uplift South Africa. Therefore, the black graduate should have the upper hand because the government is rectifying the wrongs of Apartheid.CITATION DeL17 l 7177 (Central, 2018) says “The Land Audit reveals that Whites own 26 663 144 ha or 72% of the total 37 031 283 ha farms and agricultural holdings by individual landowners; followed by Coloured at 5 371 383 ha or 15%, Indians at 2 031 790 ha or 5%, Africans at 1 314 873 ha or 4%, other at 1 271 562 ha or 3%, and co-owners at 425 537 ha or 1%”. Unfortunately, in the primary sector, white people own majority of the land. This means that white land-owners would hire the white graduate, irrespective of what the BBBEE Act stipulates. This has increased unemployment rates of South Africa, specifically affecting non-white people. As unemployment rates increase, it will have the domino effect, which means poverty rates increase to. When people are in poverty, people resort to crime in order to meet their needs and want, which means the economically active people are targeted. The people in poverty will start robbing the economically active people by using violence, such as stabbing or shooting, to get what they want. When the economically active lose their life, there will be more people that are not economically active and less people who are. This means government will not receive their tax from the working class, which will result in the increase in tax and inflation. Therefore, racial discrimination affects the job selection process.
Topic: racism

Educational backgrounds might be similar or qualifications might be the same, but racial bias affects the distribution of wealth. “The purpose of the Employment Equity Act, No 55 of 1998 is to achieve equity in the workplace by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through elimination of unfair discrimination and implementing affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups, in order to ensure equitable representation in all occupational categories and levels in the workforce”, says CITATION SAI19 l 7177 (SAICA, 2019). Irrespective of the Act’s presence, South Africa has an extremely high Gini Coefficient. According to South African Human Rights Commission (2018, pg. 20), South Africa’s Gini Coefficient is 0,95. This means that there is a huge gap in income levels. There have been have been many cases that non-white people earn much less than whites, even though they are in the same position, with the same qualifications and experience. At times, a white person, who only has a matric certificate, while a non-white person, who specialises in that field, still earns much higher than the non- white person. Recently, South Africa found out that black people have higher interest rates than white people, which caused a conflict in politics. The saying, “the rich get richer and poor get poorer” plays a role because the rich is referred to the white people and the poor is referred to the non-white people. Therefore, racial inequality is affecting the distribution of income, which is hindering the growth of the economy.Conclusion
Topic: racism

South Africa is not growing as an economy. The author argued that racial inequality is hindering South Africa’s growth. The author elaborated with the argument by substantiating how the various types of systems is affected by racial discrimination and how it is contributing to the problems South Africa is currently facing. The second argument was how racial inequalities plays a role in the social issues. These are high levels of unemployment and poverty rate and the unfair distribution of income. This is harming South Africa’s growth. However, minority of white people have been taking steps into redressing the racial issues and promoting equal opportunity in certain business by recruiting non-white people and investing in black schools. This attitude should be present for growing South Africa.
Topic: racism

As a part of daily life, we as human beings are faced with many situations. As soon as we are confronted with something, the frontal lobe of our brain makes an immediate judgment based on prior knowledge. Whether these judgments are “true” or “false,” our brain obtains this prior knowledge because of past experiences, teachings, and the environment we live in. No matter what judgments are made, humans have been influenced to make assumptions. While some assumptions may be minor, like if a certain candy bar is satisfying; other assumptions could detrimentally impact many lives and bring long-lasting consequences.
Topic: racism

Throughout this ultimately counter-hegemonic film, many dominant ideologies about race, ethnicity, and class are both reinforced and deconstructed. Haggis successfully presents a counter-narrative to dominant ideologies with his use of the film’s title, editing, symbolism, and characters. These rhetorical choices with the literary design and technical design make it possible for the film to address racism and prejudices in a brutally honest way. This film not only forces the viewers to confront one’s uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, but also challenges and ultimately overthrows the dominant ideologies of racial stereotyping that are present in our society.
Topic: racism

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, the word “crash” means an “an accidental or intentional occurrence or a violent collision.” This metaphor of the word crash is constantly seen throughout the film. At first, viewers begin to think that these “racial collisions” had only occurred by accident. However, this conscious choice made by Haggis, helps audience members begin to understand the corrupt influences stereotypes have in our society. As a result of these crashes, many stereotypes are deconstructed, and so are the ideologies that one has. In addition, since the film is titled ” Crash ” viewers already make an assumption that something violent will take place. Indeed, the viewers are correct. Even film critique of the New Yorker, Scott Denby, said “Haggis is pushing the word ‘crash’ beyond· literal: he means any kind of rough contact between folks from different ethnic groups.” Because of these “beyond literal” car crashes, audience members not only gasp at the stereotypes made. But also, begin to analyze not only their own lives, but also the degrading stereotypes that are present in our society.
Topic: racism

For example, in the opening scene of the movie the metaphor of the word “crash” is illustrated when a literal car crash has just occurred. Following this collision, a confrontation between the drivers of the two cars develops. An argument between an Asian woman and a Hispanic woman arises; in which many racial slurs and ethnically-demeaning judgments are made based upon typical stereotypes. The racial comments made in the fight may be humorous to the viewers since no one was physically hurt. However, since audience members might laugh at this scene, proves that dominant ideologies regarding race and ethnicity are present in our society. Because of this opening scene, Haggis is able to simultaneously reinforce the ideology of ethnocentrism, while establishing the theme that “everyone is racist and prejudiced.”
Topic: racism

Another way that Haggis is able to reinforce this metaphorical meaning of a “racist crash,” is by the use of editing. The editor of the film Crash, Hughes Winborne, had a challenge to “intertwine the lives of·unrelated character[s] from ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds over a thirty-six hour period” (Peters 2). Since the film Crash was released in 2004, just three years after 9/11, there were still many emotions of fear, anxiety, and racial tensions present throughout the United States. Furthermore, because the United States is not populated by just one ethnic group, Winborne had to capture all of these emotions from multiple ethnic perspectives. Winborne even said, “editing was tricky· we had around half-a-million feet of film.” However, regardless of the challenges he faced, Winborne was able to successfully create a fast cutting film between scenes. This fast cutting editing technique creates a literal car crash feeling for the audience members.
Topic: racism

For example, in the intense scene between Cameron Thayer and the two carjackers, Anthony and Peter; fast editing is used in order to thrill audience members. As carjackers in this scene attempt to steal Thayer’s car, audience members are mixed with two types of shots. First, a few subjective shots are seen from the perspective of one carjacker and then are mixed into multiple objective shots that are from the perspective of the L.A. police. The tempo in this scene quickens as Winborne uses fast cutting between the police and Thayer as the car chase progresses. As Cameron drives into a cul-de-sac, the “nail biting” intensifies. This is possible not only because of the stupendous acting performance, but also the fast cuts between Officer Hanson and Thayer. The technical element of using quick paced over-the-shoulder shots, creates an action filled racial collision, in this non-action film.
Topic: racism

Furthermore, the editing not only reinforces the metaphor to the films title, but also it reinforces the counter narrative. Because Crash does not follow a “classical Hollywood narrative,” with one or maybe two plot lines. As viewers watch, they begin to discover that there is more than just one perspective from a “white male actor.” Moreover, because the film’s story line is constructed through editing from a multi-racial perspective, the ideologies of racial stereotyping are challenged. For example, Daniel, the Latino locksmith is able to interact with many other characters throughout the film. When he changes the locks at the Cabot’s residence, he is accused of being a “typical” Latino man, a gang-banger. At first, viewers might agree with Jean’s ethnically-charged assumptions, because of the wardrobe Daniel is wearing. However, because of the editing, audience members get to see that Daniel does not live up to that stereotype. In contrast, despite of living in a neighborhood where gunshots are heard; Daniel is an incredible loving father and husband. In addition, editing is not the only technical element used to challenge the status quo.
Topic: racism

In order for a counter narrative to be established, Haggis also uses literary design to communicate the counter-hegemonic message. The characters of the film are one of these central elements used by Haggis. Considering that many dominant ideologies of race and ethnicity are present throughout the film, many stereotypes are made and said by characters. Although, many of the characters live up to these stereotypes; the status quo is questioned. For example, the first white characters we meet are the stereotypical rich white male and female, Jean and Rick Cabot. These characters, played by Sandra Bullock and Brendan Fraser, are beautiful, confident, and obviously have a high social status. These elements help the viewers identify these characters and subconsciously label them with privilege. As the audience expects, Rick Cabot (Brendan Fraser) does have social power after all because he is an L.A. District Attorney. In this scene, Jean and Rick have just come from dinner and are walking back to their car. Jean grabs her husband after seeing two young “gang bangers.” These African American teens, played by Ludacris and Larenz Tate, see Jean’s action and discuss how she is a “typical racist white woman” for expressing fear in a “white neighborhood.” Yet ironically, these African-Americans are “typical” gang members, when they go onto steal the Cabot’s SUV, exemplifying Haggis’ narrative which both complicates racism while it tries to deconstruct it.
Topic: racism

In this scene, Haggis demonstrates a white female’s racist behavior, by having Jean clutch her husband for security. However, Haggis goes onto suggest that her behavior was legitimate, when the African Americans actually do steal her car. Some might argue that in this scene Haggis does not establish a counter-narrative against white privilege, but does the complete opposite and reinforces that dominant ideology. But, even though that might be true, Haggis merely suggests to viewers that a counter-narrative could be present in our society. He does this by making viewers judge the reactions made by Jean. However, because Jean is ultimately robbed, viewers begin to question whether some stereotypes are valid are not.