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Is Racism Just a Part of Being Human?
Most Americans are pretty
well aware of racism and its effects on our population, but the question of why
racism exists is something of a mystery to many. Does racism occur naturally,
or is it a learned behavior? If it's learned, can it be unlearned? Is there
hope for a racism-free America?
Some theories suggest
racism is merely a fear of the
unknown,
and that these fears foster prejudices against individuals of different
ethnicity. There are several reasons a person would fear individuals of another
race, including previous negative experiences with people of another race or
being taught from childhood to fear those who are different.
Sociology and ForensicPsychology.net lead us to believe most actions and behaviors are learned and do not occur
naturally. Most sociologists believe racism is such a learned behavior. They
reason that children raised in a racist household or community where racism is
prevalent will eventually adopt these beliefs and behaviors as their own. This
could be considered good news:
if racism can be learned, it can therefore be unlearned. But how can one
unlearn racism? Generally speaking, education and dialogue are key, as is
recognizing, accepting, and appreciating human differences.
It could also be argued
racism is a natural human behavior. This theory suggests humans naturally group
according to ethnicity, and that this division inevitably leads to
discrimination. Studies have shown individuals
will naturally try to surround themselves with people of their own race, even
when they differ in age, sex, and ways of thinking. This "unconscious
racism" can still be a powerful force for discrimination, as it still
serves to separate and exclude.
Racism seems to run rampant
in the judicial and corrections systems in the United States. The African American population in US
prisons
has always been significantly higher than the White prison population. This is
true of females as well as males, but the numbers are considerably higher among
men. In fact, black males outnumber white males more than six to one in the US
prison system. Further, it's reported that one in three African American men
aged 20 to 29 are under some type of criminal justice supervision, whether
incarceration, probation, and parole.
Of the many theories on why
this is this case, the most widely accepted highlights the role of
socioeconomic issues associated with crime. Typically, African Americans come
from lower socioeconomic brackets than most Whites. This includes lower levels
of income and education as well as different associated social groups and
upbringing. It's believed factors such as poverty, poor education, and coming
from broken families lead to higher instances of crime in any community.
However, since African Americans are more likely to hail from these sorts of
circumstances, it is they who populate US prisons in disproportionate numbers.
The war on drugs is another
significant factor. Since crack cocaine sparked the war on drugs in 1980, the
number of incarcerated drug
offenders has
steadily been on the rise. In fact, approximately one third of the US prison
population is made up of drug offenders. Furthermore, studies indicate that
African Americans are eight times more likely than Whites to be
convicted of drug charges. African Americans may not break the law more often
than anybody else, but they more often suffer the consequences. This brings
socioeconomic aspects back into play, especially poverty. African Americans are
less likely to be able to afford lawyers, which increases their chances of
being convicted on drug charges and impairs their ability to effectively appeal
such convictions.
Whether racism is a learned
or innate behavior may always be up for debate. However, just because we don't
know why racism exists doesn't mean we can't work to defeat it. If racism is
learned, it can most certainly be unlearned. By the same token, natural racism
can be overcome as well. Not all natural instincts are acceptable or
productive, and humankind needs to work to overpower our inclination to set
ourselves apart according to ethnicity. Racism may be a natural instinct; hate,
however, is not.
