Connection Paper

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Connection Paper

Since the colonial era, the notion of racism is present in the United States. Hatred against the people of color and more privileges to the whites has resulted in a segregated society. Including this, it has created numerous issues in the life of the African-Americans, for they are perceived as barbaric and evil. Aaron J. Howell in his article "Black and White Understandings of Urban Uprising" have highlighted the fact that in American society, social and residential segregation is on the verge. This segregation is only possible when more privileges and value is provided to the Whites, as compared to the people of other ethnicities. Similarly Nicki Lisa Cole in her article "Understanding and Defining White Privilege" has meticulously linked white privileges with the hardships faced by the Blacks or other ethnic groups. In both the article, the prevailing idea is the inequality that is persistent in American society even in the 21st Century. Both the article have pinpointed the difference between the lives of Black Americans and the White Americans and the cultural stereotypes, which are harming the images of African-Americans in a significant manner. Hence the detailed analysis of both the articles makes it evident that due to the negative image of African-Americans, the whites are provided with more privileges and prerogatives which in-turn is making the lives of the Blacks problematic.

In every society there are a number of rights and privileges and the constitution of the country advocates the idea that these prerogatives should be available to all the people in the country on the basis of equality. Despite this fact, in modern American society the Blacks and the whites live in segregation. Because of this social and residential segregation, there exists a great dissimilarity between the ideologies, the standard of living and rights among the people. Many sociologists have found that racial discrimination results in violent outbreaks in the American society and in these upheavals the people of color are portrayed as the main culprits. Similarly, Aaron J. Howell quoted the opinion by Joe Feagin and Harlan Hahn from the book “Ghetto Revolts” and has stated that “urban unrest is not a product of the allure of wild rioting, but rather a result of long term experience with and perceptions of racial discrimination” (Howell). A profound understanding of this line makes it evident that rioting or chaos in the society is mainly because of racism and this point is also supported by Nicki who labeled the protection of the Whites from being victimized as White’s privilege.

Another cardinal point discussed in the article by Howell is that there is a strake difference of opinion between the whites and the Black. Giving the example of "Freddie Gray's death and the civil unrest that followed" (Howell) the author has stated that only the whites were of the belief that there was unrest in Biltmore, on the contrary, the blacks believed that "historical conflict between black communities and the police was to blame." (Howell) The meaning of the stance by the Blacks is that they were innocent. Regarding the mentioned incident there were images of violence on the media. The images of violence against the whites were portrayed on the media due to the fact that the media is highly white-centric. This point is supported by Nicki who wrote: "everything from whiteness being equated with being normal and native to the U.S. to being represented in the media, being trusted" (Nicki). Thus the point that the opinion of whites is given more weight as compared to the people of color is evident in both the article

The last or in other words the crux of the article by Howell is that racial discrimination in the field of sociology is the main component of the social problem because racism oppresses one segment of the society and gives value and voice to the other and powerful segment of the society. During riots and violence, the police blame the blacks more for the chaos, which results in more severe riots and violence as a retaliation. It creates a cycle of oppression and chaos. In addition to this racism also limits the availability of jobs and education to the people of color which is another social problem. The book "Social Problems: Continuity and Change" also elucidates the notion that ethnic inequality causes problems like poverty, violence, and chaos (Barkan). The people who are the victim of racism and inequality should not be blamed and should be supported in every possible manner. This action will bring a social change in the society and Howell has stated that this social change is coming in the American culture since the issue of racism has been raised in the political and social debates. It has caused the people to re-think about the relationship between the oppressed communities and the public institutions. It will aid in bringing social change by providing equal rights to the people.

To cap it all, racial inequality is still persistent in American society. The outcome of this inequality is the suppression of the people of color, white privileges and more representation to the ideologies and opinion of the white people. Likewise, another consequence of racial inequality are raise of many social problems like poverty, illiteracy and poor living standard. Although the article by Nicki was concerned with white privileges, but the fact that it was linked with the article by Howell is that white privileges result in oppression of the people of color.

Works Cited

"Everyday Sociology Blog: Black And White Understandings Of Urban Uprising." Everydaysociologyblog.com. N. p., 2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2019.

"How To Think About White Privilege." ThoughtCo. N. p., 2019. Web. 17 Mar. 2019.

"Social Problems: Continuity And Change - Open Textbook Library." Open.umn.edu. N. p., 2019. Web. 17 Mar. 2019.