Race, Racism and Rationality

Race, racism and Rationality

As it stands the issue of race today is still too ingrained to be confronted and "fixed" in a single generation. America has had a long history of institutionalized discrimination, which over the second half of the twentieth century has attempted to correct in order to create an equal just society. Race still is an issue today and while before racial discrimination primarily regarded African American citizens it now has expanded to other ethnicities like Asian and Hispanic, whose populations have increases in the U.S. as a result of immigration. Newsbatch.com explains how over the past twenty years a "distinct trend of economic inequality has emerged", caused by low rates of property ownership and "disproportionate" welfare benefits. As a result of an increase in the population of minorities and a widening of the economic gap, racial tension continues to grow. So how can this issue of race be resolved?

Looking at what progress has already been made the most significant and dramatic impact made was during the civil-rights movement where non-violent protest and mass media coverage gave African Americans a reputable voice. So why don't we try more of that? A unified cause with a commonly held message is exactly what we need to remedy the situation. One could argue that because opposition hasn't been met with Billy clubs and tear gas that massive rally's just aren't necessary. So how are we dealing with the issue today?

A specific example of how people talk about race is a Youtube video in which a black man and white woman get in an argument on a subway train. The problem started while when a man stepped on a woman's shoe. The issue quickly escalates into a shouting match over who was being more prejudice, where very childishly neither individuals allow the other person to have the final word. The confrontation ends only after it devolves into physical violence, when the woman swings a bottle and the man punches her to the ground. This video clearly points out that violence destroys legitimacy, but also that people are so polarized about the topic and discussion of race. What was particularly interesting about the video was how other people reacted to the fight. All through the confrontation the people standing shoulder to shoulder on the packed train did nothing to intervene or find a resolution, at least not until blows were exchanged. The public's seemingly passive actions and voices in the underground shows stark contrast with the way the public reacted online, where people were up in arms and practically ready to start a fight themselves over the issue.

For this reason the worst aspect of this video isn't about its content, but how it is received. The sight that this video was posted on had two distinct forums. One in defense of the man where people were brashly saying things like "he