Topic : Institutionalized Racism
February 13, 2008
What is institutionalized racism? Institutionalized racism is the unfair prosecution of a minority for certain crimes, such as in the case of six black high school students that were prosecuted in Jena, Louisiana for beating a white fellow-student, who had been accused of hanging a noose from a tree at the high school. All six students were initially charged with attempted murder, but they all later received reduced charges. The white student faced no charges, even though displaying nooses is a hate crime.
Institutionalized racism occurs when a minority applies for a certain job at a reputable company, and although, he/she is the highest or best-qualified candidate for the position, he/she is passed up by the hiring manager only to later discover that the same position was given to a non-minority who possesses a criminal record, which happens to be publicly accessible information. Not only that, the non-minority candidate has fewer credentials, which could mean that he/she has only a high school diploma, or an Associate Degree, or possess no prior experience for the position.
I have been a resident in the state of Georgia since 1985, and I have seen (first-hand) what institutionalized racism really is. Obviously, institutionalized racism is most prevalent in the judicial/criminal justice system. There are laws (local/state/federal) that needs to be seriously revised, because the prosecutions of minorities who commit certain crimes are extremely biased under these laws, the same laws that most non-minority defendants often receive lesser charges under, which also results in less jail/prison time and less monetary fines.
The second most common place that people of color experience institutionalized racism is the workplace. Institutionalized racism, which also includes discriminatory practices, and racist/prejudiced attitudes and behaviorism, is a cancer in many Atlanta businesses as well as huge corporations. There is not one place of employment where I have worked that has not practiced institutionalized racism, racism in attitudes and behavior, and/or discriminatory practices (in hiring, job promotion, disciplinary action, or firing). Georgia's employment and labor laws also perpetuate institutionalized racism and discriminatory policies. Some of these same discriminatory policies were proficiently used in forcing me out of an administrative position in 2007. Based on the pretext of a poor job performance evaluation which I had received after only thirty days of employment, I believe that I was unfairly dismissed from a position that could’ve potentially been great for me. My thirty-day job performance evaluation seemed to focus more on my attitude and character than it did on my actual work performance. Unfortunately, many black people (usually in upper management) either knowingly or unknowingly help to perpetuate institutionalized racism and discriminatory practices not only against other blacks but also against white employees.
Just as Black slave overseers and Black plantation masters perpetuated institutionalized slavery from the late 1500s to the early 1900s, many Blacks help fuel modern-day slave labor, and they practice discrimination and workplace harassment in today's job market. Institutionalized racism and ethnic discrimination continues to persist in Africa, which has fueled open genocide for hundreds of years. It was ethnic discrimination as well as ethnic cleansing that sold my ancestors into slavery. European imperialism, colonialism, capitalism and mass terror kept my ancestors prisoners in a country that was harshly cold (more so now), and extremely bitter toward them.
It is a shame that Affirmative Action is still needed in 2008. If it were not for affirmative action laws, many Black Americans, Africans, Asians, Latinos, Mexicans (even some White Americans) would not have high-profile careers today in every major industry on the planet. Just like many Blacks were openly discriminated against when it came to jobs in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, White Americans today can easily experience how it feels to be passed up for a position or job promotion simply because they aren't Black, Asian, Latino, or Mexican.
The third most common place that people of color experience institutionalized racism is the public school system (from kindergarten to 12th grade). Not only is racism and anti-racism taught as part of the school curriculum, racism is practiced (often under the radar or with discretion) on a consistent basis. Racism is not only practiced by faculty members; non-minority students practice it. As in the case with six high school students in Jena, Louisiana who had witnessed/experienced blatant racism when a noose was hanged from a tree at the high school. Sources claim the noose hanging was a prank. Luckily for those six students, anti-racism was equally practiced in Jena, Louisiana by Whites and Blacks who participated in huge protests regarding the students' unjust prosecution.
Prank or no prank: this is the result of institutionalized racism, which continues to dominate all facets of American life. Hanging nooses upon trees and doorknobs may be just a harmless prank to you, but to me it is emphatically a death threat. It is a grim reminder that many black children and black adults (including many white adults) were lynched, sometimes burned alive during the lynchings. There were also other forms of torture hanging victims endured before they died. These atrocities occurred regularly during slavery and over a hundred years after slavery. Why? To perpetuate institutionalized racism, discrimination, and segregation during slavery. To keep slaves in check. To maintain institutionalized racism, discrimination, and segregation after slavery was legally abolished in 1865. To punish black people for crimes he/she have committed or may not have committed. To make an example of any black person who broke the law. To control and terrorize black citizenry. To hang blacks simply for sport.
Stop with the noose hangings already! Black people are here to stay! And so are the Mexicans, Asians, Iraqis, Palestinians, Jews, and Gypsies!
The fourth most common place that people of color experience institutionalized racism is the corporate media. Whether news media, sports media, entertainment media; they all scream RACISM!!!
For years, I've heard radio talk show hosts and sports analysts make numerous offensive racial remarks against or about Black Americans, Africans, Asians, Latinos, Mexicans, and Middle Easterners (particularly Iraqis/Saudi Arabians/Palestinians/Jews). I've also heard offensive/derogatory/untrue comments about women, gays, lesbians, transgenders, Christians, and Muslims. I've come to one conclusion: people will always have something negative to say about a particular group. Everyone should be used to this by now. But still, you don't have to tolerate anyone's crap. Always stand up for yourself. I don’t recommend beating the crap out of someone. There are other ways to fight back. Legal ways.