Persuasive Essay On Race

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“Many people fail to believe that race isn’t a biological category, but an artificial classification of people with no scientifically variable facts.”(laurenmay123). This quote is significant in the view of the fact that it means that race does not matter among rational people. What is paramount in this essay is the argument that race or color should not matter in areas of employment, education, politics, or any other facet of our ordinary life. We can say there is only one race - the human race. What matters most is not brown, red, yellow, white, or black, but human character. In essence, there is only one race – the human race. The Fourteenth Amendment equally protects our rights irrespective of our race, gender, or color. The Fourteenth Amendment also states that we as United States citizens have the right to pursue our life, liberty, or property without due process of law or reject any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of laws. (U.S Constitution). Racism in the United States began before the founding of our country. It started with the European conquest of the Americas and the disruption and destruction Native American Indian language culture and customs.
One researcher states that, “Much of today’s racism can be traced to the era of colonialism that began in the 1400s. When Europeans began colonizing Africa and the Americas, the white settlers adopted the idea that they were superior to the other races they encountered and it was their job to “civilize the savages.” This false notion became known as “the white man’s burden,” and was used to justify the Europeans’ taking land and enslaving people. In this way, naturally-occurring racial differences became the basis for systems of exploitation and di...

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...g comments about African Americans. Sadly, overt acts of racism still exist in all facets of American life and culture.

What can be done to limit racism in our society? A comprehensive study on the affects of racism states that there are several things that adults can do to limit racism in our lives. First, we must model good behavior and positive attitudes about all people irrespective of their differences. Second, we should “teach children both by commission and by omission.” (Louise Derman-Sparks, Carol Tanaka Higa, Bill Sparks, 1978). In other words, we should live a life where we demonstrate that every person has dignity and omit language and actions that are hurtful. Lastly, as a country, we should engage in an national dialogue and educate ourselves about the dangers of racism and discrimination and its unintended consequences on American life and culture.

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