Confronting Systemic Racism Globally
There are many races of people that live in the US. It has caused a lot of prejudice and racism amongst different communities. In my society, racism is a natural and common thing in our day-to-day life. Racism is mainly against people of color. It goes deep into the history of the state and the country at large. One way that racism is openly practiced is with police brutality for people of color (Schwartz, 2020). It’s mainly towards African Americans and Mexican Americans. Most white people think that people of color do not deserve suitable housing, education, and medical attention. That leaves many questions about whether people of color are less American than the rest of the American population.
Everyone is racist in a way, either knowingly or unknowingly (Sears et al., 2000). I once found myself racist. I met a white man who had waxed his hair and plated dreadlocks on his white hair. I immediately thought, “Hey dude don’t you think that dreadlocks are for African Americans and Mexican Americans because their hair is black and somehow strong to accommodate dreadlocks?” I thought that he should not put dreadlocks on his white hair. I immediately snapped out of it and realized I was racist since anyone has the freedom to keep their hair whichever way they would like. I was surprised that I could also be a racist, yet I’m usually an antiracist. I always encourage everyone around me to treat people equally, and here I was thinking negatively about another person. It was not a good feeling. Since that day, I’m always mindful of what I think of when I meet people of a different race or people of my race who are embracing something new.
References
Sears, D. O., Sidanius, J., Sidanius, J., & Bobo, L. (Eds.). (2000). Racialized politics: The debate about racism in America. University of Chicago Press.
Schwartz, S. A. (2020). Police brutality and racism in America. Explore (New York, NY), 16(5), 280.
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Question 
To what extent is prejudice a problem in your current environment? If you think it is a problem, what are some of the subtle—or even blatant—ways that prejudice is expressed?
Confronting Systemic Racism Globally
What are the most common forms of prejudice in your social or work environment (e.g., racism, sexism, ageism, basic intolerance for different points of view, etc.)? If you feel you are living or working in an environment without blatant or subtle prejudice what do you attribute to this bias-free environment? Have you ever suddenly realized that you were acting or feeling prejudiced toward another person or group? Were you surprised to discover this about yourself? Form some comments or opinions and share them with your classmates. As always, you are encouraged to be honest but respectful in sharing your thoughts and experiences.