What is Racism and How has the American Society Dealt With It? (Essay Sample)

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What is racism and how has the American society dealt with it?
This research paper intends to explain what racism is and its interpretation by different people. To answer this question, the paper will try to establish factors that lead to racism and how it can be dealt with. Thus, a thorough study of laws, conventions, case laws as well as literature materials will be conducted to conclusively answer the above question.
Race discrimination can be said to take place when a person receives unequal treatment on the grounds that they belong to a different race. Racism is mainly attributed by the human perception that some appearances or personal traits make them superior. This study is meant to explain what racial discrimination and how the American society has reacted to this vice.[civilrights.findlaw.com.Racial Discrimination,  n.d. Web. Nov11. 2015] [Samana Siddiqui " A brief history of racism in the United States”. content.easybib.com. Web.Nov 11. 201]
History of Racism in America
Racism is a vice that has been in existence for many years. In the US, racism saw its roots back in the 17th Century during the colonization period. In the American history, racism was extended towards the Native Americans among other minority groups. The Europeans thirst to have control over American is said to have been the genesis of racism. Europeans had a mistaken belief that all the Native Americans were uncultured and needed to embrace civilization. They also thought that Americans were heathens. This kind of mentality that Europeans had towards the Native Americans made the Europeans think that they were more important and superior compared to Native Americans.
As time passed by, the war intensified and cases of mass murder and genocide were increased each day. Additionally, cases of assimilations in educational institutions and places of mass gathering were also witnessed. Racism in America brought about many negative effects among them long-term effects which still haunt the Americans to date. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, most suicide cases in the US involve Native Americans. Racism in America was also extended to Africans-Americans, Japanese-Americans and Jewish-Americans[Samana Siddiqui " A brief history of racism in the United States”. content.easybib.com. Web.Nov 11. 2015]
As depicted from the brief history of racism in America given above, racism may take several forms. For instance, terming a group of people from a distinctive social origin as heathens or uncivilized may qualify to be racism. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, hereinafter referred to as the Convention provides a clear definition of what racism is. Under the Convention, racism take any of the forms; distinguishing, excluding, restricting or giving preferential treatment to some individuals on the bases of their race, decent or origin with the intention of creating inequalities in enjoyment of rights and freedoms. Thus, racism is treating people differently based on the above mentioned identities with the aim of nullifying their entitlements as equal human beings.[]
Many legal instruments give different meaning to racism. There exist instruments whose binding effect extends beyond a nation. These instruments are the sources of law in the international. For instance, the aforementioned Convention is a source of international law that is binding to those members who have ratified it.
Law on Racism
There are several laws that prohibit racial discrimination. One of them is the earlier mentioned Convention on racial discrimination whose position on racism has been explained. Basically, this Convention defines racial discrimination on basis of origin, sex, color and religion. Additionally, creditors have also been prohibited from any form of discrimination including on basis of race. Discrimination on bases of disability, race among other things has been prohibited in the US code. Prohibition in this code is in various settings, including education and places of employment. When making sales and matters related to housing rights racism, has also been prohibited. The right to vote has also been protected by the law whereby the law requires that everybody be allowed to vote regardless of their race. Lastly, relief operations are governed by a number of rules and among them are non-discrimination rules. During these operations, the law requires that they be conducted in an equitable manner.[Civil Rights Act of 1964] [The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974] [Title 42, Chapter 21 of the U.S. Code] [Fair Housing Act of 1868] [Voting Rights Act of 1965] [Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988]
Up to this point, one can easily tell what amounts to racism since the paper has explained the position of the law on racism. Thus, the paper can make a logical conclusion that the law does not allow racial discrimination, whatsoever. Nonetheless, one may fail to understand what makes preferential treatment to people belonging to particular race and the denial of some to others a vice.
Rationale behind Prohibition
The rationale behind the prohibition of racism must be looked at to be able to answer the above question. The rationale is found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights hereinafter referred to as UDHR. This is the first instrument that attempted to bring the notion that all human beings are equal. The UDHR clearly states that every human being is born free, and equal in dignity and rights. Though the UDHR is not a binding instrument, its provisions have been embraced and have consequently become a custom. This has been confirmed by a number of cases whereby decisions have largely been influenced by the UDHR.[(The United Nations art.1)]
Response towards Racism
The United Nations has dispirited acts of colonialism, segregation and any other form discrimination. The act of giving Independence to colonized nations has been a strong indicator that all people are equal as suggested by the UDHR. The UN has also been in the front line in fighting racism. There have been a number of forums specifically set to condemn racism with all its forms as well as its manifestations. The court has also been instrumental in discouraging racial discrimination. The Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the conviction of an American-Japanese origin for dishonoring an order by the president calling for relocation of people from a military area. During the proceedings at the Supreme Court, one of the judges supposed that his duties as a judge did not require him to make a judgment w...