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Black Lives Matter

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Racism

Soleta Wilson

Eng/147

October 26, 2015

Dr. Noura Badawi

Thesis Statement: Racism plays a big part in today’s society, however racial profiling is not always the case when it comes to where the problem lies. Although some people believe racism only targets one race, there are

several others who are affect by it at well. Racial profiling plays a part in todays

society and it affect everybody as a whole. People tend to respond to it without

thinking it through and this creates a problem. Some believe they are born racist

why others are taught it. How can us as a whole rise above the trials and

tribulations that racial profiling has to offer. Do we dare to be different or do we

ignore the problem? There are several ways we can think outside the box and help

with this problem one individual at a time. Racism plays a big part in today’s

society, however racial profiling is not always the case when it comes down to

where the problem lies.

Racial profiling is a problem because people feel like they are being targeted at times that they are really not, which in return put people on the defensive. People tend to automatically think that it is a race issue when in fact at times it is not. Being able to identify and separate the two are hard for some who are set in their ways and want to believe that everything that happens to them has to deal with race. People tend to live by what they were taught. If a person was raced up with racial slurs and racial profiling they tend to believe that. In fact some goes as far to say, “I do not like you because that is what I have known my whole life not to like your kind!” Being taught to be racist and actually living in racism is two different things. Although some are confused and do not even understand why they can’t like an opposite race, they still tend to go along with it out of fear that they be abandon or disown by their family. People are scared to talk about how we can rise above it and be different. Often time people say change starts with the individual, but some are too afraid to change. Others decide that it is a way of living and they have been doing it their whole life and others before them have done it so why should they change. The question I feel one should ask is, why do I feel this is morally and ethically right to treat people this way? How can I be different and rise above what I have been taught and make a difference? We have to accept that racial profiling does play a major role in today’s society. The community as a whole has to think of creative ways we to rise above and be bigger than the problem itself. We have to evaluate ourselves first well will then start to make the difference one individual at a time. Often time people say change starts with the individual, but some are too afraid to change. Others decide that it is a way of living and they have been doing it their whole life and others before them have done it so why should they change.

In the book “How to Change Anybody “, Lieberman, Ph. D (2005)

stated, "Why, Oh Why? He refers to the sense of a person who keeps asking the question why. The

author also states, when a person holds a certain belief, ask why. And when he

answers those questions ask why again. For instance, if your child makes fun of

people who are different, you should ask them why, and if your child says,

“Everybody does it.” You should ask why again. By doing so, they are being

forced to become face to face with the problem. This same method should be used

when it comes to racism and racially profiling people. Just ask "Why" to yourself

and you will begin to face the problem of racism in today’s society. At this point

people can understand racism is an option and a priority.

References

Lieberman, Ph. D, D. J. (2005). How to Change Anybody (2nd ed.). New York,

NY: St. Martin's Press.

Thornhill, T. (2014). Racism (3rd ed.). Retrieved from

http://knowledge.sagepub.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/.

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