To: Professor Ellis
From: Alpha Barry
Date: 9/17/19
Object: 500-Word Summary of Bill Nye on āCultural Identity and Racismā
Throughout the course of the history of America, there have been numerous events occurred that affected the country in good ways as well as bad ways. There have been past major events that include Louisiana Purchase, Manhattan Project, Vietnam War, Assassination of John F. Kennedy, The American Revolution and the Civil War. The past events had a major impact on the country as well as the nation. America is a country with diverse cultures from all part of the world. People that migrate to America have only one purpose that they can find a better life which they have not been blessed by their country before. So, why is racism growing in an unexpected rate? And where did this type of behavior in the people of America begin?
For instance, the campus racial incident that occurred in Penn State University on November 12, 2016 when a student received unknown group request named as āGroupMeā and it contained racist materials. Amy Guttmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, quickly took action and stated āWe are absolutely appalled that earlier today Black freshman students at Penn were added to a racist āGroupMeā account that appears to be based in Oklahoma. The account itself is totally repugnant: it contains violent, racist and thoroughly disgusting images and messages that totally change the mindset of one person to another in different ways (www.jbhe.com). Once an individual has been exposed to racism, his mentality and lifestyle changes accordingly. Even if it is not noticeable but has a major impact on the society as it gets worst. One of the ways racism affects the society is that members of racial and ethnic oppressed groups continue to struggle for equal access and opportunity, there main target is basically minorities and they show hatred towards them. Other than simply getting a job, getting and keeping a house in some states is often a difficult task for those of color. The job of a landlord is to rent out houses to reliable people or families, though a racist landlord could make it difficult for a family of color to find a home. The āVoting Rights Actā, gutted by the Supreme Court, is a good example of a law against racism. Other laws against racism include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission laws against racial discrimination in employment. Widespread housing discrimination against Americans of color in U.S. neighborhoods is sometimes referred to as a national problem. Racism is still alive in this country which people thought has been ended after the laws against racism was passed, it did not change the people who consider themselves superior as compared to others. āMany people fail to believe that race isnāt a biological category, but an artificial classification of people with no scientifically variable facts,ā said Bill Nye, an American science educator and television presenter. Just because of this issue, educational and economic opportunity, political representation, income, health and social mobility of people of color is changing our country which is bad for our future.
All in all, racism is something that should have not happened, and itās sad that it did. But America has gone through believing in racism to pretty much getting rid of racism. Though it went through many stages, America has progressed in trying to get better and showing everyone that each and every single person is equal, and has the exact same rights as everyone else, it doesnāt matter if youāre White, Black, Asian, etc. We are all the same and have the exact same rights as everyone else.
References
https://answersingenesis.org/racism/bill-nye-agrees-theres-no-such-thing-as-race/
