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History of Racism in the Unites States 4

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History of Racism in the Unites States 4 A History of Racism in the United States SESSION 4 1973–Present: Post-Movement Time: Racism Redefi ned Introduction The previous three sessions traced the development of racism from 1492 through 1972. This fi nal session examines racism from 1973 to the present day. We in the United States have reason to be hopeful about the state of racism in this nation. After all, we are increasingly diverse, and the leadership of the country is beginning to represent that diversity. But the church demonstrates how much racism has evolved and yet remained in place. Despite leadership of color in the church, the Little Islamic Girl © Marusia—Fotolia.com After September 11, 2001, hate crimes against people who looked Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) remains 94 percent white. Arab increased dramatically. As of 2009, the U.S. Senate includes only four people of color: one African American (Roland Burris, D-IL), one Asian American (Daniel Akaka, D-HI), and two Lati- Criminalization and Legalized nos (Melquiades Martinez, R-FL; Robert Menendez, D- Disenfranchisement NJ),1 not to mention the underrepresentation of Native Americans (zero) and women (seventeen).2 The last legal obstacles to full citizenship for African Americans were eliminated with the 1965 Voting Rights Representation is also an issue on corporate boards, Act. Citizenship implies full participation in society, with Asian American men in particular disproportion- including voting. This is not true for people who have ately absent despite their presence in the professional been convicted of felonies. Laws criminalizing drug use workforce. Media portrayals of various groups of peo- and sentencing patterns emerged with a disproportion- ple of color leave much to be desired. African Ameri- ate impact on African Americans. Almost 25 percent can and Latino men are disproportionately part of the of all African American men in their thirties had been prison population. Immigration is a continuing vehicle to prison by 2003.3 Thirteen percent of African Ameri- for cultural racism. Neocolonialism in Asia and Latin can men are ineligible to vote due to felony convic- America serve as contemporary extensions of the doc- tions. Many argue that people who have performed a trine of manifest destiny we discussed in session 2. In criminal act need to be punished (some would argue this session, we discuss just a few contemporary mani- that rehabilitation would be more effective, but the U.S. festations and invite your continued refl ections on the judicial system tends toward punitive measures rather ways in which racism is present in our everyday lives. than restorative). However, sentencing varies based not 1 Copyright © 2009 www.TheThoughtfulChristian.com A History of Racism Permission given to the purchaser to copy this page for use in class. in the United States, 4 The Racism Study Pack on the crime committed but the ways in which people of different races are charged (with possession, or with Resistance: Spoken Word possession with the intent to distribute), and the types and Comedy of drugs. For example, crack cocaine is cheaper and more likely to be used by African Americans than pow- Many artists and poets have emerged from com- der cocaine, which is more likely to be used by white munities of color. Such spoken word groups as people. Users of powder cocaine need to possess 100 Yellow Rage and the Taco Shop Poets, and art- times more cocaine than do users of crack cocaine in ists like Marlon Esguerra bring their cultural and order to receive the same sentence. Because of the dif- racial experiences to light, and critique racism in ferences in sentencing, the disproportionate impact is the U.S. Comedians Ahmed Ahmed, Maz Jobrani, on poor people of color from urban areas.4 Dean Obeidallah, and Aron Kader brought their Arab American and Iranian American experiences The criminal justice system impacts the way African together to create the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. Americans in particular experience citizenship. Con- The Axis of Evil and Korean American comedian victed felons who have served their time in prison and Margaret Cho in her “I’m the One That I Want” completed probation remain ineligible to vote in most comedy tour have provided a strong counter- states. Only Maine and Vermont allow prison inmates point to dominant social narratives about people 5 the right to vote. Thirty-fi ve states prohibit felons on of color from the perspective of people of color. parole from voting. Several states do not allow felons who have completed their sentences to vote, while others require felons go through a waiting time and a often confl ated with “Muslims,” are a group more prom- process before being able to vote again. Given the dis- inently racialized after the terrorist attacks of September proportionate numbers of African American and Latino 11th. The post-9/11 discourse on “evil” expressed by men in prison, and the disproportionate sentences given President George W. Bush and other leadership confl ate to people of color, we might say the result of these laws Islam, terrorism, and Arabs with one another. In 2004, is the restriction of citizenship based on race. then House Majority Leader Tom DeLay gave a speech in which the word “evil” was used almost twenty times Anti-Arab Racism, Immigration, to describe the so-called Arab world.8 As English pro- fessor Steven Salaita points out, terrorism is a “highly and Neocolonialism subjective term and its subjectivity has been used to The war on terror, along with a continuing sociopolitical highlight Arab violence disproportionately while com- focus on the vaguely defi ned Middle East, has helped parable American and Israeli violence is disregarded.”9 defi ne a prominent process of racialization. Over recent Anti-Arab racism is refl ected in U.S. culture in the years, mainstream movies have turned to portraying media, popular culture, and the Bush-era discourse Arabic-speaking villains without families, fear, or com- of the “war on terror.” After 9/11, Muslim communi- passion. A pre-9/11 example of this is the 1994 movie ties report increased diffi culty with securing permits “True Lies,” in which several Arabic- speaking male to build mosques for worship. Of course, not all Arabs characters of undetermined national origin plot to are Muslim. Not all Muslims are Arabs. Not all Arabs or use a nuclear weapon if the U.S. does not meet their Muslims are terrorists. In fact, adherents to Islam span demands.6 Positive portrayals by Arab American actors a wide theological and political spectrum, similar to the are rarely of Arab American characters. Adrian Monk, spectrum of practicing Christians. This confl ation in the assumed to be white, is played by Tony Shalhoub, an American imagination of Arab/Muslim/terrorist cre- American of Lebanese descent. ates a racialized category, whose members are assumed to participate in destructive behavior. Are Arabs a race? As comedian Dean Obeidallah, on the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, states, “I used to be a After September 11, 2001, hate crimes against people white guy. After September 11th, I became an Arab.”7 who looked Arab increased dramatically. It was tell- Arab Americans are considered white in the legal racial ing that between September 11 and September 13, the construction of the United States. Arabs, a classifi cation Council on American-Islamic Relations received over 2 Copyright © 2009 www.TheThoughtfulChristian.com A History of Racism Permission given to the purchaser to copy this page for use in class. in the United States, 4 The Racism Study Pack 300 reports of harassment and abuse. The fi rst murder was of a Sikh South Asian man in Arizona, believed to be targeted because of his turban and long beard charac- teristic of Sikh adherents.10 The aftermath of September 11 included voluntary registration by men from twenty majority-Muslim and Arab countries.11 These voluntary registrations resulted in hundreds of men disappearing for months at a time, thanks to the government’s “hold until cleared” policy.12 Many were deported, and most were held in detention without the ability to contact their families. Illegal Immigration © Rusty Dodson—Fotolia.com The debate regarding immigration reform and enforce- Vigilantes on the border between the U.S. and Mexico engage in anti- ment has cycled through both cultural and systemic Latino violence, while they believe they are assisting the U.S. Border racism. Vigilantes on the border between the U.S. and Patrol in fi nding and turning back people crossing the border. A more recent phenomenon has surfaced in which mostly white youth go Mexico engage in anti-Latino violence, while they looking for “Mexicans.” This is known as “beaner hunting.” believe they are assisting the U.S. Border Patrol in fi nd- ing and turning back people crossing the border. A continues to assert neocolonial control throughout this more recent phenomenon has surfaced in which mostly time period over various countries in Asia and Latin white youth go looking for “Mexicans.” This is known America, in particular. What does this have to do with 13 as “beaner hunting.” A simple Internet search results racism in the United States? After all, our relationships both in editorials denouncing racially motivated attacks to other countries are not racialized, are they? that have resulted in the murder of a Long Island resi- dent (an Ecuadorian man), and in Web sites and video The doctrine of manifest destiny, referenced in session postings promoting such attacks. Border enforcement, 2, was developed to justify the U.S. reach into Mexican beginning in 1994, has forced migration further east. In territories by proclaiming the U.S. to be superior.
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