Aaron Butcher 1

4-9-2014


RACIAL INEQUALITY IS AMONGST ALL OF US
Racial inequality is extremely prevalent in todays society and I am unfortunately a victim.
I try to overcome the cruel words and actions of others, but it still hurts in some cases. People
have said certain comments to me just because of my race, for example, you should know that
because youre black. I do not understand how you would know something because youre
black or any other race. In society there is socioeconomic inequality as well and it has affected
people that I know in my life. For example, I have certain family members that have not obtained
jobs because of their race in the past five years. For example, my grandmother once worked in a
clothing department, and she was talking to couple of people and realized that she was making
less money than the people she was working with. Now, some whites are in positions where they
are able to use their authority and demand unnecessary respect from minorities in certain
situations just so they could be in control. I feel like we have strived in society so much but were
still not at that point where race should not affect a persons financial income. We are now in a
society where minorities are not comfortable in a situation they are in, which leads to minorities
not having the same situations as other people such as jobs, and education. Racial inequality just
doesnt affect minorities, but it affects every single race on the way they portray themselves in
society. Some people have better opportunities just because of their race, but why is that? In
society some people treat and look at some people differently, and that affects peoples emotions
and the way they act in society. When there is racial inequality in society that leads to
socioeconomic inequality, and that affects minorities and how they make money in society. The
study The Unfinished March shows that African Americans are still twice as likely to be
unemployed as whites and that, in America there is many schools that are segregated. Why is
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4-9-2014


that it is three times more likely for African American to be arrested than a white man. "The
problem is that some African Americans are not learning the proper ways in education, and its
because their school is either low budget or some people just dont care to help certain
minorities situations out". Also, it is important to discover the situations some minorities are in
because it shows us why many African Americans do not have jobs and earn less money than
other people and figure out why is this happening if everyone is supposed to be equal. Despite
overwhelming improvements in education levels throughout the years and opportunitys during
the past three decades, educational disadvantages associated with race still occur in the United
States. Residential segregation has shown that it has affected many African Americans in buying
homes and having substantial amount of money they use in society. The Negro is still
languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. There
should not be a huge disparity in wealth, employment and, jobs between different races in the
United States. The reason these things have not changed because I feel like some African
Americans feel like opportunities will never change for them. People should not get a better
education because they live in a better neighborhood or have more money in their town. Nobody
should come second to anyone; everyone should be treated in society as the way they would
want to be treated. Everybody should be a given the same opportunity in the workforce and the
education system. In 2010, 74.1% of black children attended majority nonwhite schools.
Similarly, 45% of poor black children were found to live in neighborhoods of concentrated
poverty, compared to 12% of poor white children. The disparity extends beyond employment
and geography separation. Studies have shown that the average black familys wealth has
stagnated while white familys wealth has increased. Individuals are assumed to be identifiable
as members of distinct racial populations and subject to differential treatment in the world we
Aaron Butcher 1
4-9-2014


live in. The members of the higher class receive greater access to the resources and rewards of
society, on average than members, of devalued population. (Massey 2007) One author states,
Because membership in these populations is assigned partly by ancestry or is based on readily
observable and heritable features, the hierarchy of social positions can be passed on generation
after generation, resulting in relatively low levels of mobility. (Tilly 1998) Despite trying to get
rid of these inequalities in the United States there is still a huge gap in wealth, education and
opportunities throughout life. These gaps are still in the United States because of implicit
prejudice, racism and social isolation where there is only certain amount of groups only hanging
out with each other. As shown in The Atlantic it shows a graph the unemployment rates through
1973-2012 and African Americans had the highest percentage among races throughout the years.
How do we change these statistics where there somewhat equal and African Americans wont
have a problem finding a job in the workforce?

Racial inequalities have manifested in America society in ways ranging from racial
disparities in wealth, poverty rates, housing patterns, educational opportunities, and
unemployment rates. There is a large gap between the wealth of minority households and white
households in the United States. A shown study has shown that a black household has around
5,376 in wealth, and a typical Hispanic has around 6,325 in wealth and the average white
household has around 113,000.
In the past, it is true that African American have suffered injustice, however, today there are
still some wounds that needs healing from harsh treatment black people experience from whites
people back during the civil right movement. Since our countrys inception, race based barriers
Aaron Butcher 1
4-9-2014


have hindered our fulfillment of our shared values and many of these barriers persist today. In
2000 after a remarkable period of economic prosperity, the poverty rate among African
Americans and was 2.6 times greater than whites as seen in The Economist. As shown in studies
reductions in poverty do not inevitably close the racial inequality gaps, nor do they reach all
ethnic communities equally. In addition poor people are more likely than whites to find
themselves living in high poverty neighborhoods with limited resources and limited options.
These numbers are troubling not because living among poor people is somehow harmful in itself,
but because high-poverty communities are far more likely to be cut off from quality schools,
housing, and other pathways out of poverty.
Racial inequality is all around the world to your job, housing, education, and just walking on the
street it is everywhere. People need to understand we need to change together in order for us to
change socially, politically, and economically. When this change occurs society will as a whole
will become a better place and as a whole we will be more productive. This of course will not be
an easy change but we have come very far in our society and I feel like we can get past anything
as a whole. In addition we need better teachers in our education system to lead students to strive
in life in general but thats a whole different topic.
Also I dont get how some people treat other people like this just because of their race and how
much money they make. Society needs to change immediately or it will just keep getting worse
and worse not just for African Americans but for everyone. Kids around the world should not be
learning different things in school, but in the United States kids have different opportunities in
the education system. .Also when it comes down to it people of every race, color, or how much
money you should always be treated with respect and equal amongst each other.
Aaron Butcher 1
4-9-2014