In America today many people still believe that racism goes both ways, meaning both whites and people of color are subjected to discrimination. Author Tim Wise begs to differ. He believes that only people of color are discriminated against and whites are granted far more priveleges. Even though America has made extreme progress towards becoming a more equal nation, there is still proof that racism exists. Although it is less open than in the past, it still affects the lives of many people.
Racism is still seen around the world today. It affects all types of people regardless of their color. Although toned down, racism is now against the law ans not looked upon as the common belief of non colored people. Wise believes, "Racism is an ideology that says certain people, by virtue of their race, are either inferior or superior to others of a different, with race usually being defined by skin color... It's a way of organizing society (5)." What Wise means is society stereotypes certain types of people by their skin color. It is convienient to judge a person because of how they look. Americans find it easier to stay within their race and make assumptions, rather than venture out and actually get to know people of a different color. Even Wise makes assumptions, "Once I got on an airplane with two black pilots, and my immediate reaction was, "can they fly the plane?" I caught myself and realized that of course they could. But the thought was there and I had to acknowledge it (12)." Racism might just be ingrained in us. We are raised today to know different stereotypes and how certain races are supposed to act or be better at certain things. Regardless of age, color, or social class, racism is apparent in society and affects people everywhere.
Along with racism, privelege is also apparent in society. White people are privileged in that they are given rights or benefits beyond the advantages of most other people. Wise describes a few of the priveleges of being white, "we whites are able to be as incompetent or mediocre as we want and never have out mediocrity ascribed to our race (5)." What Wise means it that white people don't have to live their lives under the microscope. White people are able to make as many mistakes as they want and their race is not held accountable.
Even though we might not see ourselves as being racist, we still categorize and stereotype people without even realizing were doing it. Wise says, "We don't consciously believe racial superiority or inferiority, but we've become so used to the existing policies, practices, and procedures that we don't question them. To the extent that we don't challenge this system of racism, we are collaborating with it (5)." By growing up in a priveleged white society, we have been shielded from and make unaware of the way minorities live. It is impossible to truly understand how people of color are forced to live in society. By being white, our opinion of definition of privelege and racism are bias. This can also lead to the issue of priveleged access, which is a main component of paper three.
When arguing a food community is better than another like in paper three, one must remember that there is always the issue of access. Because of racism and white privelege, minorities have less access to certain food groups. The majority of minorities live in the inner city or ghettos, where their access to fresh fruit, vegetables, and organic food is very limited. They can't simply drive down the street to a farmers market or walk to a fresh produce stand to get those healthy foods becasue they don't have them.
In conclusion, racism is very prominent in all areas of the world, even today. The way it affects people's lives varies depending on the degree of the racism taken. The white race as a whole is much more priveleged than other races, and does not have to deal with all the bad treatment that others do. Without even acknowledging it, whites have more opportunities and a better chance at life and success from the day they are born. The environment and surroundings definately influences how prevalent racism and priveleges are. Hopefully one day people will begin to look past the color of one's skin and realize that everyone is not so different.
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