Through the Lens : Racism
Elizabeth Muralles
Miss Nuzzolillo
Honors Sophomore English
November 19, 2012
Racism Throughout Our History Even when everyone tries their best to be equal towards one another, people always end up being racist because of differences in ethnicities. This is shown all around the world in small and large countries especially the United States. The amount of diversity in the United States leads people to interact with others who might not necessarily be the same ethnicity as they are. This is portrayed in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Raisin In the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, and other contemporary issues going on in the United States that racism is mainly caused by people thinking that their ethnicity is better than another person’s. Racism is prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race/ethnicity. In 1991 Rodney King was beaten by members of LAPD after a car chase. Any policeman does not have the authority to hit anyone unless it is in self-defense. In this case Mr. King had not done anything to threaten the policemen after he got out of his car. Rodney King being an African American, the Caucasian policemen felt threatened by the idea that he might do something due to his ethnicity. The Caucasian race in this case tends to think that they are better than any the race especially the African Americans. Racism is seen in day to day life not just in the media. Novels written in the 1960s still can be reflected on today because some of the lessons or ideas are still true. Bob Ewell in To Kill A Mockingbird portrays the concept of racism in a very modern way that will most likely never change. Like many Caucasians during this time period Bob Ewell feels threatened by the African Americans. When his daughter Mayella claims she has been raped by Tom Robinson, a local African American the situation immediately gets public attention and is taken to court. During the trial Bob Ewell says “‘Well, Mayella was raisin this holy
Miss Nuzzolillo
Honors Sophomore English
November 19, 2012
Racism Throughout Our History Even when everyone tries their best to be equal towards one another, people always end up being racist because of differences in ethnicities. This is shown all around the world in small and large countries especially the United States. The amount of diversity in the United States leads people to interact with others who might not necessarily be the same ethnicity as they are. This is portrayed in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Raisin In the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, and other contemporary issues going on in the United States that racism is mainly caused by people thinking that their ethnicity is better than another person’s. Racism is prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race/ethnicity. In 1991 Rodney King was beaten by members of LAPD after a car chase. Any policeman does not have the authority to hit anyone unless it is in self-defense. In this case Mr. King had not done anything to threaten the policemen after he got out of his car. Rodney King being an African American, the Caucasian policemen felt threatened by the idea that he might do something due to his ethnicity. The Caucasian race in this case tends to think that they are better than any the race especially the African Americans. Racism is seen in day to day life not just in the media. Novels written in the 1960s still can be reflected on today because some of the lessons or ideas are still true. Bob Ewell in To Kill A Mockingbird portrays the concept of racism in a very modern way that will most likely never change. Like many Caucasians during this time period Bob Ewell feels threatened by the African Americans. When his daughter Mayella claims she has been raped by Tom Robinson, a local African American the situation immediately gets public attention and is taken to court. During the trial Bob Ewell says “‘Well, Mayella was raisin this holy
Cited: CNN Wire Staff “Racial profiling law passes in Connecticut.” CNN, Tuesday May 8, 2012. Web November 19, 2012 Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin In The Sun. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York: Warner, 1960.