America: A Diverse Land of Immigrants and Racism - Essay Sample

Introduction

America is comprised of a quite diverse population since it experiences an influx of immigrants each day. As noted by (Howard 12) and (Shii & Tindall 11), America was initially inhabited by Native Indians, until Columbus discovered the beautiful land. Since then, Americans receives numerous visitors each year as tourists, asylum seekers, job seekers, and even illegal immigrants. America, therefore, has different cultures and races, which contributes to racism and segregation based on cultural background. America may look like it has embraced all people, but Hispanics and the Black community still feel discriminated against.

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Shii &Tindall (13) explains that there was a struggle for dominance between native residents and the incoming communities. For instance, there was a significant dispute between the Spanish and the Native Indians. The Spaniards used force and coaxing to gain dominance in the land of King Montezuma. The Spaniards collaborated with Indians to lie to the natives that they had an illness that only gold could cure (Howard 16). The statement convinced Montezuma that their leader Cortes was a god, so he complied. The invaders, who were whites, then started mishandling the natives by using them as a source of cheap labor. Although the natives later defeated them, the Spaniards began the culture of slavery and looking down upon natives. Natives Indians, to date, still complain of discrimination and being looked down upon.

"There is not a country in world history in which racism has been more important, for so long a time, as the United States" (Howard 23). From the age of slavery, the cultural background has been used to define who receives what amount of respect. The discrimination can be traced back to North America, which was the first destination of slaves, all from the Black community. The slaves were never treated in the same way as their masters, which marked the start of segregation. Even after the need for the slave trade, former slaves were squeezed in settlement schemes and had no regular jobs. The Black community also dominated the neighborhoods the exclusion had created for them, and so were the areas Whites lived in. The practices of the 18th century are still a problem for America in this age and need a permanent solution.

According to Howard (30), even before 1600, when the slave trade had just begun, before Africans were stamped by it-literally and symbolically-the color black was distasteful.

The Oxford dictionary defined black skin as full of dirt, soiled, and deeply stained. Being black was also associated with bad luck, disaster, and death. However, despite the prejudice, Blacks and Whites worked together before the introduction of segregation laws that forbad direct interaction of blacks and whites. Since then, the line of color is yet to be erased due to the numerous cultural backgrounds represented in the US.

The effects of the hatred between Whites and Non-whites are still felt, with racism and discrimination a problem. The segregation of the 18th century is still evident from the form in which residents have settled. In California, Lakewood, which was a White-majority estate, is always the same, with some home wonders having bought the homes during that period (Flores 17). Areas that were White-dominated also have better-developed infrastructure, since they were prioritized during the development period. The rest of the regions are still catching up.

The prejudice instilled against people of color, Hispanics, and immigrants is also existent. Immigrants are seen as a source of stain on social facilities (Flores 14), especially in public facilities. In areas experiencing a high influx of immigrants, such as California, public schools and hospitals are overstrained. The situation is made worse by the shortage of doctors that the US is currently experiencing (McCarthy 24). Immigrants are still considered people of a lower class who cannot secure good jobs; therefore, they have to offer manual services. The attitude has been carried forward from the slave trade era, when slaves were shipped as legal or illegal immigrants from Africa and beyond to work in farms and factories. Illicit immigrants especially have a problem of securing jobs, since they do not have legal work documents. They are therefore perceived as a cause of increased crime. In their desperation to earn their daily bread, they resort to gun violence and drug peddling. There is a direct link between unemployment and increased crime rates.

Since the slavery era, through the colonial and post-colonial era, other races that were not white were considered fit for manual jobs, as they were perceived as people of lesser thinking ability. Most third world countries, where many people who move into the US originate from, do not have candid education systems. Those who move into the US are either half-baked or not competent enough to compete fairly with those who have gone through the American education system. African Americans are therefor often considered less competent and are less likely to secure top positions in prominent organizations compared to their White counterparts. Discrimination in the workplace, even when the races are equally qualified, is still evident (Jones 67). For instance, an employee is more likely to ask help to rectify her computer from a White IT expert compared to an African American. In the same way, she is expected to ask another non-white race to help her fix a flat tire or lift a heavy object compared to a white colleague. The thought of non-whites being suited to manual jobs still exists.

Racial discrimination happens from our backyards. We pre-judge before we understand. When we see an African American with tattoos, a golden tooth, and dreadlocks, we already think of crime and drugs. It is through these small ways that racism is propelled. Changing the mindset by being more open-minded is essential. In spite of historical events that have twisted our thinking, perceiving non-whites and immigrants as fellow Americans who have a full right to be in the country will eliminate discrimination. Accommodating the classmate who does not speak fluent English because it is not his first language, assisting the employee who is not fast-paced with technology because he did not grow up with it, listening to the scary story of an Iranian who has sought asylum in the US, among other small daily practices will make a big difference in dealing with discrimination.

The history of America introduced hatred between natives and immigrants. The native Indians hated Whites who moved into America for enslaving them and taking away their valuables. The hatred was repeated during the slavery era between Whites and slaves from Africa and has t lasted to date. Segregation and discrimination in schools, the workplace, and public facilities are still evident. All citizens, therefore, have a role of embracing diversity and understanding that despite the differences in cultural backgrounds and races, all citizens of the US have an equal right of residence in the country.

Works Cited

Flores, Rene D. "Taking the law into their own hands: do local anti-immigrant ordinances increase gun sales?." Social problems 62.3 (2015): 363-390.

Jones, Kristen P., et al. "Subtle discrimination in the workplace: A vicious cycle." Industrial and organizational psychology 10.1 (2017): 51-76.

McCarthy, Michael. "Report predicts US physician shortage could exceed 90 000 by 2025." (2015): h1296.

Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton & Company, 2016.

Zinn, Howard. A people's history of the United States: 1492-present. Routledge, 2015.