Introduction
In this century, human relations have been dominated by the issues of skin color. Various scholars have consensus views on the difference in races. Most of them argue that racial distinction is not a significant element that affects human beings in the pre-modern world. The more substantial influence of race in various societies is based on the most recent occurrence that influences civilization and the culture, especially racial segregation and slavery (Dillard et al., 2018). Racial discrimination is a consequence of racial behavior, with its undesirable evident implications, extending from the neglect of those believed to be mediocre and different from explicit exclusion and harassment forms.
White Skin Privilege
The more extensive content of white skin privilege issues falls in American history. The race elation history in the United States is examined adequately through a paradigm that involves white super-ordination and black-subordination. In America, the lower strata are occupied by the blacks. Some view this pattern as standard, while others have a different view on these strata of American class structures. Whites are challenged to rationalize their societal position, especially those who are adapted to the social reality.
Even though whites are not the majority throughout the world, they are the dominant groups in power, possessions, and wealth. The dominant group, as far as the social status, is concerned is the most privileged. In European nations, the race is usually thought of from a minority point of view. Many scholars have a different idea of racial privilege. Some view it as a white middle-class privilege, while others view it as a non-existent issue.
Most Americans view white skin privilege as a myth. They believe that if such liberty existed before, they would have been surpassed by the devolved environment, color- blind and the civil rights era development. Such observers of the present social trend cite the essential expansion of the middle-class black American, the blacks, and other races within Americans' institutions, especially those within the occupations in support of their calm. The main aim of this essay is to argue whether the whites associate skin color with theirs.
Several Proofs
I support this argument that the whites do associate the color of the skin with theirs. I support this motion because of several proofs that affirm that the whites relate the skin color with theirs. Even though other people's view on this motion may differ from mine, I support it because of the following reasons;
In the book titled Game Change, relating the presidential elections of Senator Barak Obama as the president, an individual journalist wrote that Barak Obama is a light-skinned African American who does not have a Negro language. The journalist's comment indicates that some white people prefer blacks who are light-skinned and not their counterparts who are dark-skinned (Shah, 2018). If Obama were dark-skinned, maybe he would not have been elected as the United States president for two consecutive terms. Therefore, this point is proof that whites do associate the skin color with their own before making any decision like electing a leader.
Slavery took a life of its own in as much as it was invented in the new world, it was so connected with the dark skin that distinguishing between slavery and dark skin is almost impossible (Shah, 2018). The colonialists approved several laws that constrained the blacks and their families as their servants and later on as slaves who provided cheap labor for harvesting tobacco, which was one of their primary income sources by then. Some African slaves in California and Virginia colonies could be freed from bondage after being converted to Christianity at some point in America. However, in later years, several rules were enacted that filled all the gaps, and the black skin was tied to captivity or slavery, and the white was tied to freedom. This is also a clear indication that the white does associate the skin color with their color as far as the job profession is concerned.
Domestic Worker
The story of Oliveira, a domestic worker in Brazil, is one of the current pieces of evidence supporting this topic. She was born in a poor black family with no schooling. She began her domestic work at a very young age. As a house girl in a white's house, she used to be abused in several ways. Sometimes she could be mocked, called "monkey' and beaten for breaking something accidentally. She could also be sexually molested and, most surprisingly, not paid for her white house services. All these happened to her because she was dark skin but not white. If she was white, then she could not have gone through all these abuses. Her story reveals the form of injustices the blacks go through in the hands of whites.
The coronavirus pandemic has also been accompanied by increased cases of racial discrimination around the world. For instance, in the United Kingdom, people do not want the Asian doctors to treat them, which is not the first time a situation is experienced in this country (Salaado Qasim, 2019). America is also a victim of the same on Muslims. Several people fear that the East Asian ethnicity will suffer tremendously from the Covid 19 pandemic effects.
Furthermore, the favor for color towards blacks, especially in China, has become common. Many blacks have been abused severally in Chinese cities. There were black people in China being ejected from their houses by force and taken to forced quarantine. The majority of the blacks living in Guangzhou city in China were being tested for Covid -19 pandemic by force despite having not shown any signs of the disease. Even when the test result is negative, the blacks were still forced to remain in quarantine. Again this is a clear indication of the white associating the skin color with their color. If this was not the case, they could not have done that to innocent blacks in a foreign land.
The light skin or white preference is altogether shown in America. People with light skin in the United States currently earn a lot of money annually. They are more educated and have a higher job profession status than their darker counterparts (Salaado Qasim, 2019). In America, the dark skin people are also facing challenges in health and social justice.
In America, if you watch the news, visit pubs, restaurants, look at the advertisements, read newspapers, and look at greeting cards, the judges, lawyers, the hierarchy of color is dominated by the whites and not the blacks. This indicates the unequal distribution of job opportunism in America, mostly for the dark skin people. Was it not for the favor of color, and everyone could have been given equal job opportunities irrespective of race or skin color?
Higher Auction Prices
The mulattoes and the black and white offspring hold a much higher status than their pure black-skinned people. This is because they are recognized in white countries due to their lighter skin complexion (Salaado Qasim, 2019). The mulattoes were highly valued because their characteristics are almost related to those of whites, like white hair. The higher auction prices were also paid for them by the whites, and they often lived a better life than the blacks. These people were highly familiar with the culture, religion, and language and were comfortable around slave trade owners' homestead. Many of them were even taught how to read and write (Dillard et al., 2018). They were then hired as artisans, having been taught all about trades.
In contrast, blacks could not enjoy the benefits that their colleagues were enjoying. Instead, they were taken as slaves to provide manual labor to their plantations. If the whites were not selective or judging people based on their skin color, the mulattoes, the blacks, and the whites could have been treated equally with dignity and care, but they could not do that because of their favor for skin color.
Finally, the unjust killings of the blacks by the whites are also a matter of concern.
A good example is the killing of George Fluid in America by a white cop (Aratani, 2020). Americans condemned this act, but it was not a surprise to the worldwide community, maybe because they knew that the victim was not white. The United States police also took a lot of time to investigate the matter and provide justice to the bereaved family. If the victim was a white person, I think justice could have been served accordingly and at the required time. It is, therefore, evident that the whites tend to associate the skin color with their color.
However, in as much as I support the motion, there are some instances where the whites do not associate the skin color with theirs. There are currently many black students employed in the whites' country and earning a good salary per month. For instance, the United States Army comprises of both the blacks and the whites who are patriotic to their country and the country they are serving in.
The international criminal court has also got black judges and lawyers who provide their services to both the whites and the blacks fairly. When it comes to education, there are large numbers of black students who have received scholarships to study abroad, where they freely interact with their fellow white students without any fear. Finally, many Aids that the whites' countries, through their government, supply the African countries to help people affected by any form of a natural disaster like flood and pandemics.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would say that racism among ethnic groups exists in the criminal justice, education sector, health sector, employment, wealth, and income sectors. We have seen some being sexually abused, denied social justice, denied access to some services like treatment in the white's companies and institutions. This has led to suffering among the black group specifically; hence something needs to be done. Having argued on both sides of the topic, I support the motion that the whites associate the skin color with their color because of the above supportive arguments.
References
Aratani, L. (2020, May 29). George Floyd killing: what sparked the protests – and what has been the response? The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/29/george-floyd-killing-protests-police-brutality.
Dillard, C., Collins, C., Shuler, J., Kjrjr, Babylon Bee, Nomorerace, Safety Dance. (, 2018). What Is White Privilege? Teaching Tolerance.
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really.
Salaado Qasim, C. (2019). How racism spread around the world alongside COVID-19. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/just-like-covid-19-racism-is-spreading-around-the-world/.
Shah, A. (2018). Racism. Global Issues.
https://www.globalissues.org/article/165/racism.
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