In Job Hunt College Degree Can’t Close Racial Gap
December 14, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/us/01race.html?_r=2
In reading the article posted in the link above, my eyes were opened once again to the deep rooted effects of racism in American society. I naturally have a world-view that reflects my own life’s experience. Since I am a white female and have not encountered the dealings of this article on a personal level, I was left to believe that it did not exist. In reading this article, I was reminded that just because I haven’t experienced something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Discrimination against blacks in the work force is a perfect example.
Because this type of discrimination isn’t usually overt, it becomes much harder to deal with; I can certainly understand how black individuals in this situation would, as the article stated, be wary of “pulling the race card” or resorting to immediate cynicism in fear of misreading the situation. This type of racism is only diagnosed when one zooms out from the specific situation and inspects the wider context and frequency of such situations. And since we rarely have access to this kind wide-lens perspective, subtle racisms are perpetuated among job markets leaving the individuals who are subject to this discrimination, are virtually helpless.
It is our responsibility as members of a diverse society to take off frequently put ourselves in a position to view the world around us through the lens of another, as well as through a wide-lens perspective. We must constantly be looking beyond ourselves and ready to act upon our findings. Racism needs to end, and that will not happen until it is recognized and addressed by society as a whole.
