[The Fight Against Racism Today]

http://race.eserver.org/fight-against-racism-today.html

This article is about the main features of the ruling class’ increased promotion of racism, how the increase of racism is related to capitalism, and the key issues of fighting against racism in our society today. I picked this article as my media item because it talked about how racism is related to capitalism and some of the key issues on how to fight against it.

This article is related to the chapters we have read in Johnson and it also references Indian slavery that agrees with Zinn’s chapter, “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress.” The article states, “Institutionalized Racism - Racism is ruling- class ideology and is the concept and practice of white supremacy. It is the practice of discrimination and oppression based on skin color, physical characteristics, continent of origin and culture. It has its origins as a justification for slavery and the conquest of the Americas. From the beginning, slavery in the United States was tied to the development and growth of capitalism. Founded on the sale and ownership of human beings on the basis of their physical characteristics and color, its purpose was the exploitation of unpaid labor for super profits. As chattels, Africans were hunted like animals, transported to the ‘New World,’ and then sold on the auction block like beasts of burden. In like manner Native American Indians were exterminated on a massive scale.” This relates to Johnson and Zinn. It relates to Johnson because they both agree on what racism is and how slavery and racism came from capitalism. It relates to Zinn because it talks about discrimination and oppression based on skin color, physical characteristics, and continent of origin and culture. The Indians were discriminated against by Columbus because of their culture and their physical characteristics. The article also relates to Johnson when it talks about, “Almost 130 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, the legacy of slavery remains. It is embedded in and influences every aspect of social, economic and political life. This is what is meant by institutionalized racism.” It relates to Johnson because he talked about how after the slaves were “free” there was still that negative attitude against them and the white people still thought that they were above them. It will always be in our society and linger in peoples thoughts and actions.

I think that this article raises a lot of good points. Because slavery existed in our country it created a strong and powerful idea, called racism. Racism fuels a lot of things in our society. For example, racism is what controls who is privileged and who is oppressed. It will be very had to fight against racism in our country and help people to understand that we are all equal.