Sociology

Racism is a topic which has reared its head repeated across the course of history and continues to be a concern to this day.  Although worldwide communities are developing in the direction of becoming increasingly diverse, there are still prejudices and attitudes which support separatism between races.  It is important to note that right along with racism is the idea of classicism, in that people often categorize people by race as well as class, in socioeconomic levels which all too frequently translate to levels of merit as opposed to levels of need.  The future of racism in America is inextricably linked to ideas about class and the varying socioeconomic levels, and it is essential that people develop clear visions about race which do not disrupt the comprehension of social justice and social needs.  In a merit based society, it seems almost plausible that the wealthiest and most intelligent people should be rewarded in special ways, perhaps considered to be more important than all others.  However, in a needs based society, there is a consideration of social justice and social unity as being elements of social health, and all people are considered with regard to their particular needs.  As America progressively moves in the direction of increased social awareness and consideration of social needs, prejudices about race become less of a social blockade and the comprehensive health of the entire society becomes an even more poignant political issue.  However, it is important to be honest about the state of racism in this country.  Although citizens have knocked down many walls of intolerance and segregation in the United States, there are still many walls to break away.

Racial Integration in America
Racial integration in America has been a part of this continent s society since the times of early colonization.  Native Americans were met by the early pioneers from Europe and were closely followed by Africans and Asians, leading to a diverse mixing of various cultures.  Presently, the White majority is being challenged by an increasing number of BlacksAfrican Americans and HispanicsLatinos.  With the increase in racial integration, America is also witnessing a shift in class structure as traditionally poorer and less educated people are allowed access to more resources (Kirley  Zulke, 2002).  Although America has a master-slave dichotomy as a part of its more shameful history, the liberties enjoyed by Americans in this present time allow for some people to climb the socioeconomic ladder with success.
This blending of race and class is very much social, economic, and geographic in structure, as families and neighborhoods become mixed race communities.  Racial categories and the implications they hold have changed over the course of time.  Whereas a hundred years ago, people were more prone to associate themselves with their ancestral countries, today, races are officially blocked into terms such as White, Black or African American, and Hispanic or Latino.  These racial categories are more broad and continental and also insinuate a level of ownership of America as a home country.  As people have increasingly opened up their hearts and their communities to people who were traditionally considered to be foreigners or outsiders, racial integration has blossomed and communities have redefined themselves.  Just as people used to associate themselves more with their smaller home countries and now they associate themselves more with their larger home continents, the entire world community increasingly enjoys a shift in the direction of social unity and common understanding.

Racial Segregation in America
Racial segregation is also a part of American society, as prejudices and fears often allow for people to feel righteous in shunning members of other races.  Racial segregation is a marker of racial pride which can all too often turn to an ugly rejection of other human beings.  Class is always a runner up in terms of race discussions, and the kind of race a person is often accurately represents ones socioeconomic status.  Traditionally, Whites have been the most powerful  Americans in terms of wealth, power, and education, even though this power was often gained in exchange for the repression and suffering of other people and races.  HispanicsLatinos come in second place, with BlacksAfrican Americans being last.  Although there is an increase in access to resources and integration, the United States is still obviously segregated.  People who have traditionally been members of the lower classes often remain in their social positions and are geographically cast outside of the wealthier neighborhoods and communities (Kirley  Zulke, 2002).  Sadly, it is all too often the case that race and class are also markers of a persons worth, and poorer members of society are targeted as criminals rather than fellow citizens in need.  BlackAfrican American members of the community are the most frequently targeted, as poverty and crime frequently co-mingle, and wealthier members of society take a view of the poor as the scourge of society, placing blame chiefly on the poor people themselves.  It is very unfortunate that the wealthier members of society often reject the idea that they themselves participate in the plight of the poor, by refusing to pay decent wages to workers and not wanting to pay taxes for social infrastructure.  The resistance of people in the upper classes to do better for the lower class communities who depend on them is a problem which plagues both the upper and lower classes and is frequently marked by racial differences.  It is essential that lower class BlackAfrican American and HispanicLatino workers are empowered to make demands of the upper class Whites and that Whites are responsive to the needs of all members of society.

The Future of Racism
The future of racism in America is at once hopeful and bleak.  Although there are positive steps being made in the direction of racial and class integration, there is still a long way to go.  The most exciting aspect of diversity, tolerance, and the mixing of races and classes in America is that the country is on a slow track to making social justice a reality for all citizens.  The most frustrating aspect of diversity, tolerance, and the mixing of races and classes in America is that the progress towards integration is so slow to manifest.  For the intelligent and socially minded citizen, it can be frustrating to see the same problems over and over again, waiting for small changes to be made in support of a holistically healthy society.  However, it is reassuring to know that changes are being made and that the country as a whole is not backtracking.  Although racism continues to be a struggle for many people in the United States, as various races are all too often dropped into piles labeled as worthless, the dignified struggle for racial acceptance and restructuring of the class system in a fair and ethical manner continues to march on.  Civil rights are at the heart what it means to be embracing of all people, with respect to their race, class, religion, gender, and other physical and cultural differences.  There is no doubt that race will one day cease to be a problem in the American community, however, the day is very far on the horizon.  People in America need to all to commit to the idea of working together as a community, as the weakest link of any society is the level of power of the entire nation.  Once people become faithful to ideas in support of social justice, racial integration in America will surely blossom, hand in hand with class integration.