Race, Relationships, and America

My sociology final paper. It's nowhere near as awesome as I'd planned, since I had to abandon my original aspirations to do my own independent research for it...but ah well. I figured I'd share anyhow, since I'd mentioned I would!



Race, Relationships, and America

Racial issues have existed in this country since it's rocky start in the 1600's. There has always been tension between the different racial and cultural groups in America, especially between black and white people. Some would argue that the most tension between races in the United States exists between these two groups. Taking a look at the history, it would be a decent hypothesis, though arguable. The civil rights movement in the mid 20th century alone is a testament to the "bad blood" between the two races, and the subsequent years of awkward relations further push the issue.

In the early 20th Century it was difficult to be a black person in America. Although slavery had been abolished many years before, racism still existed and flourished in almost all corners of the country. African American people were still viewed negatively, and denied basic civil rights afforded, supposedly, to all members of the American population. Many people, both black and white, banded together in the 1960's to attempt to fix what they considered to be broken in American culture, and after years of struggle and violence it appeared that things would finally get better.

The opinion now is split. The majority would agree that things are indeed equal between the races now, though a dissenting opinion persists. Some would argue that many racial issues are simply swept under the rug, hidden from public eye. Others would say that people are too blinded to notice inequality right in front of their faces. Whatever the case, the facts present an interesting picture. While most people believe racism doesn't even exist anymore, statistics show different. Black men are still less likely to go to college or get paid more (or even equal to) white men. In fact, black men are more inclined to going to prison than college. It can be argued that this exists because of personal choice, but disparity exists. The reason black men go to prison, instead of college, one opinion dictates, is because they're already poor and uneducated to begin with. There have been links between poverty and low education rates before, so it could be the case in this situation as well.

A problem with the relationship between black and white people in America is the viewing of the other as a separate entity. Almost as if the person of the opposite skin tone is a different type of human, or sometimes not even human at all. While most people believe that this type of view is almost exclusively held by white people, many black people feel the same way about the other group. Racism is not something colour specific...in fact, the only race specific part of racism is the fact that it's entire existence is based on hatred of one or more specific races. The racist himself can be of any race.

Romantic and sexual relationships between the two groups have been strained, and often taboo, from the beginning. In the past, especially in the South, a black man would be hanged for the smallest interest in a white woman, sometimes something as harmless as looking at her. Things today are a little easier, at least, though far from perfect. Many people are more open to interracial relationships, but there are still plenty of people who dislike the situation, and still others who would like to bring harm to those in such relationships. Statistics on crimes driven by race, due to an interracial romance, however, are difficult to procure.

As of 1992 only about 2.2 percent of all marriages in the United states involved partners of different races. This number went up from a scant 0.7 percent in 1970, 3 years following the landmark Loving vs. Virginia case which removed the final laws in place against interracial marriages in this country. Stanford University sociologist Michael Rosenfeld ascertains that around 7 percent of marriages in America are now interracial. Of these couples, estimates are that 422, 000 are black/white marriages. Cohabitation and dating statistics are harder to come by, though, but estimates that the numbers are much larger for non-married interracial couples.

What do the numbers mean? Is this saying that there are no more issues with interracial relationships in America? No. Are they becoming more acceptable? Yes, but geographical location counts quite a bit in how open surrounding communities will be to interracial couples and multiracial families. In a state such as West Virginia, where the population of African Americans tallies to a mere 1.2 percent of the overall dominantly white residential population, it is far more uncommon for people to date outside of their race. Conversely, in states with higher concentrations of minority groups, and more diversity, interracial relationships are viewed less negatively on the whole.

I believe that to truly gauge the status of race relations in this country one must examine the statistics involved in romantic relationships between the races. To truly live in harmony and eradicate racism destroying the barriers and taboos associated with "race mixing" is essential. How can we live as an integrated society if strict social boundaries are still in place governing what races are ok to date and what races aren't? Through personal accounts I personally have witnessed, I've discovered that a lot of reasoning behind being less open to dating outside one's race is family pressure to remain within monoracial boundaries. Family and community pressure towards the negative view of interracial relationships suggest that, despite the common claim that racism is gone, it is in fact it is still going strong, just in different ways. My personal opinion is that we as a society should move toward a more harmonious, multi-cultural goal free of racist stigma. This is only my opinion, however, and does not reflect the actual statistics or state of things today. Where it goes from here is not within my own hands, but in the hands and hearts of my and future generations. It is my hope that someday issues like those I've briefly outlined in this paper are simply history, but for now there is still room for further analysis and work.

 

Just kidding mami, I read it.:smt003


Props!!!:smt023

 

I think you misconstrue what "racism" is. Is it racist? for a family to want their child to have children to carry on a bloodline and have children like that look like the family? Traditions are what drive a family forward, and children are the next step in the family's tradition driven sense.

It's biology and sociology, to have the next generation of your family to carry on the same traits and characteristics that your family exercise. It's why, on average, whites usually procreate with whites and blacks with blacks. It's not racism, only an instilled amalgamation of biology and sociology.

 

Nah, it's racism.


DH, it's a magnificent paper. I'd quibble with you about Black Men & Prison/College -- there's some solid information out there suggesting that this is a misconception -- but it is a great work, and you should be very proud. Kudos!

 

The racism part comes in with the part where it's viewed negatively. Negative feelings toward a group because of their race alone -is- racism, whatever shape or form it takes.

But, really? If you want the same traits and characteristics passed down from generation to generation I'd say the best way to do so would be to just intermarry in your own family, right?

And sociology has nothing to do with wanting to have your family share the same traits. Sociology is the study of society and the people in it. A sociologist can conclude that people tend to marry within their own race, but it has nothing to do with -why- people do so. Sociologists tally data. I only inserted my own opinion in the paper because my teacher suggested we do so as a conclusion, and I wanted a good grade.

 

Well, I just went with what data I was able to get from the internet. lol. So if any of the information is wrong we can blame whoever wrote the articles I was reading.

Thanks! I wish it were a better paper, though. I'd wanted to do some sociological research of my own, but was unable to find the spare time to devote to making surveys. lol I was gonna go to a few different places around the city and talk people into answering questionnaires about race and interracial relationships in order to get some new, solid data from my own geographical location, but I had other crap to do so I just copped out and wrote the paper like everyone else by only uses internet sources.

...I really like sociology. It's such a fascinating topic, so I totally nerded out when I was working on my paper. lol

 

I understand what you're saying about traditions and all, but we have to realize that traditions don't last forever and in the end everything must change.

It's normally the "change" part that frightens most people.