Colorblind Society

AMH 2091

QEP Paper

11/5/13

Is the emphasis on a color-blind society am answer to racism?

Racism has always been an issue in American society. One spanning America's beginnings. And most people have been racially profiled at least one time in their life or another. What is racism? Racism is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. People have always been trying to fight racism as long as it has been around. But is a color-blind viewpoint the answer? To be color-blind means unable to distinguish certain colors. No, it is not the answer. All it does is mask the problem the underlying problem will still stay the same. Profiling for blacks, and preferential treatments to whites will still exist in America.

Many whites in America today say that they are not racist and do not discriminate against different races. Except of course white supremacist groups. However it is these same white supremacist groups the claim it is the minorities fault for racism today in America. This is especially pointed to African-Americans who they claim always pull out the race card in troubling situations. It has been this way since the Civil Rights era, however it has been shown that African-Americans have always been behind Caucasians in every social aspect. For example "Blacks and Latinos also have less access to the housing market...blacks retrieve impolite treatment in stores, in restaurants, and in a host of other commercial transactions."

A color-blind society is increasingly becoming more pertinent in today's era. The main reason driving this is because the minority is slowly becoming the majority, and the majority is becoming the minority. During the slave era white supremacy was developed to justify slavery, as well as to keep Caucasians from joining rebellions. Slavery has well been over in America but the mindset still remains in some people, especially those in the south. Black codes and Jim Crow laws were made to suppress the black vote and the African-American voice. A color-blind society just mask those same issues under the table...they still exist. With the "Old Jim Crow", African Americans were denied equal access to life opportunities and resources. Now, the "New Jim Crow" places millions of blacks in a secondary legal category where they are shut out of the essential participation in the mainstream economy.

Colorblindness has created a society that denies persons of color racial experiences, rejects their cultural heritage, and invalidates their unique perspectives. Different ethnic groups that come to America like to keep their own cultures and heritages. A color-blind society would suppress these different