In the history of mankind, one of the most virulent sources of conflict that has emerged out of human fallacies is prejudice and discrimination. From the Holocaust, to the American Civil Rights movement, the lumping up of individuals into groups that possess stereotypes has been a consistent source of destructive conflict throughout the world. A very recent news report details one of its manifestations. Accusing Bank of America of discriminating against minorities, Teresa Dixon Murray of Cleveland.com has imputed that foreclosed homes in African-American and Latino areas are neglected, as compared to typically white neighborhoods.
At the core of the issue is a distinctly racial discrimination. The United States has always had a troubled history with race and racial relationships between Caucasians and their global neighbors. Of course, the history of slavery is one of the most salient and oft-studied histories of American culture. It is understandable, therefore, that the Cleveland issue is not an isolated case, and individuals directly affected by this lingering phenomenon are not alone in experiencing these injustices. The theory of “losing ground”, as articulated by Baron, Branscombe, and Byrne (2009) is particularly enlightening in this regard. This theory formulates that one dominant group discriminates against a minority because they feel threatened to “lose ground” against such minority. In the Cleveland issue, this could not be more salient, as it involves the very homes and properties of the members of the minority.
There is undoubtedly a culture of discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudice in contemporary America. It is not an issue solely confined to Cleveland. This is perhaps the reason why the issue of eradicating racial prejudice is a very important and worthy cause.
Works Cited
Baron, R. A., Branscombe, N. R., & Byrne, D. (2009). Social psychology (13th ed.). New York: Pearson.
Murray, T. D. (2014). Bank of America is accused of discrimination in Cleveland HUD. Clevland.com.
