Prejudice and Discrimination
Prejudice:
This is a negative outlook towards an individual or a group of people. The negative attitude is often towards an ethnic or racial group of people who are minor in the society. Most often, people are given false definitions. Prejudice can result from ethnocentrism and is often reinforced by racism. An example is the likelihood of African Americans to be frisked and manhandled when stopped by authorities. There is also likelihood that blacks possess drugs, stolen property and weapons than the whites.
Racism: This is a situation where one race thinks that they are better than the other. Other races are viewed as being inferior. Members from the inferior group feel exploited and discriminated. The different minority groups that exist in the United States include Asian Americans, African Americans and Native Americans. The minority groups are forced to accept low wages. The racial subordination that is in the United States is better explained by the exploitation theory. This is a theory that views racism as a manifestation of the capitalism system that involves categorizing people into classes.
Discrimination:
This is an action where an individual or a group of people are denied their rightful access to opportunities. The denial is often a result of prejudice or other random reasons. An example is Peggy McIntosh unspoken advantages that are claimed to be as a result of being white.
Racial profiling: this is an action initiated by the police and are often based on ethnicity, race or country of origin. A certain group of people are viewed to be involved in illegal activities and are frequently subjected to suspicion.
Race and Ethnicity in the United States
African Americans:
This is one of the groups that consist of large numbers of minor people in the United States. 24.5% of their population was living in poverty by the year 2007. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Southern Christian Leadership Conference is among the groups that formed civil rights movements. The movement aimed to defend the dignity and beauty of the African culture. Its aim was also to support the formation and regulation of economic as well as political institutions that were controlled by the blacks. There was a major breakthrough when Barrack Obama was elected as president.
Latinos:
This is a group that represents the largest number of minor people. They even outnumber the African Americans. The main cause of their low economic status and educational problems is the language barrier. The group consists of such sub groups as Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans and Cuban Americans.
Issues regarding Health Care in the United States
One issue is the marginalization of female physicians, lay practitioners and sectarian doctors. This issue has been curbed through the increase of women who want to be physicians. The medical profession has also gained great control over the market, and Medicaid and Medicare programs have been enacted. This means that medical professionals have control over hierarchies responsible for governing policy making, financing and medical practice. This thus eliminates the issue of marginalization. Another issue is the fact that not all medical practitioners can operate outside health care systems that are traditional. This is curbed through the zealous protection of authority by the medical establishments.
Sociological Perspectives on the Environment
Environmental justice:
This is a legal strategy that relates to racism in the society. This is so because the strategy claims that people from the inferior groups are subject to environmental hazards. It is believed that consequences of economic growth mostly affect the blacks. The blacks and the poor are always subjected to environmental pollution, despite the quest by authorities to ensure that the minor groups have enough information about the environment they live in.
