Discrimination
Discrimination has been a problem in America since this country was first established. The Pilgrims discriminated against the Native Americans when they first settled in this country, and before there was even a word to describe their actions. Discriminations are defined as the unfair treatment of a person or group due to prejudice. A prejudice is some preconceived notion, belief, or judgment of a group based on race, gender, sex, origin, class, or disability. Many times discriminations arise out of fear that another race or people will take over or interfere with the flow of things. When African Americans were enslaved in the United States, it was important to keep them ignorant so that they could not get the potential somehow to become equal or better than those enslaving them. When African Americans finally got the opportunity to be free they were subsequently the race that was apart of the poor class in this country, and started off ignorant, making three reasons to be the receivers of discriminations. Control becomes another reason why discrimination exist across the globe and even in a country like the United States where “everyone” is supposed to be equal. People naturally like to have control, and or have power forcing them to oppress others that are not like them. The idea that more than one type of people can share power is very idealistic. For example, women were the receivers of discrimination for much of American history. The idea was that men worked and women were to stay home and obey their husbands, cook, clean, and bare children. This gave men the power to control everything that happened in the country, and left women voiceless. When this began to change women were not allowed to work certain jobs, and were not respected if they chose to work at all. This discrimination mad it hard for women to feel equal to men ever since. Recently, the power structure has stabilized and begun to equal out, however women still face discriminations in the work place, at home, and in public. Discriminations based on sexual orientation also exist in the United States currently and have moved to the forefront of Civil rights issues in this country. Many people that are of the gay or lesbian culture are not allowed the same opportunities in relation or finances.
For example, two people of the same sex are not allowed to marry, or receive marital benefits in the United States. Many people see these discriminations as unconstitutional and contradictory. Others believe that union of two people should only exist between a man and a woman based off of the religious definition of it. However, the constitution clearly prohibits discrimination based on religious premise and therefore would make the gay marriage issue contradictory. This is the current power struggle in America that is again, at the root, based off of fear. Many people do not understand how this lifestyle can work in a place like America. Discrimination occurs when people do not know what else to do to combat a shift in the established way of life. Whether it has to do with race, sex, religion, disability, origin, or sexual orientation, it is wrong.