America's Post-Racial Relations

America's Post-Racial Relations

“The white students at Ole Miss who greeted President Obama’s decisive re-election with racial slurs and nasty disruptions on Tuesday night show that the long shadows of race still hang eerily over us. Four years ago, when Mr. Obama became our first African-American president by putting together an impressive coalition of white, black and Latino voters, it might have appeared otherwise. Some observers even insisted that we had entered a “post-racial” era” (Hahn, 1). The question here is do we currently live in a post-racial era? Of course we do not! Racism still exists in the twenty-first century. I being a curly-haired Latina cannot walk into Macy’s without getting stared at. In the image above, are two officers talking about how President Obama lacks respect for police and he is wanted. What makes him lack respect for the police and his country? Due to the fact that he is African American makes him lack respect? This is a great example of how we do NOT live in a post-racial America or colorblind country. Racism and discrimination is still evident today within the judicial system and out. I can relate to this in that when pulled over by police they were shocked that my car was under my name and not my parents. Yes I am a young Latina with a valid driver’s license and up-to-date insurance. They even asked multiple times if I had anything in the car. All I wanted to do was get some ice cream with my boyfriend who is African-American. Moreover, according to Bonilla-Silva, “Obama’s election is a confirmation of the veracity of whites’ claim to be color blind and the beginning of a post-racial America”. Just because the United States has an African American president does not mean racism is no longer a factor in our country. After all, he is not 100% African American. “Nowadays, except for members of white supremacist organizations, few whites in the United States claim to be racist. Most whites claim that they don’t see any color, just people” (Bonilla-Silva, 1). Then why is there such controversy that we have a black president?

Moreover, “we are not a nation devoid of racial discrimination nor are we a nation where race does not matter. Race and racism are still critical factors in determining what happens and who gets ahead in America” (Toure, 1). In the article No Such Place as ‘Post-Racial’ America by Toure, the author discusses the idea that we in fact do not live in a post racial society but although we do not live in that type of society people are beginning to believe we do because why would they use a term that isn’t real? The author describes post-racism as “a mythical idea that should be as painful to the mind’s ear as fingernails on the chalkboard are to the outer ear” (Toure, 1). Racism is not just an idea of the past. “Race is like weather — we only talk about it when it’s extreme but it’s always there” (Toure, 1). I agree with this statement in that, if race is not talked about, it does not exist. The difference between now and then is that now people are not as open to talk about their views on race due to the fact that they do not want to be labeled as a ‘racist’. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/opinion/sunday/political-racism-in-the-age-of-obama.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1382722591-s/6CbfTIoemEcXbi9Kkknw

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/no-such-place-as-post-racial-america/?_r=0