The Biggest Issue in the US | Teen Ink

The Biggest Issue in the US

September 15, 2015
By warningbooknerdhere BRONZE, Martinsville, New Jersey
warningbooknerdhere BRONZE, Martinsville, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I choose to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes, not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self-pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the others."


The United States of America since the beginning of its existence has been fighting for equality. After eliminating slavery, Jim Crow, separate but equal and racist housing policies for African Americans, America was thought to be a safe haven for all races and cultures, yet with racial profiling and racist actions happening all over the country on a daily basis, that safe haven being advertised is not true. Many problems occur as a result of racism so eliminating racism will also eliminate those issues. The biggest issue facing the United States today is racism.
Racism in the police is a big issue in the United States. According to the American Civil Rights Union, racial profiling is occurring all over the United States every day, not only violating the rights of the people under the Constitution but also is causing people to live in fear. Police all over the country are being found guilty of participating in discriminatory actions towards certain races. In March 2015, The U.S. Justice Department conducted an investigation and found that the Ferguson Police Department had engaged in misconduct against the citizenry of Ferguson, by discriminating against African-Americans and applying racial stereotypes and participating in a practice of unlawful conduct. The Ferguson Police Department is not alone in their racist actions.
Since 9/11, incidents of racial profiling dramatically increased in The United States. Members of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities have been profiled by airline personnel, federal law enforcement, and local police. Muslims, both American citizens and not, often have to face intense questioning by officials as they attempt to re-enter the country. This often happens to also infringe on rights granted to those people by federal law and the Constitution.  Years after 9/11, hate crimes towards Muslim people have increased by about 500% and workplace discriminations increased by 150%. With these racist actions, innocent members of the Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities have been targeted. Although it is clear that the attacks on the World Trade Center were a big hit for the nation, many people fail to realize that the innocent people are still paying the price for something that they had nothing to do with.
With people experiencing racism towards them every day other problems arise. Because of racist actions, police are missing a lot of criminals. While police are busy stopping innocent Muslim people, under the stereotype that Muslims are terrorists, terrorist attacks are still occurring and in fact, racial profiling is making committing terrorist actions theoretically easier because Caucasians are less likely to be searched. While police and officials are busy stopping innocent African Americans in airports under the belief that they are drug dealers, according to Professor Angela J. Davis, of Law at American University Washington College of Law, "The Department of Health and Human Services reports that 77% of monthly drug users are white, and according to former Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey, most drug users report buying drugs from people of their own race." Instead of focusing on innocent people who happen to be of a certain race,  police and other authorities should keep an eye on all races equally because that way more criminals are likely to be caught. That in turn, will decrease American crime rates because people that currently can more easily get away with crimes, will not be able to get away with them anymore.
Innocent people of many races suffer every day in the United States because of racism towards them. When Americans, no matter what race suffer, the country as a whole suffers because what makes America,  America is the diversity and with racism that diversity isn't being seen as special. With diversity America grows stronger accepting new ideas from different people. American children are always taught to accept everyone no matter what race they are but with so many adults in the country either acting racist or experiencing racism towards them, they are not setting an example for future generations. That in turn, will keep the vicious cycle of racism lasting forever.  Eliminating racist actions will allow innocent people that are currently being targeted, to live as equals in a country based on the principal that "All men are created equal".



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