In one of
the classes I took in University of Utah, we had a table where wages of people
belonging different races/ethnicities were given. The typical four categories
were black, Hispanic, Asian, and non-Hispanic white. I remember asking, why for
white category, being non-Hispanic was mentioned, but for black people it was
not mentioned. After all people belonging to any race as long as they come from
Latin America were Hispanic. I could not get a clear answer then. Our
instructor just told me she doesn’t know and one of my American classmate told
me, actually there are no clear definition of race and ethnicity, one belong to
the ethnicity he feels he belongs to. Well I think now to some extend I know
the answer.
Well, right
now USA gets through another event related to racial injustice. Again, a black
man is killed, who is accused of what? Being “bad guy”?
As a
foreigner, race and ethnicity concepts were some of the most interesting
concepts for me. I came from a country which was racially pretty much similar,
and ethnically also not diverse. Still it doesn’t prevent ethnic problems and
conflicts occurring there. Almost all country, I am more or less familiar with
has one way or the other ethnic problems. However as a country that allows one
way or the other people from all countries to come and work in itself, USA is
probably a unique country. And that makes the race issue here very interesting.
As I wrote,
ethnic problems can be seen everywhere in the world, but only in USA those
problems are a reflection of the greater inequality on global scale. The racial
and ethnic structure in this country was more or less formed in 19th Century.
That was a century when almost every single racial element was here in USA,
African Americans, Latin Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and of course
Europeans. The era was a time when Europe was clearly most superior continent.
Moreover Europeans were the ones who have founded USA. So the system put
Europeans to the top. Of course not all Europeans were equal. Neither in the
original continent Europe, nor in USA. England
was much more influential compared with other countries. Germany, France,
Belgium, Netherland also had significant influence. Italy, Ireland, Greece were
still European countries, but they were in the periphery of Europe. At the same
period the people from those countries were discriminated in USA. I
In 20th
Century, as European super powers clash and destroy each other, differences
between European powers become less important. As a result, the differences Europeans
in USA also become less important. As a result, the so called “white race” look
more like a race that acts as a single ethnic group. Well I wrote so-called
because it didn’t act perfectly as a single group. Of course they are people
like Obama, the USA president, who are kids of a white parent, but are taken as
member of black race, because they have another parent who is black. But
excluding people who are not pure, is something powerful ethnicities do often
in different places, and in different periods in history. What is more surprising
is the exclusion of white Latin Americans, especially when part of them come
from Europe. Latin American whites were white, but since they first got to
Latin America, before arriving to USA, they were representing USA, once they arrived
here. And in 20th Century world, people still were taking Europe as the
superior continent, when compared with other continents. To some extend it made
sense, it was rich, it still was socially advanced (looking from left or right
perspectives), however it should be noted that USA take a major role in order
to make sure, Europe will be that way in the second half of the 20th Century
with aids and assistance given to Europe.
Well, of
course Europe has the social structure which could support USA centered world
system. However it seems to me, balances between race and ethnic groups here
depend much on the balances of different nations and races throughout the
world. So I think we can say that the structure of the world built after 1945
helped European Americans to maintain a sense of superiority, while it erased
the differences within different European groups.
In todays,
as well as in 19th Century, USA, I think we can say, what US people think of
members of a nation or a continent, was also what they think of USA citizens
coming from that nation or continents. Whatever was and is the perception of
Irish citizens, influence also perception of USA citizens with Irish descents. Whatever
was and is perception on Chinese citizens, shape the perception of Chinese
Americans. Whatever was and is the perception of citizens of different African
countries, shape the perception of African American citizens.
That brings
me to my conclusion. I think in more than any country, in today’s USA racial
and ethnic inequalities are connected to the greater inequality between nations
and races in the world. It seems both inequalities are feeding themselves, and
the attempts to reduce and/or eliminate them will have limited success, unless
a greater strategy will be built to decrease both, or at least unless the organizations
working against them communicate and coordinate with each other.
