What is the situation of racial discrimination in the world now?

Answer 1

Racism and Discrimination exist EVERYWHERE. It is only the degree that changes.

Some people suggest racism is based on hate; others suggest the desire for superiority.

Some groups feel inferior, and discriminate against those it feels are superior (i.e. if we do not discriminate, we have no chance to compete).

In Japan, foreign athletes are restricted in most professional sports. In college running, for example, Japanese people 1) cannot run long distances as fast as many Kenyans, so they limit or prohibit foreigners from participation. Also, 2) Japanese fans do not want to see non-Japanese win (they say it is boring), so sponsors will not pay as much as when only Japanese are running.

Racism is everywhere. Some countries have strict laws against it, some have no laws.

The ignorant and those of low intellectual ability are unable to suppress their animal instinct to be suspicious of anyone who is different.

Another perspective:We fear that which we do not understand. The most common form of racism is seen when someone dresses or acts in a traditional way. For example: imagine that I come from a Scottish background, but my family has moved to the United States.

If I go to an office job in my kilt, listen to bagpipe music on my CD player and heat my smelly haggis in the microwave at lunch, what will be the response?

One might say that everyone in the office should find that acceptable, but by acting in those ways I have demonstrated my desire to be perhaps a little TOO unique for a team environment.

I probably wouldn't be dismissed from my employment, but people wouldn't include me in the social groups, and my chances for advancement would be practically non-existent.

If I become something that people don't/can't understand, I alienate myself. I'm not a "Scottish-American", not if I want to be accepted. I'm an American, and I should want to assimilate into this culture and become a part of the group.

Yes, I should certainly maintain the pride in my heritage, and I probably won't be able to completely overcome the accent, but I should do what I can to become a part of the culture.

Try to find a copy of the speeches that were given at Ellis Island when it was opened as a visitors center back in the 90's. One of the speakers spent her entire time discussing how we should remove the "hyphen".

Another PerspectiveThe question of assimilation of minority customs to the majority's is much debated in the world today. In many places the attempts of the majority to "remove the hyphen" are viewed as extreme racism by the minority. A notable example is that of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, but one may also look at the non-Han minority in China, the Khmer minority in Vietnam, and North Africans in France. To these and other ethnic minorities your attitude to the Scottish-American would appear to be extremely racist.

In some countries, such as Britain and Canada, an attempt is being made to institute multiculturalism. In this theory, you consciously decide to accept the Scotsman even though he wears a kilt, eats haggis and listens to bagpipe music. You can go further, and try haggis to see if it tastes good, listen to bagpipe music to see if you like it, and put your kids in Highland dance class. The Scotsman can enrich the lives of those around him.

There is of course a significant group in these countries who would prefer the American model, largely because immigrants themselves rarely buy into multiculturalism. They are having a difficult enough time adjusting to life in the new country without giving up the food, dress and sometimes language they are familiar with. So, to extend your example, you find groups of Scottish immigrants who hang around together and refuse to wear anything but kilts, eat anything but haggis, listen to anything but bagpipe music, and speak Gaelic whenever they can. People get annoyed by this: "I don't see why I should try haggis. You don't see any of them trying our food, do you?"

PerspectiveSee the discussion board for a little more about the concept.