Talking Points #1 - Data show racial bias persists in America

by Salim Muwakkil

Muwakkil argues that though many have become blind to it, racism still persists in today's society.

• "Racial disparities persist, and many analysts trace them to biased cultural attitudes and prejudiced social policies so deeply woven into the fabric of American life that they are virtually invisible."

Just as McIntosh has argued in her article that whites are taught from birth to be oblivious to white privilege, and therefore it becomes such a part of that person that it is rarely noticed, so does bigotry and prejudice become a constant part of some social ways that it is usually unnoticed.

• "Deeply entrenched racism still blocks equal opportunity for blacks in the labor market."

Muwakkil refers to a study that had found that applicants with "black-sounding" names had a much lower chance of getting called for an interview than those with "white-sounding" ones. Clearly that is a form of racism and prejudice.

• "Racial disparities in the criminal-justice system also are a large part of the problem."

Muwakkil explains that 13 percent of our nation's drug users are black, yet 58 percent of those now serving drug-related sentences are black people. This study, and others like it, make it obvious that racial prejudices is still a huge issue in our nation. Muwakkil states, "those who assert we've arrived at a colorblind society are blinding themselves to reality."

This article was very easy to read because Muwakkil got straight to the point, and didn't leave me to examine his words in order to see what point he was trying to make. He was straightforward and direct. I hadn't been fully aware that some were arguing that racism is in the past. I thought that it was just common knowledge that unfortunately or world is still a very prejudice one. Thankfully we've got knowledgeable people like Muwakkil, McIntosh, Delpit, as well as others, to keep the conversation going so that hopefully the whole world will eventually take part.