Possible solution to discrimination, USA

[globulon]

As someone looking at the US from the outside, I fully agree that American citizens should be considered as "American."
I really don't understand the whole business of labeling citizens as African-American, Chinese-American, Hispanic-American, etc. It just seems to detract from the fact that US citizens are as American as anyone else and love their country just as much.

Having said that, removing labels on paper will not suddenly solve discrimination. People already make racial inferences just by looking at someone's name, appearance, or cultural habits. Immigrants should adapt to the laws of their host country, but they should not have to abandon their culture. The best way to end discrimination is more education on the different cultures within the nation and to preach tolerance.

 

[sanson]

I'm not sure if abolishing the words that describe peoples' differences will do much in the way of solving discrimination, but I can see it alleviating some of the tension. From your proposal, there might be minimal special treatment of certain groups since we won't have those labels there to identify them. However, discussing them like we're doing now is a step in the right direction. Oftentimes, discrimination can occur because we know nothing about the specific person or people other than what we assume or think we know of them through unreliable sources. A lot of times, people get their understanding of others through biased sources, like media or hearsay. We like to have a scapegoat as well. If there is a lot of instability or crime taking place in an area, we like to blame one group for it. It's an immediate solution to the problem, and we like to have immediate solutions. We need to all accept the blame because it takes more than one person to make society run smoothly. After all, there is more than one person in society, and we all contribute to its failure or success. Another way to stop discrimination is to open up your horizons. Talk to those 'different' people to get a better understanding of them, and you might find that there not much different than yourself.

 

[DeltaForce103]

Refusing to acknowledge the discrimination that socioeconomic inequality brings and suppressing any information related to it will only worsen conditions for the victims. Let's take a single statistical indicator, do a search for median income by race in the US. Do you think those discrepancies could be solved using your method?

 

[kd3pc]

I would have a movement to call everybody just an American. There will be no African, Asian, Hispanic, or whatever else.

Weep has summarized my initial post, succinctly.

It would be a great step to do away with all the labels, categories, criteria - etc.

We are all Americans. Once we are all Americans, how an individual thinks, or what they believe about another, would then be their thoughts, not based on some preconceived way that the government currently does it.

And other than categorizing people, what good have the current labels done for Americans?

 

[kittyworker]

Interesting concept. Maybe not everyone wants to be just called "American". I don't think whats written on a piece of paper will make everyone unify in calling themselves America. However I think a movement that others have mentioned into making people think "Hey we are all Americans, no matter who you are, you live in America". There will be some haters, but that's like every movement.

 

[Mackmax]

This would be awful, and honestly a setback. When people go missing, they are found when police issue a description of the child. For example, African American boy, 9 years old, 4'10. If we erase the African-American and the boy part, it is much much harder to find the missing person. Also, your race and gender can play a huge factor in the medical world. This is how we know that women are more likely to get breast cancer, and whatnot. If we just call people American, then anyone can can anything, and they don't know what to look out for.
Even if we erased the words black, white, male, female, women would still be more likely to get raped, hispanics would still face discrimination, etc.

 

[Redheart]

The enactment of new laws could reduce discrimination but it can't eliminate the vice. Racism is a mindset. Parents either directly or indirectly teach their children how to relate with people of other races. Once this is etched in the minds of the little ones it would take a lot, not just education to re-wire their minds so they can embrace diversity. This is not something the government will fix. As long as [ANY} differences exist there will be some kind of discrimination.

 

[musicmonster]

Good Afternoon to the group.

I am offering an idea, that may offer a simple solution to much, if not all, of the discrimination people feel in the USA.

Pick a date some months out, and have the president and/or congress create a one page statement, now bound by law. This statement would call for every word of demographic, status, race, religion, creed, color, sexual orientation, preference, etc to be removed, at once from every form, application - actually every piece of paper or electronic communication that the states or the Federal government uses. You will no longer be required to provide or use these demographic labels for any purpose.

From this time going forward, EVERY person in the US is now the same as every other person and will simply be called an American. You are free to associate any hyphenated, married, step, maiden, christian name, surname, title, history you want, but it is solely your deal.

What is the real or useful reason for requiring these demographics anyway. Sure, I know they are for statistics and such. But what have they really done for the citizenry? Sources for litigation? Perhaps, but has that helped?

And for sure, if this is not your cup of tea, what do you suggest we do? Another century of data collection for nothing?

Bests to ALL Americans!

I suggest we all just meditate. If all Americans meditate, they will all realize that labels are irrelevant. That's the only time discrimination will be gone.

 

[stryker]

Some of the people you are speaking of are proud of their labels. I don't say that I think it's a good thing or a bad thing, it just is. I believe our government goes a long way towards keeping discrimination alive. It serves some purpose for them to keep citizens divided at this time.

 

[orangesunset]

Laws do not change the attitude of people. The war on drugs has proven this. Education and times will solve the problem.

 

[Kamarsun1]

Good Afternoon to the group.

I am offering an idea, that may offer a simple solution to much, if not all, of the discrimination people feel in the USA.

Pick a date some months out, and have the president and/or congress create a one page statement, now bound by law. This statement would call for every word of demographic, status, race, religion, creed, color, sexual orientation, preference, etc to be removed, at once from every form, application - actually every piece of paper or electronic communication that the states or the Federal government uses. You will no longer be required to provide or use these demographic labels for any purpose.

From this time going forward, EVERY person in the US is now the same as every other person and will simply be called an American. You are free to associate any hyphenated, married, step, maiden, christian name, surname, title, history you want, but it is solely your deal.

What is the real or useful reason for requiring these demographics anyway. Sure, I know they are for statistics and such. But what have they really done for the citizenry? Sources for litigation? Perhaps, but has that helped?

And for sure, if this is not your cup of tea, what do you suggest we do? Another century of data collection for nothing?

Bests to ALL Americans!

Data collection is to keep records of who is in the country. I don't think that will change much because some people just have hate in their hearts and stereo types cannot be erased over night. Education is the key to end racism, and this new generation is heading in the right direction. We have been lied to and that's the facts.

 

[Lieutenant]

This thread doesn't serve the interests of this board.

The issue of discrimination in the USA is an internal matter of the US.

Thread closed.