Discrimination

It is about difference, and its value is the richness and variety that different people bring to society. There are so many ways in which people differ from each other. Examples are: Appearance-ability Gender-Talent Race-Beliefs Culture Equality: -Promotion of individual rights. It is about treating people fairly, regardless of their differences by ensuring that they have access to the same life opportunities as everyone else. People have equal opportunities as everyone else.

People have equal opportunities for everything. Examples: -Equal wages for the employees with same qualification, experience doing the same job. Bonus is fixed according to proper performance based measurements. Inclusion: It is about ensuring that there are no barriers that would exclude people or make it difficult for them to fully participate in society. People must be included in all aspects of life, not excluded from some of them because of an illness or disability. Example: – Providing a ramp to give wheelchair access too building. -Providing information in a range of languages and in audio format.

Discrimination: Discriminate people on the grounds of age, gender, race, sexuality or ability can damage persons self esteem and reduce their ability to develop and maintain a sense of identity. When people are affected by discrimination they experience anger, humiliation, frustration and a feeling of hopelessness. They are made to feel worthless and at less value than others. Examples When weekly menus are being planned at a day centre, if no account is taken of the religious and cultural needs of people, you should challenge this and suggest changes.

When individuals are affected by discrimination, they experience anger, humiliation, frustration and a feeling of hopelessness. They are made to feel worthless and of less value than others. Their families could feel the impact experienced by the individuals. Families could feel that they are treated in the same way as others and would feel that they do not live in a equal society. Wider society the discomfort, awkwardness, lost opportunities. This feeling could be reflected in various unhappy events in a society. It can include certain revolts and non participation in public responsibilities.

Those who discriminate will have the side effects of false superiority, and may be ashamed if challenged. Promoting active participation- Active participation allows individual to realize their value and reduce isolation in such a way that an individual can gain self esteem which helps to reduce any form of abuse and discrimination. Quick and effective complaint procedure-Quick, serious, and effective complaint procedure helps to let individual to know that how seriously the act has taken and the consequences of discrimination and it restrains people to engage.

Meetings and discussion: It helps to increase awareness and carefulness to discriminatory acts. Discussion and exercising this issue in day to day talks will help individual to challenge discrimination. Task B A social care worker must follow the legislation and cod of practice. There are so many Acts for the diversity, equality, inclusion and discrimination. They are: Equal pay Act 1970 Sex Discrimination Act 1975 Race relation Act 1976 Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 Employment Equality Regulation 2006 Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 Equality Act 2006

Every social care worker must have a right to follow the legislation and code of practice. If we do not comply with any of the above laws, we can be answerable ICQ and it can lead to eventual disciplinary action and suspension from the place of work. C Inclusive practice means supporting diversity by accepting to welcome people’s differences and promote equality by ensuring equal opportunities for all. In health care sector we demonstrate inclusive practice by recognizing respect, value and make most of all, aspects of diversity.

Through share decision making, effective immunization and promoting dignity and respect, giving choices and rights are the ways of promoting equality. It is important to be aware about diversity, equality and inclusion. We can raise awareness by advertising in notice board. Another way to raise awareness is to attend courses to increase the knowledge and awareness. Task C Each and every person has different personal preferences, attitudes, heritage and beliefs. It may vary from person to person and depends upon the culture of the people.

The fact that I am an Indian my personal beliefs about food, culture, marriage ND religion will be different compared with a person brought up in I-J. I think that it is difficult to compare someone brought up in India with someone brought up in I-J. Still I am looking after the people in I-J and I am working in a care sector. I have to recognize and respect people’s beliefs and preferences. My work setting should be a place in which diversity and differences are acknowledged and respected. One of the hardest things is to acknowledge our own prejudices and how they affect what we do at work.

Prejudices are a result of our own beliefs and values and may often come into conflict with work situations. There is nothing wrong with having our beliefs and values. Everyone has beliefs and values and they play a vital role in what I am. I must be aware of them and how they may affect what I do at work. Exploring our own behavior is never easy and you need good support from either you supervisor or close friends to do it. You may be upset by what you find out about someone of our attitudes but knowing about them and acknowledging them is the first step of doing something about them.

As a care worker it will be easier to make ere that you are practicing effectively with regular reviews. The confidence at work can be explicit in your own practices and attitudes. Once we are aware of our own beliefs and values and have recognized how important they are, we must be ready to accept the beliefs and values of others. The people we work with are different and so it is important to recognize and accept the diversity. We have to make sure that we always respond to people in a respectful way which ensures that they are valued. We need to understand what happens when people are not valued or respected.

It is also important that we recognize the ways in which good practice helps to protect people from discrimination and exclusion. People should make choices about how they want to live their lives. Promoting equality and right is supported by the practical steps that we can take in day to day working activities to give people more choices and opportunities to take decisions about their own lives. Respecting people and valuing them as individuals is always going to be an important factor in promoting self esteem and well being. We have to make sure that our practice is inclusive and follow the policies and procedures of a care home.

The national occupational standards define active support as working in a way that recognizes people have the right to take part in the activities and relationships of every day life as independently as they can. It supports them by helping with what they really manage to do themselves. We have to remember that we get regular feed back from people we support, colleagues as well as from our supervisor. Inclusive practices are varied, but broadly it is about ensuring that there are no arises that would exclude people or make it difficult for them to fully participate in society.

People must be included in all aspects of life not excluded from some of them because of an illness or disability. Inclusive practice is about providing the support that people want in order to live their lives as fully as possible. Examples of inclusive practices Providing a ramp to give wheelchair access to a building. Providing information in a range of languages and in audio format. Overall practicing in an inclusive way means constantly asking what changes need to e done so that a particular person can participate and then doing whatever is within our areas of responsibility to make those changes happen.

When we follow inclusive practice we have to follow the laws, national standards and code of practice, guidelines and polices. Now we have to understand that control to take decision is in the hands of people who are using the support services and they must be able to make choices about how, when and what level they want to be active participants in society. My nursing home arranged a day trip to Kendal for shopping and we could not take students who were using wheel chair because our trip was in a mini bus which cannot access wheelchair users.

So it was a discrimination of wheelchair users. Actually we had to plan early for the trip and arrange facility to wheel chair access. We had planned a trip to visit a museum and we could not take a category of people with disabilities (dementia) due to the fact that it was situated where we could not take them. We had promised that we would take them for the trip. I think that it was a discriminatory practice. We could have found a place where everyone would have

NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 4: Living in diverse communities Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. • The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk • Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly • When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference • Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your teacher via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number.

Name: 1. Describe a range of appropriate investigative methods that can be used to explore diversity in a community. Range of age. Sex male to female ratio. Different religion/faiths, marital status marriage & divorce statistics. Ethnicity i. e. which ethnic group is most prominent & Education etc. This information for example can be sourced by accessing census information, the internet & also through observational data 2. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the extent of diversity that exists within your community.

You should illustrate your work with some actual data such as statistics or desktop research. Statistics for the whole of BD4 area on religion |All People |Count |Persons |17497 | |Christian |Count |Persons |3892 | |Buddhist |Count |Persons |8 | |Hindu |Count |Persons |158 | |Jewish |Count |Persons |7 | |Muslim Count |Persons |10310 | |Sikh |Count |Persons |744 | |Any other religion |Count |Persons |18 | |No religion |Count |Persons |896 | |Religion not stated |Count |Persons |1464 | Statistics for the whole of BD4 area on Marital status All People |Count |Persons |17497 | |Single (never married) |Count |Persons |9213 | |Married (first marriage) |Count |Persons |5982 | |Re-married |Count |Persons |404 | |Separated (but still legally married) |Count |Persons |461 | |Divorced |Count |Persons |628 | |Widowed |Count |Persons |809 | 3.

Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the range of services and agencies that exist within your local community to support diversity. Bradford Refugee Forum – This is run by the Northern Refugee Centre in Sheffield. The City of Bradford itself has a population estimated at just over half a million, 22% of which is BME. This makes Bradford one of England’s melting pots with a significant BME presence. Beginning 1960’s, the importation of migrant labour largely from South Asia to work in the city’s growing textile industry resulted in a big concentration of the Pakistan community. The city was rocked by race riots in 1995 and 2001.

It also experienced increasing inflows of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants from all over the globe especially from Afghanistan, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia and other EU states. It is against this background that BRF was formed with a broad remit to provide a strong voice for the refugee and asylum community and to achieve this by ensuring active representation of these communities at various strategic forums in political, economic and socio-cultural organizations. Closely allied to this commitment, was the need for empowering these communities through effective learning and development and the delivery of wanted information to the right people, at the right time and place. Through this strategy, barriers to essential services would be unlocked and the potential for social integration enhanced.

Additionally, it was hoped that building capacity in the asylum and refugee community, would increase opportunities for individuals to grow their skills, knowledge and competencies as well as their income earning potential. Olive Branch Trust – Olive Branch Trust was established in 1983 to invest in the local community of South Bradford, West Yorkshire. Over the years the Trust has grown considerably and now focuses on 2 main areas of work, namely the Family and the Youth. The Trust employs many people and these are helped by numerous skilled and dedicated volunteers In 2001 the Trust also became a Limited Company, and then in 2008/9 Community Interest Companies were formed to better deliver the services to our clients.

There are now 2 companies namely E:merge CIC (Youth /Education Services) and BD4 CIC (services to the Family). Whereas the initial focus was our city of Bradford they now provide services to those further afield. Drug & Alcohol Counselling – Within Bradford there are several organisations offering help with drug and alcohol problems, organisations like the Council and the Health Authority and specialist voluntary organisations. They can give help from practical advice and information to counselling and prescribing. Support and advice can also be given to families of people with alcohol and drug problems. All the organisations work closely together and use each other’s special skills.

If you contact one organisation and its workers feel another organisation could help you more, they will discuss this with you. But you are welcome to contact any of the organisations. 4. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, provide a wide range of examples (at least 20) of physical signs that show there is diversity within your community. Include examples relating to: • Religion • Ethnicity • Age • Disability • Gender 1-Shop signage in dual language 2-Different places of worship 3-Large amount of mobility aid shops 4-More asian dress shops 5-Halal butchers 6-Charity shops for overseas aid 7-Few English speaking schools -Large amount of interpreter agencies 9-Few English speaking shop workers 10-Increased amount of asian food warehouses 11-Very few white/british families in area 12-More male shop/factory workers than female 13-More small family run businesses opening 14-More asian familes moving into empty houses 15-More single males in area 16-Lack of Christmas celebration in area 17-Restaurant more suited to asian community 18-Solicitors specialising in immigration needs 19-Shop opening times to fit in with community prayers 20-Very few churches but increased number of mosques 5. Describe the types of inequality that could exist within a community. Report on your findings.

As displayed in the tables in Q1 it shows that the Muslim community has more followers in the BD4 area than all other religions put together, it also shows that over half of the locality are single persons. 6. Describe the threats that exist to equality and diversity within the community, using examples of intolerance and extremism. The Bradford Council for Mosques agreed that Muslims had a negative image in British society. A spokesman said: “The entire British Muslim community gets blamed for the misguided actions of a few. The gross misconceptions about Islam make British Muslims an easy target for blame. Bradford West MP Marsha Singh said: “There is growing Islamaphobia and it has grown since 7/7 but what we need to do is make sure people keep it in perspective. (Telegraph & Argus – January 2011)

As Pakistan comes out of three days of official mourning following the assassination of Salman Taseer, governor of the Punjab province and a senior member of the Pakistan People’s Party, people in Bradford are angry and anxious. Senior public figures among Muslims in Bradford are concerned that Pakistan may be in the grip of religious intolerance that may be a threat to their own friends and family. Ishtiaq Ahmed, spokesman for Bradford Council for Mosques, was in Pakistan a fortnight ago with his wife. He says: “People there have no trust in the authorities with regard to law or justice. If something goes wrong, they don’t call the police. When you have that level of distrust, people take the law into their own hands. (Telegraph & Argus – January 2011) 7.

Research the range of support services and networks that exist within the local community to support diversity and explain the specific roles they carry out and the users they support. This task should be completed for each of the following: a) Public sector organisations Bradford Royal Infirmary – NHS hospital for use of any persons needing treatment. Bowling hall medical practice – offers a full range of medical services to the communities of South Bradford. Our two male and four female doctors have extensive experience within the NHS, and hold various surgeries throughout the day. HolmeWood library – Library for community residents. b) Charitable and voluntary organisations

Willow Foundation – the only national charity that provides psychological and emotional support for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds through the provision of special day experiences. St Vincent de Paul Society – SVP Community Shops provide another point of access to SVP services for those most in need. The SVP operates 29 community shops across England and Wales. The shops are situated in areas of deprivation and serve local communities, providing low cost goods and household items to disadvantaged individuals and families, offering a listening ear, and where appropriate, arranging for local SVP members to visit those most in need. c) Self-help groups

Alzheimers society – Available to anyone for dementia information Action for the blind – Action for Blind People is a national charity providing free and confidential support for blind and partially sighted people in all aspects of their lives. One call to Action means help with anything from finding a job, applying for benefits, housing issues to information on local services. UK Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Forum – The UK’s only specific forum for patients, families, friends and carers of those diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Once you have completed this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking.

In this assignment I will look at the ways in which data is gathered and selected, I will show my understanding of how to interpret data and information, and how I communicate the results of the information analysis. For the second part of the assignment I will show my understanding of the following: * The process of recruitment and selection * The process for recruitment, and * The process for selection The Process of Human Resource Management Plan “The human resource planning process, demands the HR manager to first understand the business requirement.

Only if he comprehends the nature and scope of the business, will he be able to employ those who will deliver the required performance. When it comes to engaging the manpower, the manager should have a keen eye for spotting the talent. It ensures that the workforce is competent enough to meet the targets. Additionally, the existing ‘talent pool’ in the workplace should be taken into consideration, so that people with complimentary skills can be employed. The functions of the HR manager are varied; he has to assess the currently employed workforce and their shortcomings.

Identifying these shortcomings goes a long way in choosing an efficient workforce. While recruiting the new employees, the HR manager must calculate the expected workload. This way the HR department can design an accurate job profile and job expectations. Once you have the decided job descriptions, looking for candidates who fit the job will be easy. Don’t be fooled by their qualifications, it is only the relevant experience that matters more. A good HR manager is one who has the zeal and passion to motivate his prospective employees to perform to their potential.

Human resource planning process, thus, can be considered as one of the strategic steps for building the strong foundation of an efficient workforce in an organization! ” www. buzzle. com Human resources use data by processing it into information, any data on its own is raw facts that cannot be used unless it is given a meaning or a context only then it can be processed into a usable form. Qualitative Data The term qualitative data is used to describe a type of information that can be counted or expressed numerically.

This type of data is often collected in experiments, manipulated and statistically analysed. Quantitative data can be represented visually in graphs, histograms, tables and charts. Qualitative Data Qualitative data is extremely varied in nature. It includes virtually any information that can be captured that is not numerical in nature. Here are some of the major categories or types: * Interview transcript * Field notes (notes taken in the field being studied) * Video * Audio recordings * Images * Documents (reports, meeting minutes, e-mails)

Human resources make the decision on having 8 housing support workers based on data and information that affects their decision. Data and information relating to these factors have a major influence on the decision of how many Housing Support Workers are needed in the sheltered housing schemes. * Economical factors * Number of tenants needing support * Funding provided * Budget for salary * Required hours for support (24hr) There are 200 elderly people living in 6 sheltered housing schemes, HSW’s are required to see all of them on daily basis.

The organisation provides a personalised service to the sheltered housing tenants; each scheme is monitored and assessed in relation to the tenant’s needs, health conditions, mobility, and general wellbeing. There are seven schemes in total, but overall there are four, this is because in six schemes, two schemes are combined into one. The hours that a HSW is needed on each scheme vary depending on the needs of the tenants, although all schemes have an emergency call system in which enables them to contact a housing support worker 24/7.

Two of the schemes have HSW’s on site 24 hours a day, these schemes have tenants who need more support, this is due to them being more frail and dependant, also the scheme is attached to the MAAZ Community centre, which has a cafe that provides hot meals 6 days a week, this location is very convenient for our tenants. Need for change Staff numbers have declined since 2008; the team consisted of ten Housing Support Workers and two Senior Housing Support Workers. All Schemes but one had a HSW onsite 24/7. Four Housing Support Workers retired, and the two Senior Housing Support Workers were made redundant.

At the time the total of the sheltered accommodation flats was 150, now the total is 200 flats, the amount of Housing support workers is eight. An assessment was done, and it concluded that two schemes do not need a HSW onsite 24 hour. The hours were reduced from 24 hours to 8 hours a day in one scheme, and reduced from 8 hours to 4 hours a day in another scheme. “According to a report written by Professor Ian Philip in 2004, National Director for Older People’s Health, older people are living longer. ” www. direct. gov. uk According to the above fact, the demand for various services for older people is increasing.

Sheltered Housing is a great way for an older person to remain independent in their own home and have support available if they required it. Taking that fact into consideration; LJHA has provided two schemes that have 24/7 support available on site. The decision to have the HSW’s on site 24 hours a day at those two schemes was based on many factors including the age of the tenants. The average age of tenants at those two schemes is higher than all the other schemes, therefore the tenants are more likely to be frail, have mobility difficulties, and health problems, this is why more support is allocated at those schemes.

Average age in (SH ; QHL 92), (SGW 91) Average age in (BH; LPC 79), (BC ; GP 74) Recruitment and Selection Job: Housing Support Worker Job Description:The Housing Support Worker’s job is to deliver appropriate levels of support to tenants living in designated housing complexes. The post holder will be able to work on their own initiative and also as part of a competent and efficient staff team. The job requires professionalism, confidentiality, flexibility, and good humour to ensure a smooth running and safe service for tenants/residents. Range of Duties: Ensure new tenants are welcomed and given relevant information about the scheme and service available * Maintain contact with tenants in accordance with agreed support plans * Provide appropriate and necessary support to enable the tenant to sustain their tenancy * Work individually and as part of the housing support team * Be alert to individual tenant’s circumstances and condition and take appropriate action to promote the wellbeing of the individual * Liaise with and co-ordinate other professionals/ agencies for the wellbeing of the tenant * Contribute to the maintenance of up to date records and ensure that all relevant information is noted * Respond promptly to alarm calls and emergencies and take such appropriate action as may be required * Monitor and promote security and health and safety within the scheme and tenants’ homes * Develop and facilitate tenants groupings and activities * Ensure/ support tenants to make the best use of resources * Comply with ractice/ administrative processes for Supporting People * Ensure compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory procedures * Undertake such training courses as are thought necessary by management and work towards achieving relevant recognised and professional qualification as determined by the Housing Services Manager The Process of recruitment and selection “Recruitment is the process of identifying that the organization needs to employ someone up to the point at which application forms for the post have arrived at the organization. Selection then consists of the processes involved in choosing from applicants a suitable candidate to fill a post. ” www. thetimes100. co. uk At LJHA the recruitment process involves working through a series of stages: * Defining the role * Attracting applications * Managing the application and selection process * Interviewing process

A job role is either advertised internally or externally, this decision is based on the role and the expectations of the organisation. Internal advertising provides opportunities for development and career progression within the organisation. Advertising externally allows the organisation to attract new skills, LJHA usually advertises through the Job Centre or by Word of Mouth. Candidates who are interested in applying for the role are invited to an open day, the role is explained to them in depth and they are shown around the work environment, and are encouraged to ask questions about the role. This allows the candidates to consider whether the organisation is one where they would like to work for.

An application form, job description, and skills specification (Appendix 1,2,3) is given to the candidates who are interested in the vacancy, after completing the application form the manages discuss which candidates are suitable. The short listed candidates are then invited to an interview. For the role of a Housing Support Worker the selected candidates are interviewed by two managers and one tenant’s representative, they are introduced and briefed on the job description. The interview includes a scenario test (Appendix 4) in which the candidate is asked to prioritize eight tasks in order of importance. Then the candidate is asked seven questions (Appendix 5).

During the interview the candidate is scored based on their knowledge and skills, I have included a copy of the skills specification scoring sheet (Appendix 6). Candidates are selected after the managers deliberation, meeting the criteria set for the role is important, this criteria includes, experience of working with older people, ability to use own initiative, ability to work as part of a team, having administrative skills, and ability to use computers. (Appendix 6) When the successful candidate is chosen, an offer of employment is then made; this offer is conditional to two satisfactory references and a full CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. Ethical ; Legal considerations that may impact the recruitment and selection process

Every employer has the legal responsibility to ensure that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. Equality of opportunity is an integral part of the recruitment and selection process, and to this end employers may offer training and encouragement to any under-represented groups. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Employment Equality Regulations (covering sexual orientation, religion or belief, and age) and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 set out the legal requirements for employers. Organisations should be aware that the rovisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 not only make it unlawful to discriminate against disabled individuals without justifiable reason but also require employers to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace or working arrangements. Employers also have the responsibility of ensuring that the employee’s personal details are respected and properly protected, this is supported by the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act 1998 requires employers to use data in accordance with the principles of data protection. These require that data shall be: * Fairly and lawfully processed * Processed for limited purposes * Adequate, relevant and not excessive * Accurate * Not kept longer than necessary * Processed in accordance with the data subjects rights Kept securely * Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection. Job postings “According to the BC Human Rights Code (Discrimination in employment advertisements), you must not publish job postings or advertisements that give preference to: * Race * Colour * Ancestry * Place of origin * Political belief * Religion * Marital status * Family status * Physical * Mental disability * Sex * Sexual orientation * Age” www. go2hr. ca Methods of communicating information to staff, and their effectiveness In our organisation we use four methods of communicating, they are, Visual, Written, Verbal, and Non Verbal.

Visual: it is common to incorporate visual communication in order to share ideas that relate to tasks in the workplace, this could include using, charts, pictures, presentations. Written: Written communication is also quite important when it comes to the workplace. This form of communication involves either writing or typing out information, facts, figures, and other types of necessary information in order to express ideas. Examples of this type of communication include reports, evaluations, emails, instant messages, physical and electronic memos, training materials, and other types of documents that are similar in nature. In the workplace, this is a flexible type of communication as it could be formal or informal – depending on the message(s) that are being expressed.

Verbal: Verbal communication is a core component when it comes to the overall success of an organisation Non Verbal: means that a physical manner of communication is being used to share ideas and meanings among others. The physical activities may include the way that you move your body, the tone that is displayed when it comes to the tone of an individual’s voice, and touching. In the workplace, it is not appropriate to touch another individual, but it is possible to ensure that the voice tone and the stance of the body is held appropriately so that the ideas, information, and thoughts are successfully shared with the intended audience. Verbal & Non Verbal Meetings have proven to be much more effective when trying to ascertain the facts, not only by making the member of staff feel at ease but also by watching their body language and prying all of the relevant information from them to resolve the problem efficiently” www. managers. org. uk For any communication method to be effective, the following should apply: * The sender and receiver of information are properly matched * The message is communicated clearly – i. e. without misunderstanding or misinterpretation * Communication is made using an appropriate communication channel and/or method * The receiver of the communication is able to pass on any relevant and appropriate feedback (i. e. wo-way communication) There are many reasons why it is important for an organisation to achieve effective communication: * Motivates employees – helps them feel part of the organisation * Easier to control and coordinate work related activity – prevents different departments of an organisation going in opposite directions * Makes successful decision making easier – decisions are based on more complete and accurate information * Better communication with customers/clients will increase profits * Improve relationships with external agencies “The link between communication and motivation is particularly important. Good communication is an important part of motivating employees and the main motivational theorists recognised this; Mayo emphasised importance of communication in meeting employees’ social needs, and Maslow and Herzberg stressed the importance of recognising employee’s achievements and self-esteem needs” www. cliffsnotes. com Bibliography www. buzzle. com www. direct. gov. uk www. thetimes100. co. uk www. go2hr. ca www. managers. org. uk www. cliffsnotes. com

The United States of America is proud to be known as the land of the free. Its representative democracy Is supposed to hold the consent of all American colleens and make sure the constitution and equality Is upheld; however, Its state of government has been actively partaking In actively and rulings that do not benefit the whole of America. In fact, many of the state’s decisions have been working against specific racial minorities and creating a criminal justice system that almost mirrors the racist statues implemented after the Civil War, called the Jim Crow laws.

This New Jim Crow unfairly targets minority races, sentences them harsher in court, and leaves them and their families to deal with the immense consequences. These consequences not only trap them in a cycle of poverty and immobility, but take away many of the rights that are supposed to be granted to every citizen of the United States. These policies are pushing the U. S. Democracy back toward pre-Call War mentalities, making African-Americans’ (and other minority groups’) voices Irrelevant and unheard. Power and authority rest In the state.

While these two words seem honeymoons, they hold two very different meanings. Power Is the ability to make someone do something they would not normally do through the use of force and authority is the justifiable right to exercise that power. Only legitimate authorities have the consent of the people, while illegitimate authorities simply hold power over the governed, regardless to how the people feel. The united States of America claims to be a democracy, a state that has consent of the governed peoples.

However, is that truly the case? By questioning the idea of democracy in the United States, one must look who olds the power in this country and whether or not we can consider the state working toward the overall benefit and happiness of country at large. The state Is defined as “a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory” (Dobra, Walden, and Bezel 2012:37).

While many people would recognize the government as a legitimate authority, that can and should be allowed to use force, the government may not exactly be using their power in a way that is equally beneficial and fair to all its citizens. Power is seen as any “individual, group or structural capacity to achieve intended effects as a result of force, influences, or authority” (Dobra, Walden, and Bezel 2012:3). The government and its officials hold the power; however, are they using that power democratically, with the consent of all the citizens in the ASSAI?

In a democracy everyone should be granted the opportunity to participate in decisions of the political state once you are considered an adult citizen of that state (Dobra, Walden, and Bezel 2012:47) whether it be by voting or simply having the right to participate as much or as little as you want. In the United States’ democracy, It Is thought that we have the ability to vote and have equal opportunity In all political decisions. In reality, the democratic freedoms and rights that the united States Is known for can be taken away or be made unavailable all too easily.

Democracies, for their country, through voting or participating in a Jury, among other things. Yet, our “democracy’ has somehow managed to covertly bring race and racist practices back into government. Many different aspects of the state help to create and enforce practices that work against the core values of democracy. The criminal Justice system, including police officers, courts, and Jails/prisons, encompass institutional racism, putting some racial groups at a disadvantage, but not through overtly discriminatory mechanisms.

Ingrained stereotypical images of minority groups, heavy focus on impoverished areas, and leniency on drugs and/or crimes that are more associated with white people, cause this institutional racism. While individuals working for the state may not have these factors in mind, the system and our society have been shaped to be more aware of and give harsher punishments to people of color Alexander, 2012). Throughout history America’s government has used race as a determinate factor on one’s social standing and level of capability.

In the late sass’s Jim Crow laws were enacted in order to establish a “separate but equal” status for African Americans. In 1868, Amendment XIV gave black men full citizenship and promised them equal protection under the law. The northern victory in the Civil War and this amendment allowed blacks to vote, run for and win elected office positions, and serve on Juries. However, 10 years later when federal troops withdrew from the South, returning it to local white rule, this equal protection slowly disintegrated. In the twenty years after the fourteenth amendment was formed, blacks would lose almost all that they had gained.

The freedoms and rights they had previously thought were guaranteed were being denied to them. This denial was made legal by Jim Crow laws, a series of racist statutes. These laws were implemented in order to appease white southerners and take back the rights that were granted to former slaves. While the fourteenth amendment granted citizenship to everyone born in the United States, including blacks, and protected individual’s rights of citizenship, the Jim Crow laws specifically worked to destroy that. Citizenship allows one to vote.

Therefore, Jim Crow laws could not necessarily take the right to vote completely away, however they implemented restrictions on registering to vote in order to assure that blacks would not be able to have a say. Through literacy tests and other prerequisites, the amount of blacks that were eligible to vote diminished rapidly. These were originally found to be constitutional because they did not specifically attack one group of people due to heir race, ethnicity, or background. However, these laws targeted the black community by aiming at their weaknesses.

Since the majority of southern blacks were former slaves, they did not have wealth, a prestigious line of ancestry, or the necessary skills or network to seek employment out of servitude. The requirements to register to vote became nearly impossible for a black man to achieve. Some states required a literacy test knowing that former slaves were banned from learning how to read and write. If the slaves did become literate, there were many other stipulations that stood in the way of them registering to vote.

There was a restriction on lineage, requiring that a grandparent had to have been a voter in order for you to become a voter. This was quite impossible for the majority of blacks, for the obvious reason that their grandparents were slaves themselves or had not been born in the United States so they were not voting citizens. Jim Crow laws took advantage of any government and hopefully be reduced back down to slavery or close to it. Implementing poll taxes and requirements to own property targeted blacks lack of monetary funds (Alexander 2012).

As former slaves, they did not have a lot of money ND they definitely did not have extra money to waste on poll taxes. Even if they were granted land to purchase and had the money, most property owners would not sell to a black man. Last but not least, the “good character” clause was enacted. This is seemingly a last resort. If a black man met all the former stipulations, the poll workers could simply give a reason as to why they question his character and deny him the ability to register. The “good character” rule is purely based on opinion.

Along with restrictions on voting registration, Jim Crow laws were also enacted to include restrictions on marriage, housing, public institutions and even times of day one could be outside. These were created to ensure that blacks were segregated as much as possible from the white community, being “separate but equal. ” In Please vs… Ferguson, the Supreme Court found this idea constitutional; however, while restrooms, schools, train cars, and even neighborhoods became separate, they were rarely ever equal.

Laws were even established that segregated blacks from living in white neighborhoods through making it illegal to live on a block in which the majority of residents were people that you could not marry. Laws banning interracial marriage were established before this. This ensured that blacks and whites would not live together, forcing blacks into parts of the town that were more impoverished. To further belittle former slaves, most buildings, restrooms and drinking fountains were separated with “whites only’ and “blacks only’ signs, showing an unwillingness to even share water with a different race.

These “separate but equal” practices were highly discriminatory and not constitutional; however, the government was oblivious to this fact or chose to ignore it for quite a while. Brown vs… Board of Education was one of the first cases to point out the flaws in the “separate but equal” practices. In that hearing, the Supreme Court decided that it was unconstitutional and detrimental to minority children to have separate public schools (Alexander 2012: 36). This court case was the first to rule that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional. This began the unraveling of Jim Crow.

Separate public schools for white and black children were deemed unconstitutional and a violation of the 14th amendment, leading the way towards complete integration and more victories for the civil rights movement. After the first victory in court, African-American’s continued their pursuit of civil rights and liberties, leading to the establishment of more equal practices. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawed many forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic and religious minorities and women. It ended the ability to create unequal requirements in order to register to vote.

Furthermore, it desegregated the school system completely, along with the workplace and public accommodations (Alexander 2012: 39). This eliminated Jim Crow laws, but it could not change the minds of those who supported them. The Voting Rights Act (1965) and Fair Housing Act (1968) outlawed discriminatory voting practices and provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race or national origin; two things that had been responsible for the widespread the fifteenth amendment, making sure that no requirement or prerequisite was present in order to vote or to register.

This way no citizen was denied the right to vote, no matter what race or ethnic background. The Housing Act also prohibits discrimination due to race, color, religion, or national origin. One cannot refuse to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of those particular traits. However, landlords are not required to rent to anyone that applies, they may deny someone based off of other criteria, like the applicant’s suspected ability to pay rent.

While the civil rights movement desegregated American and won back the black population’s rights as citizens, this victory did not last long. These Acts seemed to have given the African-American population equality; however, there were many loopholes in which inequality still thrived; the biggest one being the 13th amendment’s exception on slavery, allowing it only as a form of punishment for a crime (Alexander 2012:31). The 20th century changes in voter laws gave blacks the ability to change the political landscape and thus challenge white male corporate power.

Yet, in the 40 years since the Civil Rights Movement, corporations (and the politicians that serve them) have been taking that power back by systematically attempting to deny African Americans the right to vote. This is where the birth of the New Jim Crow grew from. The New Jim Crow laws are more implicit and do not include overt racial language, however they are Just as bad. While they do not include specific details that are unique to one group of people, they create practices that unfairly attack minority groups through focusing on more impoverished communities and creating unequal punishments for crimes associated more with minorities.

The War on Drugs is the main contributor to these New Jim Crow laws. This “war” gave America a reason to view racial minorities as the bad guys. Through the establishment of certain laws, such as establishing a 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for the possession or trafficking of crack, compared to penalties for trafficking of powder cocaine (Alexander 2012), there is a heavier focus on minority groups and larger criticism of their drug use due to increased arrested.

The minimum mandatory sentence for small amounts of drugs associated with minorities, like crack, are equivalent to large amounts of drugs that are commonly used by white people, like powder cocaine. Furthermore, minority groups that get arrested for drug charges are more likely to receive a harsher punishment than if someone white were to be arrested. With the combination of severe and unbalanced drug possession laws along with the rates of conviction in terms of race, the Judicial system has created a huge racial disparity.

Due to the belief that culture is responsible for black poverty, the government abstinently erased their role in fostering this poverty, “forgotten are the failed schools, the malign welfare programs, the desolate neighborhoods, [and] the wasted years” (Alexander 2012:53). This war on drugs and the huge push for “law and order” practices in inner cities or poor, black neighborhoods have caused lastly economic effects. The state is responsible for the negative effects that the black population is dealing with today.

The war on drugs was supposed to be a crack down on drug users and sellers; however, it disproportionately targeted racial minorities and the hat focused on these inner cities and racial profiled community members to be targets of “stop and frisks. ” In accordance with police officers increased amounts of arrests, courts were sentencing people of racial minorities longer prison terms than their white counterparts. To fit the influx of prisoners, more state institutions needed to be built.

From the streets to incarceration, the criminal Justice system and state institutions have been flawed and seemingly corrupt. These actions only hinder the groups of people targeted and lead to an endless cycle of poverty and immobility. In the drug war, police have discretion regarding who to target (which individuals), as well as where to target (which neighborhoods or communities)” (Alexander 2012:123), enforcing strict policing in impoverished urban areas in which the majority of residents are of a racial minority.

These police departments are bribed with monetary incentives in order to make drug-law enforcement top priority and step away from violent crimes to focus on inner city drug crimes. This is the state, the federal government, using resources to create inequality and put a target on areas where racial minorities are most common. Our society has established a stereotypical image of a criminal that includes darker skin color. This way of thinking is not only detrimental to certain ethnic groups, but establishes and enhances racial profiling.

Police departments not only partake in racial profiling, they are taught to do so. The training program known as “Operation Pipeline” teaches officers how to “use perceptual traffic stops and consent searches on a large scale for drug interdiction” (Alexander 2012:70). This is enforcing the idea to make bias Judgments on civilians, stopping people who fit the profile of a rug user or criminal even if they are doing nothing wrong and there is no probable cause to stop or search them. Along with racial profiling comes another unconstitutional practice implemented by our government agencies: the stop and frisk rule.

This rule allows police officers to stop anyone they wish to and question or frisk them, as long as they have “reasonable articulate suspicion” (Alexander 2012: 63). People of color in impoverished neighbors grow accustom to stopping and spreading their arms up and onto the nearest wall whenever a police officer comes into view. This shows Just how common they are targeted. No matter if they are in a car, taking the bus, or simply walking down the street, racial minorities are aware that they unequally hold police attention, based solely on their appearances.

Along with the unequal amounts of police attention, people of color also get unequal sentencing and conviction ratings. While the mandatory sentence for a large amount of cocaine, associated with the white population, is five years; the mandatory minimum sentence for small amounts of crack, associated with urban poor, is also five years (Alexander 2012). These longer felony sentences are unfair and lead to huge repercussions that a small drug offense should not create. Many people question why it seems like black fathers are always out of the picture.

This may be due to the fact that a large percent of the black male population is under some form of incarceration and cannot be present for his family. The higher and unequal incarceration of colored males leaves many women alone and forces them to become a single parent. While nothing is wrong with being a single parent, it stifles their consequences that being in Jail produces psychologically, prisoners face tons of active reinforcement when they are released from prison, as if being locked up was not punishment enough.

Since a majority of impoverished black men are targeted for searches and questioning, a large number of convicts come from poor areas. When they are released with no money, no Job, and no way of getting end meats; they are forced to straight back to the neighborhood that caused their problems and will most likely get involved in some form of illegal activity to earn a few bucks. Ex-convicts resort to illegal activities because the black mark on their record hinders them of getting any respectable Job. Being a felon is seen extremely negatively.

Along with Job discrimination, felons lose their right to vote, their ability to receive welfare or student loans, and live in subsidized housing. Revoking all of these things leaves many felons, homeless, Jobless and on the road back to imprisonment. Our government does not have the consent of all it governs because a large portion of “the land of the free” is behind bars and without a voice. Racial minorities are unfairly targeted, imprisoned and revoked of their rights. This is pushing America backwards, toward slavery, a time when only white males had to right to an opinion.

Racism and Anti-Semitism: Is it still A Problem in the United States? Melody D. Rahimi Logic Dr. Fail November 19, 2011 Racism and Anti-Semitism: Is it still A Problem in the United States? Racism and Anti-Semitism is an old debate. Although, most everyone thinks racism is objectionable, which ranges from cognitive, economic, or moral. Racism is the belief that human beings can be divided into races and that members of some races are inferior to members of other races. (Null, 2011). Anti-Semitism is prejudice against Jews. Racism and anti-Semitism is complex and still is a problem in the United States.

Argument There are still racism and anti-Semitism crimes in the United States. In 2010, law enforcement agencies reported that 3,725 single-bias hate crime offenses were racially motivated. (Hate Crime, 2010). Of these offenses 69. 8 percent were motivated by anti-black bias. 18. 2 percent stemmed from anti-white bias. 5. 7 percent were a result of bias against groups of individuals consisting of more than one race (anti-multiple races, group. 5. 1 percent resulted from anti-Asian/Pacific Islander bias. 1. 2 percent were motivated by anti-American Indian/Alaskan Native bias.

The Anti-Defamation League’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents recorded 1,239 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States in 2010, which represents a 2. 3% increase over 2009. These included 22 physical assaults on Jewish individuals (down from 29 in 2009). There were 900 cases of anti-Semitic harassment, threats and events (up from 760 in 2009). Lastly, there were 317 cases of anti-Semitic vandalism (down from 422 in 2009). (Anti-Semitism, 2010). These statics show a slight increase in incidents and that racism and anti-Semitism still exists in the United States. There is till problem in the United States with racism and anti-Semitism. Racism and Anti-Semitism has existed throughout history. Racism is defined as hatred towards another – the belief that the other person is less human – because of language, place of birth, skin color, or customs. Racism has influenced every aspect of culture from wars, slavery, and nations. The United States power towards non-Americans has had a significant impact on history than any other form of racism. The first example of America is slavery. Slavery happened because the racist believed that Black Americans were less human than whites.

The anger toward the Jews dates to the beginning of Jewish history. Christianity increased the hatred of the Jew. While America is caught up in racial uproar, the Middle East is center for the most anti-Semitism. (Hate Crime, 2010). Most Jewish Americans are moderate to liberal in their political affiliations. They are strong supporters of civil liberties and support clear separation of church and state, perhaps recalling their ancestors’ persecutions at the hands of religious authorities. The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913 to combat anti-Semitism, continues to monitor and report anti-Semitic incidents in the United States.

It also supports civil liberties and a pro-Israeli foreign policy. (Anti-Semitism, 2010). Knowing the history of racism and anti-Semitism allows us to see that the problem has not been resolved over time. There is still a problem in the United States. There is a deductive argument for racism. Racism is a problem (P is S). Problem is unresolved (S is I). Therefore, racism is unresolved. (P is I). Then the inductive argument for racism is n 2010, of the 6,624 single bias incidents. There were 47. 3 percent were motivated by a racial bias (P). In 2009, Of the 6,598 single-bias incidents, 48. percent were motivated by a racial bias (P). In 2008, of the 7,780 single-bias incidents revealed that 51. 3 percent were motivated by a racial bias, (P). In 2011, of the single bias incidents, at least forty five percent will be motivated by racial bias. There is a deductive argument for Anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is a problem. (P is S). Problem is unresolved (S is I). Therefore, Anti-Semitism is unresolved. (P is I). Then the inductive argument for anti-Semitism is in 2010, 1,239 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States (P). In 2009, there were 1,211 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States (P).

In 2008, there were 1,352 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States (P). In 2011, of the anti-Semitic incidents across the United States, there will be 1,200. Of the agreements presented, there is still a problem with racism and anti-Semitism in the United States. Counter-Thesis and Counter-Argument However, there are other thoughts on racism and anti-Semitism. The counter thesis or argument would be that racism and anti-Semitism is not a problem in the United States today. One might say this is a moral argument. According to Mossler, “Moral arguments are different from other kinds of arguments.

The main difference is this behind every conclusion about what “should” be done, ethically speaking, there is a value or values. Also, the values that underlie our moral arguments can typically be boiled down to three main kinds this problem would be considered values that relate to freedom (justice, respect, rights, equality, and so on). ” (Mossler, 2010). Response to Counter-Thesis The response to the counter-thesis is although it is a moral argument, the deductive and inductive arguments premises and conclusions state that there is still a problem with racism and anti-Semitism in the United States.

Therefore, there is still a problem in the United States. “Social theorists dispute whether, in its essence, racism is a belief or an ideology of racial inferiority, a system of social oppression on the basis of race, a form of discourse, discriminatory conduct, or an attitude of contempt or heartlessness (and its expression in individual or collective behavior). ” (Racism, 1999). “Although virtually everyone thinks racism objectionable, people disagree over whether its central defect is cognitive (irrationality, prejudice), economic/prudential (inefficiency), or moral (unnecessary uffering, unequal treatment). ” (Racism, 1999). Today one hears charges of unconscious, covert, institutional, paternalistic, benign, anti-racist, liberal, and even reverse racism. Racism is widely regarded as involving ignorance, irrationality, unreasonableness, injustice, and other intellectual and moral vices, to such an extent that today virtually no one is willing to accept the classification of oneself, one’s beliefs, and so on, as racist, except in contexts of self-reproach.

As a result, classifying anything as racist, beyond the most egregious cases, is a serious charge and is often hotly disputed. ” (Racism, 1999). In conclusion, people vary in their opinions about racism and anti-Semitism. These topics are an old debate. Although, most everyone thinks racism is objectionable, which ranges from cognitive, economic, or moral. Racism and anti-Semitism is complex and still is a problem in the United States.

After reading the statics and history, we can believe that racism and anti-Semitism is still a problem in the United States. We can testify that we have witnessed or seen racism or anti-Semitism in our life.

References

1. The Anti-Defamation League. (1913).
2. Retrieved from http://www. adl. org/main_Anti_Semitism_Domestic/default. htm Anti-Semitism. (2010). In Culture Wars: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices.
3. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. com/entry/sharpecw/anti_semitism Hate Crime. FBI. http://www. fbi. ov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/resources/hate-crime-2010-about-hate-crime (adapted from the sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual, © 2010) Mosser, K. (2011).
4. An introduction to logic. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (https://content. ashford. edu) Nunn, Kenneth B. “Anti-Semitism. ” World Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011.
5. Nunn, Kenneth B. “Racism. ” World Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. Racism. (1999). In The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. com/entry/cupdphil/racism

When John Steinbeck was attending Stanford, he took time off to go work on a ranch at Salinas Valley. This Is where he encountered the models for many of his characters for his stories. One of them Included one of his most popular and touching novellas, Of Mice and Men. With this book, he tried to show the hardships of the discriminated. During the period of the Great Depression, many Individuals were forced Into poverty and away from their families. Many began to flee to the West In search of work. However, when they reached their destination, they were not received kindly.

In the novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck thoroughly depicts, by the presence of many discriminated and oppressed individuals, that life in this time period was beyond arduous for most people because of the Great Depression and the way others perceived them. The Great Depression was an economic downturn coming before World War II. The depression occurred at deferent times in different countries, but in the United States, it happened during the asses. Historians blame the crash of the US stock market, on October 29, 1989, for Igniting the Great Depression. Then, the depression quickly expanded across the world.

The Great Depression not only affected the poor, but the rich as well. Industrial production, foreign trade, and wholesale prices diminished. The loss of money from these happenings developed a state of unemployment, caused foreclosures and homes to be lost, families to separate, and extreme deflation. Unemployment rates soared through the roof. In the US, twenty- five percent of the population was out of work. Even in some countries, the rates were as high as thirty- three percent (Candling). Hope still lingered in the air for some and the Great Depression was later used as an example as to how bad the economy could get.

Rural regions suffered the most when crop prices fell drastically. The huge drought, which occurred during the asses, contributed to this. In many plains, dust was everywhere. It was so that It was Impossible to keep a house clean and chickens would sleep earlier than usual because the darkness caused by the dust storms made them think it was night. More and more storms began to hit and many farmers lost their good farmland to the high winds. By 1934, almost 100 million acres of farmland were completely destroyed (Candling).

Many economies began to rejuvenate in the mid- asses, but in many other nations, the detrimental impact of the Great Depression lasted until the end of World War II. This tragedy was one of the most widespread, long-lasting, and deepest depression of this era. The effects of the Great Depression disturbed every race of people in America. However, African Americans were always most affected. Most African Americans were out of work and whites demanded that they be fired If a white person was unemployed. Racial violence became common and lynching Increased (Sutra).

In Steinbeck novella, Crooks is a stable buck on the Salinas Valley ranch. During this He was separated from the rest of the white farmhands on the ranch. Crooks states, “l anti wanted in the bunkhouse, and you anti wanted in my room” (Steinbeck 68). This shows how African Americans were treated like animals and isolated from others because of discrimination. After being neglected, Crooks proclaims, “If I say something, why it’s Just a n****** saying it” (Steinbeck 70). Crooks has accustomed to the inequality he receives from others and turns on himself, saying negative things.

However, on a brighter note, no one would hold him responsible for anything because his words “don’t mean nothing” and are ignored. The author show how African Americans’ lives were hard because of racism. Steinbeck shows the hardships of a disabled man during this period of time in his novella Of Mice and Men. One would think they received special care but the worst time period a disabled person could live through is the asses. Others didn’t care for them because chances were that they already had someone to take care of, whether it was themselves or a family (Barrett). They were abused and people would blame them for their problems.

Some mentally handicapped people were institutionalized. The government gave little to no protection for the disabled (Philosophy). This is similar to how a character in the story is treated. Leonie Smalls is George’s friend and they are both traveling to the West in search of work, because they had to flee their hometown in the result of Lien’s incident with petting a girl’s mouse dress (he likes soft things). Leonie says, “George says I goat stay here an’ not get in no trouble” (Steinbeck 68). In this moment, George demanded Leonie stay at the ranch while they go out to the whorehouse.

To George Milton and other workers, he is seen as a dim- wit that can only work. Leonie should be able to have some fun too. “If he finds out what a crazy Starr you are, we wont get no Job, but if he sees yah work before he hears yah talk, we’re set” (Steinbeck 6). There is no doubt Leonie is a great worker, but perhaps George is a little too hard on him. At their arrival at the ranch, the boss gets suspicious because George does all the talking. Leonie says four words and George throws a tirade at him for doing so. Even though sexism was around forever, this type of discrimination was most evident during the asses.

The typical women had an employed husband, and if they lost their job, they usually had enough resources to survive (Ware). Steinbeck depicts that with Of Mice and Men. Curler’s wife is a victim of unfairness because of her gender. She is the wife of the boss’s son, Curler. They live with no worries, but Curler’s wife’s actions are constricted and she has limited rights, like every other female in America at the time. She is the only woman on the ranch and is unnamed by the author which shows her unimportance – which shows sexism. “Don’t you even take a look at that b****.

I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen me’ poison calling Curler’s wife a derogatory term for a woman, which is sexist. George, and very other farmhand on the ranch, thinks she is flirty and has “an eye for all the men on the ranch”. “Won’t you tell her to stay the hell home, where she belongs? ” (Steinbeck 90). During this time, it was often that women stayed home with kids and chores to do around the house, while men would go out and work, wherever it was (Ware). Here Candy implies that the ranch is no place for a flirtatious woman like Curler’s wife, which is a sexist stereotype.

In this essay, I will aim to establish whether or not the civil rights movement has achieved equal rights for black people in USA and if so, to what extent. In order to do this, we must compare the situation for blacks in USA currently, to that of blacks many years ago. Absolutely no one would even try to argue that Black Americans had equal rights during, or even directly after the abolition of slavery. This would be ridiculous bearing in mind that many were forced to work from sunrise to sunset, an eighteen hour day in some places, with few, if any rights at all.

At one point, slave owners were even given specific rights to brand, maim, whip or even burn disobedient slaves. This hardly indicates any sort of equal rights. They were unable to vote, serve on juries receive an education and work in certain trades. The fact that they were unable to serve on juries almost made certain that any black man could be tried and convicted even though totally innocent. Also, no voting meant no black politicians, and no politicians meant no say in government.

There were a few lucky blacks living in the south who had managed to obtain freedom, some by purchasing their liberties and others handed their freedom after their masters had passed away. However, these blacks were constantly living in the fear that they could once again be taken into slavery. Most blacks had now been freed, yet they were not compensated for past labours, leaving them jobless and almost pennyless. Many “white supremacy” organisations such as the Ku Klux Klan were formed solely to intimidate the black population.

Public lynchings and public beatings became common place and very rarely was anything done about it in the courts as it was supported by many officials. After slavery was abolished, many years of black campaigning followed and gradually, the campaigning became more and more succesful. In 1870, the fifteenth ammendment was passed declaring the right for all to be able to vote regardless of race. This was seen as a real breakthrough yet celebrations were proved to be far too premature. At first everything seemed fine.

States which had black majorities soon began to have black politicians who were more understanding to their plight. Free education was introduced and the system of having to own land to be able to have the right to vote was also scrapped. All seemed well and good until 1877, when the army decided that it was time to pull out of the southern states. This immediately left the blacks vulnerable to attack from the various groups which had been formed who had a great hatred towards the blacks. These secret organisations began using violence in order to prevent blacks from voting and this led to an almost immediate change.

The lack of the black vote led to all white governments once again being elected and this in turn saw the re-introduction of many laws against those African Americans. Once again, control of the blacks was firmly in the hands of their white rulers. ‘Jim Crow’ laws were introduced enforcing segregation in various araes of life. Transport saw separate seating for blacks and whites. Separate schools and hospitals were also introduced. The segregation even went as far as having different cemetries for deceased whites and deceased blacks, even in church, they were sat seperately.

The much lower wages that the blacks were being payed meant that they could only afford housing in more run down neighbourhoods, again leading to a seperation, with “black only” towns. This residential segregation was even made compulsory in some states. Inter-racial marriages became a massive target for groups such as The Ku Klux Klan. They felt that this would lead to a society where racial categorization would become difficult and white dominance would become hard to maintain. Again violence was used to ensure that no inter-racial marriages could take place.

If any kind of recession came round, black employees were always the first to be fired regardless of experience or quality of work and no blacks were allowed to join unions. This of course meant that in the event of any strike action, the blacks would continue to work arousing yet more hatred and hostility from their fellow white compatriots. After the white governments had been firmly re-established, the power of blacks was continually undermined. Successful black businessmen were attacked and any attempts to form black protection groups were quickly quashed.

The KKK also introduced lynching for those blacks accused of commiting crimes, many of whom were completely innocent. This was seen as not really a form of punishment for criminals, but more a way of intimidating the local black population into accepting the rule of the whites. Yet again, the blacks were forced to accept the inhumane ways in which they were being treated and once again there was nothing they could really do about it. One hundred years on, to what extent have civil rights been achieved for blacks? On visiting America now, and comparing life to that of a hundred years ago, the most apparent difference is desegregation.

Whereas blacks and whites were forced to attend separate schools, take part in leisure activities seperately, use separate transport and forced to be segregated in the supreme court, there is now no lawful segregation in the USA. Blacks have been given equal rights as far as voting goes and it has been this way for many years now. However, this did not mean that all Blacks were suddenly voting. There was still the problem of persuading blacks to register although, this has now been rectified with very public registration campaigns. The result has been a huge increase in the proportion of blacks registered to vote.

There have been monumental chnages in attitudes towards blacks which has meant the uprising of many black celebrities which would have been unthinkable until recent years. A prime example of this could be that of black boxer, Mohammed Ali. His refusal to participate in the Vietnam War because of his personal beliefs, and being prepared to go to jail rather than back down, earnt him world wide respect. This went along with the respect that he had already gained from his doubtless talent in the ring. To this day, Ali is one of the most highly respected sportsmen throughout the world.

Various blakc musicians have reached stardom also. Examples include Stevie Wonder, Tupac Shakur, Billy Halliday and Bessie Smith, who had to fight adversity throughout her career. However, even here there is the possiblity of racial discrimination having taking place as it is widely claimed that, after a car crash Bessie Smith was refused treatment due to the colour of her skin and as a direct result, died from excessive blood loss. Blacks have also been very successful in Hollywood, with both Will Smith and Samuel L. Jackson being among the top ten earners.

This does not even take into acount Denzel washington, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg and many others. The major turning point as far as civil rights were concerened, was the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This finally insured equal oppurtunity for all, in terms of employment and otherwise. There were also affirmative acion programs set up to help those blacks, who through no fault of their own, were given very poor educations. Some blacks have even made a success of themselves by writing or talking about their difficulties in achieving liberation. Maya Angeou is one such person.

The political influence of blacks is always rising and I have already spoken about the rise in blacks registered to vote. Recently, we have also seen the rise to prominence of some black politicians. Namely, Jesse Jackson and Colin Powell. Jackson ran for presidency in both the 1984 and 1988 elections and although he failed on both occasions, his skills as a negotiater have been proven on many separate occasions. His current title is Washington’s special envoy to Africa. Colin Powell has come into the limelight much more after the very tragic events of September 2001.

Much praise has been heaped on the Secretary Of State for the way in which he has handled the cris. He was often referred to as “the face of America” in the aftermath of the attacks. There have also been great strides made in the way of economic progress. Many blacks have managed to break through into the middle classes. “The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air” is a popular, black sitcom in which one such family is portrayed. The father is a well respected lawyer and the family is shown to be living in great luxery.

Similarly, there have been other very successful “black” shows such as “The Cosby Show. There are now many, many black homeowners also, in complete contrast to the slavery which existed a century earlier. As yet, I have talked about the great amount of change and progress which has been achieved for blacks in USA, however, in the same period of time there have been many incidents and there are many facts which suggest that not too much has really changed. For example, many people argue that there is a continuity in attitudes of discrimination and they point to certain events to support this.

Accusations of police brutality and heavy handiness towards blacks are constant and the Rodney King incident seems to justify this. Rodney King was a drunken, black driver, who after being stopped by police, was brutally assaulted by four police officers. The whole incident was video-taped by an on looker. Because of the video-tape, there was a resulting trial in which all four police officers were accused of using excessive force. However, the entirely white jury judged all four to have been not guilty of all charges and the result was the largest riots in Los Angeles’ history.

Many people were injured during these riots. Consequently, there was a second trial, in which two officers were again acquitted and the other two received minimum jail terms. There were fears of a second round of rioting which never materialised. Other such incidents include an African refugee being shot 24 times by police officers. To this day, there are still more blacks than whites on death row, which again leads to calls of discrimination by the police force and law courts. Earlier, I spoke about black successes in politics, pointing to Jesse Jackson and Colin Powell as examples.

However, there has still been no black president, and it still does not even seem like a possibility in the foreseeable future. Even, with the prominence of Jackson and Powell, it can still be said that there is an exclusion of blacks in politics. The poverty trap of many years earlier also still exists in many parts of America, where the idea that if a black person was forced to live in a ghetto due to poor wages, there was really no way out and achieving something for their children as opportunities and resources were greatly limited.

In conclusion, I think it is obviously clear that change has been achieved and progress has been made as far as civil rights are concerned and there will always be isolated incidents, which suggest otherwise. A great distance has been traveled on the road to achieving equal rights and hopefully, the last few miles will also be covered in the near future.