It is easy to determine which ethnic group suffers the most in the present day United States. Imagine you are Asian or Arab or Hindu. Nothing special. You are still able to live the life of a regular American and enjoy your rights and liberties to full extent. Imagine you are black for a second and you will probably understand why these people are still suffering from prejudice and ignorance. It is hard to become a good citizen, being born in a ghetto with no dad and 3 brothers and sisters. Of course, it is the worst scenario but for how many African Americans it is actually true?
We can all look around us and see members of every race and nationality struggling and dealing with common problems. We see all races dealing with poverty, prejudices, bias, hardships, unemployment, homelessness, severe health issues, a lack of education and opportunities, and living in less than desirable dwellings. Everyone can't be rich, or even moderately well off financially. In any nation or society, you'll find the less fortunate and the extremely poor. America is no different than any other nation when it comes to the "haves" and the "have-nots". We have grown accustom to associating certain social ills with the black community, but in reality, those same ills affect all races and nationalities.
We have very wealthy blacks, highly educated blacks, lavish homes owned by blacks, black business owners and corporate leaders, and black college professors. We have black doctors, lawyers, mayors, Senators, and a black president. We have black scientists, engineers, and black judges.
The "Black" issue in America is magnified by the media, racism and prejudice, and the way we raise our children. While it is certainly true that we have more blacks in our jails and prisons, more black single moms, and more blacks unemployed, the basic cause and root problems can be traced back to "white oppression". In many ways, the "white superiority syndrome" has greatly contributed to "black social issues". For many blacks, the color of their skin is a deep embedded self-esteem issue, which often leads to self-defeat and acceptance of their lot in life as being less able and less capable of advancement and success. In other words, their skin color has become a crutch to lean on, and an excuse for all the bad thing that happens to them.
As Americans, we'd all be a lot better off, both socially and economically, if we'd replace criticism with encouragement, and replace hate and prejudice with compassion and understanding. Just a little wisdom here to think about, "when you back an animal into a corner, it usually tries to fight its way out".
