Prejudices have plagued America for centuries. It started with slavery and is still today, even after the civil war, a problem in society. Although, prejudice exists at a lesser extent, it is evident that blacks still feel they are being treated unfairly. The Gallup News Service interviewed 3036 Americans including 1680 whites and 1269 black. The study shows the difference in perceptions between white and black Americans.
A question that has been debated for many years is, do black Americans have the same chance as white Americans in getting a job, or a good education, or even a house. Well as you may have assumed this is one debate that black Americans and White Americans did not see eye to eye on. Out of the sample interviewed there was a large racial gap between the two cultures. Black Americans obviously feel they are being discriminated against in the job field; they differed in opinion with white Americans by 33 percent. They also feel cheated when it comes to buying a home.
The racial gap was 28 percent in this category. And as for educational opportunities, there was a 22 percent racial gap. White Americans feel so highly about equal opportunity that they showed through the interview that affirmative action programs are not necessary. 22 percent of White Americans thought the Government should increase affirmative action Programs and only twenty nine percent thought that it should stay the same. Which means if they do not want to increase affirmative action and they do not want it to stay the same then what is left? That? s right.
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The Perpetuation of Negative Images of African Americans through Mass Media Why as white people have we been lulled into thinking its safe to be around other white people. Why have we been taught since birth that it's the people of that other color we need to fear? They " re the ones that will slit your throat (Moore 57). The mass media has played and will continue to play a crucial role in the ...
37% of white Americans believe that Affirmative action programs should be decreased. As odd as this may sound Black Americans agree that Affirmative action programs should not stay the same (29% also felt this way).
But were they do disagree, is why it should not stay the same. 53 percent of black Americans feel that Affirmative actions Programs should be increased and only 12 percent said it should be decreased. What else do these two cultures disagree on? Well, white Americans feel that they have very little personal prejudices against blacks, blacks feel that whites are more prejudice then they give themselves credit for. It works both ways.
Both cultures feel that the other is more prejudice. Neither culture knows what the other is feeling or thinking so they assume that they are prejudice. Although the polls show that whites are more open to the idea of a black president, interracial marriages and moving into a black community. These percentage of whites that are open to these possibilities has drastically increased since 1958. Although blacks feel they are being discriminated against there satisfaction with aspects of their personal life has been improving. The racial gap between white Americans and Black Americans has closed drastically since 1963.
Also, racial issues do not cause most of these gaps but seem to be a result of differences between the race and the socioeconomic status. The study shows that Black Americans and White Americans disagree on most aspects of prejudice. But they do hold a similar view about black / white relations and that is that black / white relations will always be a problem in America. Although the studies show that the racial gap between White and Black Americans is decreasing I do not think it will ever be rid of if we do not believe that it will eventual disappear.
