Enduring Injustice: the Struggle for Equality in America

In recent years, thousands of Americans have died at the hands of law enforcement, a reality made even more shameful when we consider how many of these victims were young, poor, mentally ill, Black, or unarmed.

Introduction

This stark reality reflects a deeper systemic issue within American society, particularly affecting minorities who have long struggled for acceptance in a society that frequently marginalizes them. In his compelling work "Nobody," Marc Lamont Hill draws parallels between the injustices of the past and those occurring today, emphasizing the ongoing racial discrimination and denial of proper justice faced by African Americans.

The Concept of "Nobody"

Hill uses the term "nobody" to describe minorities, particularly African Americans, who as victims of police brutality are often abandoned by the state and denied justice. Despite America's professed commitment to serving and protecting its citizens, the American Dream—a symbol of opportunity and equality—remains elusive for minorities due to persistent racial discrimination, oppression, and brutality. The American Dream is an ideology that suggests that equality of opportunity is available to all, allowing individuals to achieve their highest aspirations and goals. However, this dream is often misrepresented to minorities who face systemic barriers to its realization.

The American Dream and Historical Context

In his essay "The American Dream and the American Negro," James Baldwin poignantly addresses this disparity. He writes, "The American soil is full of corpses of my ancestors, through 400 years and at least three wars. Why is my freedom, my citizenship, in question now? What one begs American people to do, for all sakes, is simply to accept our history." Baldwin argues that the true conception of the American Dream is rooted in acceptance and equality for African Americans. He suggests that white Americans have been raised to believe that their hardships are never as severe as the struggles faced by African Americans. Baldwin's call for historical acknowledgment is crucial for understanding the ongoing struggle for equality.

Baldwin further states, "Until the moment comes when we, the Americans, are able to accept the fact that my ancestors are both black and white, that on that continent we are trying to forge a new identity… I am not an object of missionary charity, I am one of the people who built this country—until this moment comes there is scarcely any hope for the American Dream." This powerful statement underscores the paradox of African Americans contributing significantly to the nation's development while being denied the freedom and equality they rightfully deserve. The American Dream ceases to exist if it remains inaccessible to minorities, perpetuating inequality based on social class, race, religion, and sexual identification.

Racial Discrimination and Law Enforcement

Racial discrimination manifests as actions or behaviors resulting from stereotypes and predetermined feelings toward a racial group. African Americans frequently experience discrimination from both individuals and institutions, including law enforcement. Many victims of police violence were doing nothing illegal at the time of their deaths. For example, Darren Wilson, the officer who fatally shot eighteen-year-old Michael Brown, referred to him as "it," dehumanizing Brown and reducing him to an animal. This language reflects the systemic racism that underlies such acts of violence. Hill describes the aftermath of Brown's death: "Michael Brown’s life was taken with disturbingly casual ease… Brown’s body, left for hours on the hot pavement, his crimson blood puddling next to his young head, staining the street flowing in a crisscross pattern, a tributary running slowly to the gutter."

Brown was stopped by Wilson for jaywalking, a common activity in their neighborhood. Wilson's perception of young African American men was tainted by racial bias, leading to a tragic and unnecessary loss of life. Similarly, the case of Trayvon Martin, a seventeen-year-old shot by George Zimmerman while walking home with a hoodie, iced tea, and skittles, highlights the deadly consequences of racial profiling. Despite police instructions to remain indoors, Zimmerman confronted Martin, motivated by racism, and killed an unarmed boy. Zimmerman was exonerated in a trial, leaving Martin's family without justice. Such cases illustrate the deep-seated racial discrimination that continues to claim innocent lives.

Systemic Oppression and Social Inequality

Oppression is the experience of repeated, widespread, systemic injustice. It produces a sense of discouragement among minorities striving for acceptance and fair treatment. "It is evident that those in non-privileged groups in many societies will have much less opportunity to enter elite universities and to acquire the skills and credentials which would have high market value," notes Morton Deutsch. Those denied resources and opportunities face oppression, lacking basic human rights and equality. The education system, favoring the elite, often excludes minorities, perpetuating social class disparities. The privileged class possesses essential skill capital, while the underclass and working class lack access to it.

Deutsch identifies five injustices, including moral exclusion, which determines who receives fair outcomes and equal treatment based on one's moral community. "It is evident that those people and groups with more capital are more likely to have access to political leaders and to be treated with more respect by the police, judges, and other authority figures than those with less capital." Minorities, including Hispanics and African Americans, often fall into lower social classes, denying them opportunities and resources. Fair treatment and respect should be universal, especially for minorities who struggle to fit into a society that often rejects them.

Police Brutality and Systemic Injustice

Police brutality has become alarmingly common in recent years, making it an expected occurrence rather than a shocking anomaly. The role of government is to protect its citizens, enhancing their safety and shielding them from foreseeable dangers. However, for many citizens, particularly those who are poor, Black, Brown, immigrant, queer, or trans, state power has increased their vulnerability, making their lives less safe. Law enforcement targets minorities, treating them as criminals and "thugs." Many police shootings reveal the racial ideology ingrained in society.

Hill writes, "Beyond the level of the personal, Wilson also obediently and uncritically followed the protocol of a system already engineered to target, exploit, and criminalize the poor, the Black, the Brown, the queer, the trans, the immigrant, and the young." Negative assumptions about minorities lead to their automatic labeling as criminals, even when no crime has been committed. With most authority positions held by Whites, police brutality rates have increased. In Ferguson, Missouri, sixteen thousand of twenty thousand residents were arrested for minor violations, with police issuing warrants without evidence. Minorities are unfairly deemed threats to public safety.

In 2009, a Cambridge, Massachusetts professor was arrested for trying to enter his home, reported for "strange behavior." Another case involved Samuel DuBose, shot by a University of Cincinnati officer as he drove away. These incidents highlight the tragic consequences of racial profiling and discrimination, underscoring the need for systemic change.

Conclusion

African Americans continue to struggle for acceptance in a society that often belittles and neglects them based on their skin color. Everyone deserves the right to live freely without fear of being killed. Law enforcement, tasked with serving and protecting, has taken countless African American lives. Oppression and racial discrimination are at the core of these tragedies. Until society confronts and changes its racist ideologies, more shootings and incidents will lead to unnecessary deaths. It is essential for all individuals, regardless of race, to recognize that crime is not exclusive to any group, as white males are also responsible for numerous shootings. By addressing these issues, we can work towards a more just and equitable society for all.

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