IndexIntroductionFight for AmericaConclusionIntroductionWhen asked "What does the American flag stand for?" for an essay, it is important to recognize that the flag represents justice and equality. However, does America exhibit these characteristics? America's history of racial discrimination in the justice system and inequality in rights suggests that the country has not yet achieved true social and racial equality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay America's StruggleAmerica normalizes racism in the form of criminal racial injustices. The United States has a history of racism in American courts. Even if it is not directly implied, discrimination reaches its peak in almost all court cases. In the United States, two black men were wrongly convicted of murder in 1976 and were freed after 43 years, in 2019. Clifford Williams and Nathan Myer were present at a party when the shooting took place. Aside from the dozens of people present, they were the only ones arrested. Much evidence established that they were not guilty. Victim claims to have seen two guns being fired, when in reality ballistics tests show only one gun was present (Meghan Keneally "2 men wrongfully convicted of 1976 murder freed after 43 years behind bars" March 29, 2019). Although the news report about the men's release is recent, it has never been widely broadcast because the American media does not take much interest in the topic. This sends the message that discrimination doesn't get much attention in the US and it took them 40 years just to justify their innocence. A similar experience is recounted in To Kill a Mockingbird, where Tom Robinson is falsely accused of rape. In the story, the entire town of Maycomb immediately assumes that Tom is guilty because of the color of his skin. Although there is no evidence of the crime, hatred boils in people's skin when they hear the story. Robinson's case is an example of how racist views cannot overwhelm a jury and can cost an innocent person their life. Atticus explains the prejudices of the courtroom to his children: "The only place a man should get a fair deal is in a courtroom, be it any color of the rainbow, but people have a way to carry their grievances directly into a courtroom. jury box” (Lee 295). A person can be of any race, but any evidence will always be partially distorted justice. Today, the court continues to lead an impeccable life in prison and sometimes to death This is not fair to the innocent people who believe the judge, the jury and their false accusations because of their prejudices and of their racist views. America is seen as a leading global player in health inequality. In the United States, people are treated differently not only based on race, but also based on their financial situation. Low income families are unable to access basic necessities such as; insurance, grocery bills, rent, and most importantly, healthcare. Between 2011 and 2013, 38 percent of families earning less than $22,500 a year reported being in poor or fair health. Only 12% of families earning more than $47,700 per year reported poor or fair health (Kimberly Amadeo 'Health Care Inequality in America,' June 25, 2019). The rich can afford all the medicines andthe necessary medications that are able to keep them healthy and worry-free, while the poor struggle just to live and stay healthy due to the high costs of these treatments. This means that states are more concerned about their economy than about people's health. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson is shown as a poor man with a family to take care of. In the novel, Robinson's arm was injured in a cotton gin accident which resulted in a torn muscle in his left arm and his arm is no longer able to function. If he had been a rich man, he would have easily fixed the problem and been able to have two working arms. But in Tom's case, he can't afford the operation. Another example is the Ewells. They are a white family who lives near the landfill, is poverty stricken, and is considered “poor white trash.” Near the beginning of the novel, Burris Ewell is seen covered in mud and lice. He is dirty and unkempt due to his standard of living at home. If his family were of a higher class, it would be hygienic and orderly because they would no longer live near a landfill and would have to live in disgusting conditions. Scout further explains the effect poverty had on the Ewells' health: Every town had families like the Ewells. . . .(they) lived as guests of the county in prosperity as well as in the depths of depression. . . no public health official could rid them of birth defects, various worms, and diseases indigenous to filthy environments. (Lee 227) Many people's illnesses and diseases are becoming more and more serious, but unfortunately they are common and not considered a threat in America. Economic separation is affecting the health of most Americans, and many are living lives similar to those of the Ewells and Tom Robinson, in which they cannot access the right medical care due to price concerns. America fails to treat women the way they treat men. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the women in the novel are expected to have feminine behaviors. In the story, Harper Lee demonstrates how women were (supposedly) supposed to dress and behave during that time period. Aunt Alexandra constantly scolds Scout for not acting like a "lady": Aunt Alexandra was bigoted about my clothing. I could not hope to be a lady if I wore trousers; when I said I couldn't do anything in a dress, she said I shouldn't do things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra's vision of my behavior included playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; besides, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father's lonely life. I had suggested that you could also be a ray of sunshine in your trousers, but aunt said that you had to behave like a ray of sunshine, that I was born good but every year I got progressively worse. (Lee 108) People often assume that women should be soft-hearted and caring. It is common for women to stay at home and take care of household chores and their children while men go out and work. If a woman does not meet these expectations, she will be labeled masculine and defective. In the novel, the only time a woman is seen working is when Tom Robinson's wife, Helen, desperately needs a job to support her family after her husband's death. This implies the message that women are not encouraged to enter the workforce unless desperately needed. Although today women have the right to work, society has never fully accepted it. An example of this is the pay gap between women and men. In 2019, some studies.
tags