Judicial System And How It Impacts Minorities
It’s no secret that America has a history of discrimination and mistreatment against those of low socio- economic, racial, gender, and religious minorities in almost every aspect of life. Speaking of which, our judicial system is no different. Throughout this article we will briefly give an overview of our current judicial system and how it impacts minorities. After reading this article, take a moment to ask yourself who is our judicial system benefiting? Are the programs set in place assisting people get better or is it a way to fund large corporation?
US Judicial System of Today
The US judicial system of today is a lot better than it was nearly half a century ago. However, it still has a long way to go when it comes to minorities living in the United States. Especially since the laws of the past openly discriminated against people of color which eventually led to unequal distribution of wealth among whites and non-whites. This, in turn, causes the rift between the majorities and minorities to grow even further. Politics only adds fuel to the fire. The current legislature in place targets mainly minorities. Many minorities across the country find it hard to keep up financially with the skyrocketing inflation and after being incarcerated, makes it much harder to live a sustainable life.
Minorities & Their SES (Socio-Economic Status) in America
A person’s SES defines their social and financial standing in society. Sadly, a major portion of our minorities live below the poverty line and spend their entire lives trying to keep a roof over their heads. The difference between the social and economic status of the majority and minority populations in the US is so striking that it’s hard not to notice. It is not just limited to their lifestyles and financial stability, it also impacts the other aspects of their lives including access to better health and education services and career prospects.
We Need Judicial Reform
It all begins with the law. It’s how the state defines the rights and duties of its citizens. A biased judicial system can be devastating to any nation. However, a law can only be as unbiased as the people drafting and approving it.
We can see it clearly in our existing laws many of which tend to discriminate against minorities by default. We can see it in the way a policeman would involuntarily get suspicious seeing a non-white man on a road at night. Or the way they can shoot an unarmed black man and say it was in defense. We know this story all too well.
It is disappointing to see how not all people are created equally although it is stated in our constitution. Our judicial system needs a makeover in how it operates or soon it will become dismantled by those that refuse to make effective change. Oftentimes, you hear people mention never discuss politics or religion; however, this way of thinking is detrimental to society. We must begin to have uncomfortable conversations and undo our old ways of handling problems.
Final Words
When all is said and done, the American Judicial System is in dire need of reforms. Change has to start with the law. Unless the US judicial system grants the same rights and privileges to minorities as it does the majority, this chaos won’t end. We need unbiased laws – laws that are blind to the concept of religious, racial, gender, social, financial, or ethnic bias. Only then will there be hope for a better, safer, and prosperous America.
How do you think reform can begin and what actually needs to occur? Please comment below, because as we know it takes a village. If we all do our part and contribute to a better society we should be able to see some kind of reform in our education and judicial system.