Views On Race

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 12th grade February 2008

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> Chris Fenaroli > Professor M. Walters > English 10139 > 16 October 2001 > Views On Race > The debate over race and ethnicity has been argued over in seemingly endlessdiscussions throughout time. Various types of people from many different backgrounds haveargued over this topic. Authors are no exception as they give their opinions in theessays they write. Some simply describe acts of repression, while others write aboutactions taken to show a certain race's power. Still, all essays provide opportunityto be compared and contrasted in effort to learn more about the issue of race.

> The unfortunate truth is that racism has existed in the United States since itsconception hundreds of years ago. While many races have been persecuted due to theunwarranted believes of others, African-Americans have been most linked to as the subjectsof racism. Patricia J. Williams is an African-American who felt she experienced racismfirst hand. While attempting to shop one day, she was not permitted to enter a store eventhough white people were clearly seen making purchases in the same store.

At thisWilliams was enraged. "I wanted to work so hard at wishing he could feel what Ifelt that he would never again mistake my hatred for some sort of plaintive wish to beincluded" (Williams 102).

> Williams felt that this instance clearly called for some type of reaction. The pathof reaction she chose, however, was based on reason, rather than violence. The authorproceeded to write an article for a paper to publicly express her feelings. Unfortunatelyfor her, numerous edits had taken out all references to her race and the store sheattempted to shop at. Unsatisfied with just that, Williams was able to speak at alaw-school conference and retold her story there. Her speech ended up being printed inthe local newspaper the next morning. Through persistence, Williams...