Discrimination in United States
The current situation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has erupted the constant issues of discrimination expressed for decades in the US. Men and women of color have been wrongfully arrested, charged, and incarcerated in long sentences that do not befit the crimes committed. As a result, people of color have had to have profound conversations with children from a young age regarding their conduct in the public space. The conversation with teenagers on how to act to avoid being arrested is not only difficult but challenging for children at a young age as it takes away their innocence. Driving as black or brown people in American is defined by different rules and regulations. The minor crimes performed by drivers of any race turn fatal or life-threatening for people of color. The sociology paradigm on interactionism illustrates that social processes such as conflict and identity formation are derived from the interaction. Different symbols in human interactions reveal the fear, discrimination, and hate expressed towards black and brown people while driving.
Driving as a person of color captures the fear of the people based on social identity, as revealed in human interactions. People of color or have been subjected to different unpleasant interactions with police based on their identity hence leading to fear in the social interactions. As illustrated in recent research, “The growing number of fatal law enforcement interactions involving unarmed individuals, especially Black males, warrants greater cognizance of the images created by the media of the victims” (Smiley and Fakunle 362). The image of black men has been used to identify a person as a criminal at all times. As a result, the interaction between police and people of color is characterized by fear. Driving as a person of color is automatically viewed through a social identity that results in daily interactions; hence, people of color are afraid.
Similarly, driving while black or brown in the United States is tied to discrimination resulting from daily interactions. As Kotarba explains, “symbolic interactionism has always shown analytical and policy concern for what is commonly referred to as social problems” (414). The paradigm allows issues that are commonly regarded as social issues such as discrimination to be addressed. In modern American society, driving as a black or brown person attracts aspects of discrimination from the police. The bias created in society from daily interactions puts the lives of people of color in danger. Being pulled over by the police can easily accelerate as police can shoot for different reasons, such as reaching for the license. As scholars concur, “African Americans are 5.1 times more likely than Whites to be incarcerated” (Hetey and Eberhardt 184). The number of incarcerations in the brown community is equally as high. Therefore, driving as a black or brown person in America creates the tension of different levels of bias being illustrated by law enforcement. Interactionalism illustrates the aspect of conflict and social stratification that has been built over the years based on human interaction. African Americans and Latinos have been characterized as criminals in daily interaction, thus increasing the discrimination challenges as they drive.
Moreover, the interaction paradigm explains the increased chances of violations of accusations based on race. Policing has always favored white Americans as compared to people of color in America. As authors explain, “Many whites are concerned about appearing prejudiced racial minorities, by contrast, are often concerned about being the target of prejudice (i.e., experiencing prejudice) during these interactions” (Richeson and Sommers 445). Driving while black in America has resulted in the aspect of constant suspicion. White police officers, as belonging in the majority group view, create an aspect of reduced prejudice; however, the symbols used in the verbal and non-verbal language limits the ability to seem non-prejudicial. On the other hand, people of color are in constant thought that they will be accused of different violations. As a government agency explains, “If minority drivers tend to drive in communities where there are more police patrols, then the police will be more likely to notice any infractions the black drivers commit” (National Institute of Justice). The interactions between African Americans and the police result in more accusations based on race; different symbols might be used to create more violations hence causing fear and prejudice.
Driving as people of color allows symbols to establish fear, prejudice, and increased chances of arrests based on the social identity and concepts developed in the daily interaction. The interactionism paradigm allows different issues of racism and stratification to occur in society. In America, the strata are comprised of the white community as being higher than the people of color. As a result, all interactions between the two communities immediately calls for aspects of bias and discrimination that have been part of the society for decades. Interactions between black/brown people and white officers are immediately defined by racial prejudice; thus, any issues in driving are magnified. Driving as a person of color has become increasingly dangerous as someone can be killed easily based on minor violations. The sociology theory is effective in understanding the fear and discrimination illustrated in verbal and non-verbal symbols in driving for black people.