Legal Definitions - racism

Racism is when someone discriminates, hates, or is violent towards a person or group of people because of their race or ethnicity. It can be expressed in different ways, such as through behaviors, crimes against humanity, ideologies, and policies. Racism can be individual, interpersonal, or systemic (institutional). It is based on stereotypes and prejudices that belittle people based on their physical appearance and attributes character traits, values, aptitudes, or physical or intellectual defects to them. Racism aims to incite hatred, encourage verbal or physical violence against minority groups, and undermine personal dignity and honor.

• Behaviors: speech, attacks, threats, insults.
• Crimes against Humanity: slavery, genocide, wars.
• Ideologies: nativism, xenophobia, colonialism, white supremacy, otherness.
• Policies:segregation, redlining, apartheid, State persecution, laws against mixed marriage, etc.

These examples illustrate how racism can be expressed in different ways, from individual actions to institutional policies. For instance, redlining is a discriminatory practice that consists of denying services such as mortgages, insurance loans, and other financial services to residents of certain areas based on their race or ethnicity. This policy has led to the systematic denial of opportunities and resources to minority groups, perpetuating racial inequalities and disparities.

Racism is still prevalent in the United States, and it is reflected in different aspects of society, such as the criminal justice system, hate crimes, and healthcare. For example:

• Racism in the Criminal Justice system: Black people are more likely to be targeted by fatal police shootings, wrongful convictions, and the death penalty. They also receive longer sentences than White people.
• Hate Crimes: Hate crimes are a violent manifestation of racism, and they have increased against Asian-Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Racial Discrimination in Healthcare: Black and Native American mothers are more likely to die during labor than White mothers, and over 60% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
• Racial Discrimination in Housing (Redlining): Redlining is a discriminatory practice that denies services to residents of certain areas based on their race or ethnicity, perpetuating racial inequalities and disparities.

These examples illustrate how racism is not only an individual problem but also a systemic one that affects different aspects of society, perpetuating racial inequalities and disparities.

It is important to recognize and address racism to promote equality, justice, and respect for all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity.