Why Is Discrimination Is Still Around?

When you think of social injustices its hard not to think of why these injustices are still around in the United States.  Consider that some people are living to one hundred years of age.  If you look back a hundred years ago, it was a really different world.  What was it like back then, who would remember such a world, and what does it mean for young people wanting to change the world?

1911 was a year that doesn't get mentioned in the history books as anything important happening.  In-spite of the history books, the women's suffrage movement was going strong, there was a revolution in Mexico, and Europe was preparing for World War I.  Jim Crow laws were in effect for a while and it would be many years before they were ended.  Domestic abuse was not even a concept let alone a concern until the 1970's.  So, women did not have the vote, segregation was enforced, and domestic violence was unchecked.  Yes, it was a different world.

Many social injustice issues that involve discrimination of some type or another were part of the social fabric of society back in 1911.  If that seems like a long time ago and if you wonder who would remember that, consider that in the age estimates of 2008 there were living 5,721,768 who were 85 years or older in the Untied States (as queried in American Fact Finder of US Census Bureau).  That's more people than were in the State of Colorado in 2010 (see Census 2010).  Well that answers the question of who would remember, a whole state's worth of people.

So fare you can see that the permanence of social injustice is linked to the survivability of the population.  The more elderly we have, the more their values have a voice in our lives.  With the elderly living longer, the younger generations have a harder time to change the world than did their grandparents and great grandparents did when they were young.  Not only do the younger generations have to contend with family members but also Congress.  The average age in Congress is 55 to 60 years.  60 years ago was 1951.  They have grown up in a United States with Jim Crow and domestic violence.  So, it's coming down to a generational struggle.

In attempting to answer the question why is discrimination still around, we've looked at what has been happening in a person's lifetime in the United States that has perpetuated discrimination and other social injustices.  I feel that the older generations do not put a priority on social injustices.  They rather put a priority on their pocket books.  To get rid of discrimination and other social injustices legislatures need to make them a priority.  Not only that but personal responsibility needs to happen.  People need to respect one another regardless of any differences.  I'm afraid that real change can only come by generational change.  As younger generations get into more and more power as time goes on, they will impose their values on society.  I hope its for the better.