The Evil of Racism

Racism is unfair and has long lasting effects on the victims. According to an article on MotherJones, there can be an effect on health later in life for those who experience racial discrimination as an adolescent. The article describes a study from Northwestern University, and states, “Researchers found that adults who had reported higher levels of discrimination when they were young had disrupted stress hormone levels 20 years later” (Canon). Racial discrimination is an issue that plagues this nation, and some people face situations where they are treated differently solely because they belong to a race that is different from the majority population in an area. Racism can be especially detrimental to the self esteem of young children, and the long term effects vary from trouble sleeping, to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. Everybody deserves respect, and nobody should be put into an uncomfortable situation where they are being mistreated because of their race. All people should be informed about the destructive effects of racism, and it should be a concern for people across the country. Another devastating effect of racism mentioned in the article explains how even the anticipation that one might be racially discriminated leads to the negative health responses. Racism must be eradicated, because the effects will only disappear when all people feel safe and confident that they will never find themselves in a situation where they will be discriminated. Racism is harmful to one’s self assurance, and if everyone was informed about the damaging long term effects of racism, hopefully they would put more focus on eliminating this evil form of discrimination from the world. Imad Rizvi 9/28/15