Racism Is Power Essay
Hayley Thomas
Mr. Raschilla
English 12, Period 2
28 February 2017
Ebony and Ivory
Racism is prejudice plus power. Everyone has some prejudice. Without power, prejudice cannot have an effect. Prejudice plus power affects where we live, work and eat. It affects the quality of the education we receive and our income. It affects who is sentenced to jail and for what period of time. It affects who votes, who gets elected and what powers those elected wield. It affects who lives or dies and how. Without power, it is not racism; it is just prejudice. The concept of white supremacy is its root. In 1948, South Africa enacted the Apartheid Law. Apartheid, an Afrikaans word which means “Separate Hood,” essentially legalized racism. While never mentioned by name, apartheid is a prominent theme in Athol Fugard’s play Master Harold and the Boys, which is set in South Africa in 1950. Racism is the outcome of discrimination or preference for or against a person or institution based solely on their race. Under Apartheid Law, different people were segregated according to race and skin color. There were four race classes: Whites, the supreme race; Indians; Coloreds, a mixed race; and, at the bottom …show more content…
There would be separate toilets, buses, beaches, theaters, cinemas, restaurants and park benches reserved for “Whites,” and all other races had to use “Non-Whites.” The Separate Amenities Act would subject a black man to fines of as much as three months in jail, simply for sitting on a “Whites only” bench. In Master Harold and the Boys, when Sam accompanies Hally to the park, he would not dare to sit on a “Whites only” bench for fear of being arrested. Hally would sit on the bench alone but did not notice the enforced segregation. He did not care about how being forbidden from sitting with him made Sam feel. His white skin made him superior and
Mr. Raschilla
English 12, Period 2
28 February 2017
Ebony and Ivory
Racism is prejudice plus power. Everyone has some prejudice. Without power, prejudice cannot have an effect. Prejudice plus power affects where we live, work and eat. It affects the quality of the education we receive and our income. It affects who is sentenced to jail and for what period of time. It affects who votes, who gets elected and what powers those elected wield. It affects who lives or dies and how. Without power, it is not racism; it is just prejudice. The concept of white supremacy is its root. In 1948, South Africa enacted the Apartheid Law. Apartheid, an Afrikaans word which means “Separate Hood,” essentially legalized racism. While never mentioned by name, apartheid is a prominent theme in Athol Fugard’s play Master Harold and the Boys, which is set in South Africa in 1950. Racism is the outcome of discrimination or preference for or against a person or institution based solely on their race. Under Apartheid Law, different people were segregated according to race and skin color. There were four race classes: Whites, the supreme race; Indians; Coloreds, a mixed race; and, at the bottom …show more content…
There would be separate toilets, buses, beaches, theaters, cinemas, restaurants and park benches reserved for “Whites,” and all other races had to use “Non-Whites.” The Separate Amenities Act would subject a black man to fines of as much as three months in jail, simply for sitting on a “Whites only” bench. In Master Harold and the Boys, when Sam accompanies Hally to the park, he would not dare to sit on a “Whites only” bench for fear of being arrested. Hally would sit on the bench alone but did not notice the enforced segregation. He did not care about how being forbidden from sitting with him made Sam feel. His white skin made him superior and