Racism speech

We stand here today to change the history that racism has left its mark upon, crippling our society. A society that still allows many to be jobless and uneducated due to their race. A society that still accepts the loss of many innocent lives due to their race. Should we stand here, watching it in horror but letting it carry on? We are the ones that are here today with the power to do something. Let's take advantage of that. Let's look up to people like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, who risked their lives or died for the cause. Let them be the inspiration for change. Let's change today.

Racism has always formed a large part in our behaviour as a society. Not so long ago, it decided everything in a persons life. From where they lived, to what job they had, even their societal status. However, in different parts of the world, attitudes varied. In 1945 Afro Americans stationed in Europe during World War Two were welcomed into the community. At home, they were segregated, leading increased calls for justice. There were echoes of the Nazis- the cause which the USA was fighting against, in their own society. This was demonstrated by the Ku Klux Klan which believed in white supremacy. For example, black teachers earned a mere average of $342 a year whilst white teachers earned $1107. One of the most tragic cases of racism was the case of Emmett Till, a fourteen year old boy. Raised in Chicago, a Northern city, he was used to slightly better treatment in the North. When visiting his uncle in Mississippi, a Southern city, he winked at a white woman. For that he was beaten and lynched by her relatives. Other ethnic groups were persecuted, but the worst attitude was towards black people, due to the slave trade and white supremacy. They were denied the vote until August 6th 1965, but slavery was abolished one hundred years earlier. But by law all Americans were given the vote ninety-five years earlier. This shows that although the laws changed, attitudes didn't.

Even though people of different ethnicities are more accepted today some people/ children still experience bullying just because they are of a different race. Many people are ignorant and still follow "stereotypes". For example, Muslims are now associated with bad people just because of the wrongdoings of the extremist group ISIS, when actually they aren't the ones doing wrong. Yet, Christians are never associated with wrong doing even though the Ku Klux Klan caused just as much terror, if not more.

We found that verbal abuse is the most common source of racism. We found that people of a darker tone have worse outcomes than those of a lighter shade of skin colour. We found that topics like home ownership can cause conflict due to the unfairness of assuming that certain ethnicities are and forever will be of a lower working class. We found that job interviews can vary in applicants and that how many applications are sent vary depending on a persons ethnicity. An example would be that a Chinese person must submit 68% more applications than an Italian person who would send 12% more applications. This isn't acceptable. We must make it equal for all races. And to do that we need commitment and participation.

We need you.