The Art of Racism: An Examination of Shrugging and Silence in the American Court System

Society is based on the successful or unsuccessful integration of myriad cultures and beliefs. The question is whether or not hatred should be allowed to be loudly voiced in society or used as a means to keep certain sections of society from achieving the success that is deemed an innate structure of the American ideal? According to the tenets of the government, racism is not justifiable under a court of law. Therefore, when it is detected one should simply be able to refer back to the laws that already exist and have automatic protection. Commonsense debate may occur over a case involving racism, but if it is clear that racial undercurrents are present in the case, the case should receive some special denotation as such.

Racism, as defined by a recent dictionary is "discrimination or prejudice against a person or persons because of their race" (Webster 376). The concept of racism and indeed any hatred is important to examine because it still exists. Although the American law system now, in its spine, admits that all humans should be viewed as equal, it still leaves final decisions up to the interpretation and prejudices of individual judges, therefore leaving room for racism, sexism, and any other form of bias.