Discrimination cause for concern in South Carolina

According to a Winthrop poll recently released, Black people living in South Carolina are significantly more concerned, fearful even, that white people are of unfair treatment by police and racial discrimination. According to an article in a local Winthrop newspaper, The Herald, 52% said they were very or somewhat worried about being unfairly treated by the police while 49% said they feared falling victim to racial discrimination. When compared to the 88% of white South Carolinians who said they were not too worried or not worried at all about facing racial discrimination or unfair treatment from the police. These stats show very plainly an innate truth that can be expanded across society today, black people have to deal with issues on a daily basis that never cross white people minds. Issues resulting due to the color of their skin.

               I don’t think that this means the police force as a whole is racist. I think that there are absolutely cops racist cops out there, and these cops affect the perception of how the police is now viewed. Regardless though, at some point perception becomes the reality of the situation. The result of this perception is that black south Carolinians now have to live their life with a certain degree of fear. The Black Lives Matter movement has made great strides, but clearly we still have a long way to go. The article continues on to express encouraging results of the survey. More than 60% of both blacks and whites said they were not too worried or not worried at all about being unable to get the health care they needed. There was no significant difference between black people and white people when asked about their fear of losing their job. I think that the ignorance is so deeply ingrained in our society that many people don’t even realize that it’s there.

               Black south Carolinians surveyed also said that racism was the most important issue that the nation is currently facing. The best way to deal with this pressing problem is through education and a unified commitment and effort to produce change.

http://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/article74971172.html