The third episode of Race: The Power of an Illusion, The House We Live In, shows how political, social, and economic systems and policies use race to benefit the white people. By their nature, social institutions disproportionately channel resources, power, status, and wealth to whites at the expense of minority groups. The episode provides evidence that race is not an innate quality but a creation of politics, economics, and culture that causes inequalities in society.
The race has been used in society to create and even rationalize inequality. Race is the noticeable characteristic; that people see when they look at others. The social concept of race defines major differences in humanity. For example, white and black people differ based on their skin color. Unfortunately, even people who believe that they are not concerned about the differences will also notice them. As a result, people have come to believe that humans are unequal due to differences. Societies, thus, create institutions and policies that favor the dominant race over the inferior one, causing a great deal of inequality.
The documentary shows how race has always been used in the United States to decide how they treated immigrants. A race created some apprehensive decisions, such as the naturalization of Groups of Native Americans, while the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act barred Asian immigrants. Until the 1954 McCarran-Walter Act, many immigrants faced discriminative treatment against immigrants, especially depending on the country of origin. Citizens enjoyed numerous benefits, such as priority in employment and other social services, while noncitizens lacked such privileges. People denied citizenship had to live in a hazardous environment since government institutions did not recognize them.
Skin color plays a key role in the position and status one is allowed in society. One of the criteria for assigning such privileges is whiteness vs. non-whiteness. For example, such as the criteria that was used to make European “ethnics” white. The skin color could determine whether you are considered a part of the in-group or outgroup.
Decisions focused on racial differences always created segregation and wealth disparities by channeling resources and wealth to some groups at the expense of others. For example, federal housing policies standardized, such as Federal Housing Administration, made racially-motivated decisions that institutionalized residential segregation practices. For example, to preserve the value of high-value neighborhoods, they would limit mortgages to whites. They avoided the neighborhood changes from white to nonwhite since they devalued property. After all, most nonwhite groups lack the resources and finances to maintain the value of the property.
When comparing families’ performance across racial lines who have comparable income AND wealth, most of the considerable racial disparities in education and welfare rates become irrelevant. Unfortunately, such as place has been almost impossible to attain due to racist government policies. Children should understand that race privilege plays a key role in their parents’ and future generations’ outcomes. The outcome is not about merit but problems with policies that favor some races over others.
While the United States is a melting pot, it is true as sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva claims, “That melting pot never included people of color. Blacks, Chinese, Puerto Ricans, etc. could not melt 4 into the pot.” The melting pot would suggest an integrated society that gives an opportunity for all. On the contrary, the US is an anti-multiculturalist society that discriminates against minority groups and fails to allow them to succeed.