Understanding the Historical Context of Social Work Assessment

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One of the movements that stands out for me in addressing the pain and suffering of people affected is the Black Lives Matter Movement. Without a doubt, the initiative came into existence following years of systemic racism and unequal treatment of people of color in society. The government is at the center of controversy with the movement because for many years, it has not achieved much result in putting an end to racism (Gaye, & Nyx Jr, 1971). Although the government seems to have made deliberate effort, including enacting policies criminalizing racism, little change has been achieved. Judicial and law enforcement institutions, including the police force have been found to put citizens in harm’s way. Over the past few years, police brutality has been rising with people of color falling victims to such issues. African American people are at a disadvantage and have been subject of harassment and brutality for a long time. The very people tasked with protecting them are the same people that are causing them harm. The judicial system, which is meant to serve all people equally, favors some ethnicities over others. White people tend to receive less hefty punishments than their black counterparts for committing the same crimes (Martinez & Kawam, 2018). Additionally, it has also been found that there is violence and conflicts within the police system where white police officers discriminate against black police officers.

It is sad that no matter the efforts made to address the issue of systemic racism in U.S. societies, little progress has been achieved in that regard. In my opinion, racism is more of a human problem than it is a social problem. I am convinced about this because no matter the efforts, racism continues to be rife in society. I think to achieve the desired change, programs should change tactics and focus on attitude change. They should try to address the problem from its roots. Unless human beings experience a paradigm shift in how they see each other, we will continue to mark time without bringing positive change. It is upon us as a society to assess ourselves and figure out the next cause of action. Racism is a cancer. It kills and destroys the good things we have and divides us reducing us into rivals. If we are all equal before God’s eyes, why then should we discriminate against each other?

References

Gaye, M., & Nyx Jr, J. (1971). On What’s Going On [mp3].

Martinez, M. J., & Kawam, E. (2018). Historical trauma and social work: What you need to know. The New Social Worker, 15-16.