Nichole Makler
Dr. Markowitz
Sociology 111
November 11, 2000
Discrimination
        Every person has experienced some form of discrimination either by being
discriminated against or by being the discriminator.  By definition,
discrimination is “positive or negative behavior based on stereotyped
beliefs about the occupants of status“.  Giving unfair advantages to certain
groups of people constitutes that other groups are without those advantages
and are therefore classified as not being in power.  Generally, people in
power are given advantages over others.  In our society, typically white,
heterosexual, able-bodied and minded, upper middle class, United States
citizens are given the most unfair advantages.  When analyzed, these
advantages can be seen as the root of discrimination in our country.
        White people, as opposed to minorities, have always been given advantages.
It is only in the present time period that those advantages have been
labeled as unfair.  There is less negative stereotyping of white people than
that of people of color.  Throughout history, white people were considered
to be more intellectual, wealthier, and better citizens.  These biases still
play on people’s feelings today.  In recent studies, it has been documented
that police officers tend to pull over and arrest more minorities than white
people.  Based on this information, Caucasians are not being apprehended as
much as they should be.  The media plays a large role in portraying
minorities as being unequal to white people.  During news broadcasts,
information is more likely to be released if a suspect is of
African-American ethnicity instead of Caucasian.  This leads the viewing
public into believing that African-Americans are more likely to commit
crimes and it subconsciously installs a false belief that Caucasians are
less likely to commit crimes.
        People are often given unfair benefits that simply ride on their sexuality.
  Heterosexual people are perceived as the norm.  All who deviate from the
norm are considered to be unrighteous.  Heterosexual people are allowed to
legally marry  but homosexual people are not.  From a religious aspect,
heterosexuals are considered morally right and homosexuals are considered
unclean and sinful.  Those who have “come out of the closet” and belong to a
religion have probably been told by a heterosexual preacher that his or her
lifestyle is corrupt.  There are plenty of negative connotations associated
with being gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual.  To my knowledge, there are none
associated with being straight.  Heterosexuals can be openly straight
without fear of persecution, whereas homosexuals, as of yet, do not have
that complete freedom.  When hiring for certain occupations, such as
teacher, soccer coach or swimming instructor, where the employee is in
direct contact with children, sexual orientation is often a key factor in
the decision, whether it should be or not.  If an openly gay man applies for
one of the above jobs, people on the hiring committee may be persuaded to
believe that he may influence his students or players into adopting his
lifestyle.  Even though this is not rational thinking, it does happen.  A
less qualified heterosexual man is more likely to receive the job because he
is not perceived with the same bias that a homosexual man is.
        Being of sound mind and body allows those individuals to perform certain
activities that a handicapped individual can not.  Able-bodied people have a
wide range of job opportunities, whereas handicapped people are restricted
to occupations that can accommodate their special needs.  These
accommodations, such as automatic doors and wheelchair ramps, also serve
able-bodied individuals although their intent is only for the handicapped.
Able-bodied people are not confined in where they can go.  They can use the
stairs to climb floors faster than taking an elevator that stops at every
floor.  Being able-minded, a person is perceived as more capable of doing a
job under pressure and less likely to fold under stress.  They are taken
more seriously than someone who gets upset easily or has a background at a
mental institution.
        Upper-middle class individuals benefit from the discrimination of lower
class individuals.  Most parents of upper-middle class families received a
college education.  Just being from the upper-middle rung of the ladder,
these people are seen as wealthy and educated while those on the rungs
beneath them are not.  Money is generally passed from generation to
generation, providing for future expenses while lower class people may not
have the money to pass and are forced to start over with every new
generation.  In poor neighborhoods, goods may cost more than at stores in
richer neighborhoods because the poor neighborhood is deemed unsafe and does
not have many shoppers.  High-status occupants in society are perceived
differently than those of lesser status.  Middle class people are considered
as owning what they do because they have worked for it.  Because the poor
are persecuted as lazy, the wealthy have to be perceived as hard working.
        United States citizens are given opportunities that are not offered in
other countries.  Labor in other countries are paid less so that US citizens
can be paid more.  Working class individuals are offered health benefits
that ensure our ability to work, while labor in other countries are without
benefits so they can be paid less.  United States citizens are protected by
laws that do not protect illegal aliens.  These laws protect our rights
while aliens do not have any legal rights.
        Discrimination happens everywhere, from being interviewed for a job to
shopping at a grocery store.  People who are not being discriminated against
often do not realize that it happens.  Personally, I was not aware of all
the advantages I had received until I wrote this paper.  The first step in
achieving equality is identifying what makes us unequal and taking steps to
rectify that.  Until people in power are willing to give up some of that
power to lesser individuals, the inequality an discrimination will remain.