Have you ever been treated or seen differently because of your gender, race, religion, or any other attribute? If you have, then you have experienced a form of discrimination. So what do we mean by discrimination? In general, discrimination is defined as an assault on human rights by denying certain groups and people full human rights because of who they are, as well as their beliefs (“Discrimination). The United States has a poor history of discriminatory practices in the workplace. Business owners were allowed to use slaves to operate their business, up until 1865, where the slaves were declared free. Despite being known as a “melting pot” and as a land of opportunity, immigrants have faced discrimination when arriving in our country. One of the earliest examples of discrimination against Asian Americans occurred during the California Gold Rush. Many people moved there in order to become wealthy. This has also attracted Asian immigrants, who moved to California for the same reasons as the other people who have moved there. As more Asian immigrants were entering the country, the competition was increasing, as they were beginning to take over jobs. The competition for jobs led the Whites to become resentful toward the Chinese. It led to an Anti-Chinese movement and eventually the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was passed to restrict immigration. Other immigrants often had to take more difficult jobs with little pay. The immigrants also struggled to integrate into our society. At that time, there were almost no laws that prevented prejudice and discrimination in the workplace. Though we came a long way, discrimination continues to exist in our society today. Fortunately, it is possible for employers and employees can take to reduce discrimination in the workplace. A possible solution to the problem may be to encourage diversity in the workplace.
As stated before, this country has became a lot less tolerant of discrimination than it formerly was, but it is still an issue today. Workplace discrimination lawsuits cost our country's businesses 64 billion dollars annually (Burns). There are several different types of discrimination, such as direct, indirect, harassment, and victimization. The victim is treated unfairly in all types. Discrimination is often based on prejudice, ignorance, and negative stereotypes. There are various reasons why people discriminate others. Sometimes people discriminate other people without even realizing it. Some people discriminate others out of fear. Because they may fear the unknown, people either react with suspicion, or with hostility and violence toward anyone whose appearance, culture, and behavior are different from themselves. Another reason why people may discriminate others is the need to feel superior to others to overcome their feeling of inferiority. Discrimination has a negative impact on victims. Discrimination of any kind can affect people both emotionally and physically. People who experience...
