Equality & Discrimination
Read Zack’s, “White Privilege, Black Rights” and answer the following questions:
- How does Zack contrast the problems of implicit racism and more overt violations of human rights?
- How does Zack explain the need for criticism of police violence directed against young black men?
- What does Zack mean when she suggests that the issue of unpunished killings of black youth is a symbol of overall social injustice?
- Do you think that it is ever justifiable to treat people differently on the basis of their race, sex, religion, or other group characteristic? Explain.
Sample Answer
In “White Privilege, Black Rights,” Naomi Zack contrasts the problems of implicit racism and more overt violations of human rights by discussing the issue of police violence directed against young black men. She argues that implicit racism is a form of racism that is often unconscious and unintentional, while overt violations of human rights are more deliberate and intentional.
Zack argues that both implicit racism and overt violations of human rights are harmful, but that overt violations of human rights, such as police brutality, are more immediately and directly harmful. She writes, “Implicit racism can be just as harmful as overt racism, but it is often more difficult to see and address.”