Throughout history, discrimination has been a big part in societies, whether it’s racism, economy class, sexuality, etc. And during the past and present events, those who were being discriminated, all wanted to have freedom from discrimination. Sadly, discrimination has not been abolished with how far we’ve come, instead it’s as relevant today as it was when African-Americans were introduced to all white schools. From time to time we would see economy class or sexuality discrimination and it’s not a common thing in today’s society. However, the same type of discrimination which was a significant issue in the past is still a very common issue now; Racial Discrimination. Almost every country has had discrimination in their history, but a variety of countries made it clearer than most. More specifically Germany, Cambodia, and the United States all had significant events in their past that discrimination played a huge role. Although Germany, Cambodia, and the United States discriminated against a specific type of race, class, sexuality, etc. in their own respected era, they continue to try to make their society a safe and equal place for everybody, however society will still find a way to discriminate against others, preventing everybody freedom from discrimination.
First of all, let’s introduce the reign of Hitler and the Nazi’s of them coming to power, and their way of discriminating against another race. In 1933, Hitler became Chancellor, and was finally in a position he could use the power of law to control German Society. Hitler’s ability to pass laws continued to get stronger; In 1934 Hitler finally gained dictatorial power once the German electorate approved of the decree. After Hitler gained power, any trace of the disappearing democratic institutions were to cease to exist, and be destroyed under no circumstances. Since there was no democratic institutions (parliaments, courts, etc.) to stop him, Hitler was able to take advantage of his position as chancellor and make all the rules. Systems such as checks and balances no longer exists during his reign of power, instead everything was done to please the Fuhrer. After becoming the Fuhrer(chancellor), this attitude was shown on the first law he passed. Hitler ordered that every government official, and soldier were required to repeat an oath not to German laws or the nation, but to Hitler himself starting from August 20, 1934. Hitler and the Nazis finally reached their goal of stripping Jews of citizenship, and created a legal distinction between the Jewish neighbors and the Germans. The Jewish people did nothing to deserve this type of treatment, but Hitler and the Germans despised them and discriminated against the Jewish people. Nuremberg laws were passed by Hitler, which was ‘what it meant to be German’. The Nuremberg laws were crucial, and helped organized the violence and mass murders that would come later in the regime. The German government introduced new restrictions on the Jewish people that are still remaining in Germany, after the war outbreak on September 1st, 1939. One of the first law during wartime introduced and required a strict curfew on Jewish individuals and prohibited Jewish people from entering certain areas of the German cities. The Jewish people’s food rations began to be reduced, once the general food rationings started; further restrictions led to the Jewish people also being restricted to a time period of when they were able to purchase food and supplies, with restricted access to a variety of stores. The Jewish households were always short even on the most basic essentials. The racial discrimination that took place during the Holocaust has no excuse or justification, and shouldn’t exist in today’s society.
In addition, racial discrimination wasn’t the only thing that lead to unfair treatment to a certain group of people. The Economy classes were a significant part in the Khmer Rouge regime’s killings of the Cambodian people. During Pol Pot’s leadership, and days after overthrowing the government, the regime embarked on a mission to reconstruct Cambodia on a communist model of Mao Zedong’s China. The communist model of Mao Zedong believed that citizens must work in one huge federation of collective farms as laborers; all equal, no class, everybody is brothers and sisters, etc. Anyone that was intellectual, educated, in opposition, worked for the government must all be eliminated. In a short notice, everybody was under a threat of death, and was forced to leave the towns and cities; even the ill, old, disabled, and very young were driven out as well. Every political and civil rights that the government gave the people of Cambodia were abolished. Minority groups were targeted, and were victims of the Khmer Rouge’s Racism. Anyone and everyone that was employed by the government, had a wealth family, etc. were all targeted by the Khmer Rouge. The educated such as lawyers, doctors, current and former policeman were to be persecuted by the Khmer Rouge. They weren’t given any rights or had a restriction, their only fate was to be tortured and have ill treatment until death. Which is somewhat different compared to the Nazis, that gave strict restrictions on the Jewish people. The Khmer Rouge wanted to create a society that was a non-capitalist type without any competition, so that everybody was working for the common good without any “natural selection”. When the citizens were placed into camps, everybody was divided into sections that were based on the trust that regime had for them. Anybody who was refusing to be reeducated by the regime were killed in the fields, or the prison camp S-21. The discrimination that the Khmer Rouge had against the wealthy and educated was beyond inhumane, and was a crime against humanity.
Also, let’s talk about the America that we live, and how our past racial discrimination is still an issue in today’s society. In the Declaration of Independence, it states “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and was used as an American aspiration, but African Americans, Native Americans, and women were not at the table in 1776 when it was signed. Racism has been a significant part of America’s history, and has always had racial discrimination against African Americans. In the Dred Scott case decision, it was made clear that people of African descent was not considered American citizens and had no rights in legal courts. This is also where African Americans were considered 3/5 property, and not actual citizens. Anybody that’s living in the US, or was born in the US shouldn’t be called property. Prior to the Brown v Board of Education case, segregation was taken place because apparently the African Americans weren’t as equal as the Whites. African Americans, and Whites were segregated in schools, until declared unconstitutional in Brown v Board of Education. After this case, an event called “Little Rock Nine” was when troops escorted nine African Americans into school because of the violent discrimination against them, after the Board of Education case; Civil Rights Movement.
In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, it depicts the social problems, along with the majority of it being problems in the South during the 1930s. An African American named Robinson was held before a white jury, after being accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Due to the color of Tom’s skin, and the jury being guided by prejudice, Tom was declared guilty and sentences to death, although he was innocent. Atticus Finch, Jem, and Scout along with others, were people who were behind Tom, and believed it was not fair to judge people by their skin color. The Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” explains the reality of the past where an African man’s words, were worth nothing. The American whites discriminated against the blacks back then and has died down, however it’s still existing in today
’s society.
Even though Germany, Cambodia, and the United States all had events in the past that was relevant to racial discrimination, all had tried to provide their citizens with a discrimination free environment. As time went on, policies were implemented and environments began to change, however some citizens today tend to have views that were approved in the past, but not in present time.