Racism has been a huge problem in the history of the United States. The slave trade in the early years of the American republic wreaked havoc with the morality of a state supposedly founded on the idea that all men are created equal under god. These appalling conditions lasted for too long. Even after the civil war and the emancipation of the slaves, racism and a lack rights hindered the lives of African-Americans for many years. They had trouble voting, many were lynched, and terrible things were done. Today things are much better. Indeed, Barack Obama is the first African-American President of the United States. It is easier than ever before for African-Americans to have economic opportunities and power in the U.S., but still more can be done. There still exists in the United States today the problem of racism. This must be fixed and it must be fixed quickly.
In order to further improve this situation, affirmative action can be used to help them get jobs and more power. Under this system, employers will give preference to employees of diverse backgrounds. This will take into account historical wrongs done to African-Americans and give them a leg up in the process. There are some critics who say this presupposes systemic racism in the U.S. and that this is a controversial idea. They are entitled to their opinion but the objective is to help people improve their lives in ways they might not be able to do themselves. As affirmative action becomes more prominent, more minorities’ lives will be improved.