"I have a dream!" These were the words spoken by Martin Luther King Jr. in one of his speeches defending the rights of African American people. Prejudice is one of the many topics he defended in his renowned speeches. This topic is still in controversy today. One of the main reasons it is still alive in society is because it has been passed down from generation to generation. Prejudice causes anger and hatred in people, which in turn causes violence. Prejudice is not only against blacks however, white people are affected as well. This topic causes society to move backwards in civility rather than forwards, where we should be headed.
An example of prejudice is when Atticus defends Tom Robinson and all the people think that he is crazy for doing it. The only reason he is in court is because of the color of his skin. Another reason is Scout, Jem, and Dill being scared of Boo Radley when they have never seen him before and they don"t even know what he is like. Prejudice affects our society in many ways. In the 1960s, African American people were not allowed to go to the same schools, restaurants, and even drinking fountains, as white people were. .
Also in the 1960s, the Ku Klux Klan rose to power in the southern United States. This group of only Protestant white men, prosecuted African Americans for only one reason; the color of their skin. The group would lynch, or hang, black men and women for no reason every day. The Ku Klux Klan is still in existence today. There is also prejudice within other countries. In the Middle East, the Israelis and the Palestinians are fighting over one reason as well, religion. Another example is in Ireland. The Catholics and Protestants are in a fierce battle over religion. But the most important example is right here in the United States. There is prejudice everywhere, schools, neighborhoods, and even in our own homes. We have to work together as one united nation to overcome this tremendous obstacle.