The United States was founded upon diversity. Racism in America began when the first African slaves were brought to the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619, to aid in the production of such lucrative crops as tobacco. These slaves were not brought by will, but by force, and they faced great oppression while giving the dominant white race the blue collar resource that they so essentially needed in order to stake their claim in the new and soon to flourish United States of America. Plagued by hundreds of years of slavery, discrimination, segregation, hatred, and victimization, blacks and other minorities have been looked upon as second rate in America. Three-hundred and ninety six years later and here we stand as a country plagued by the same sickness of disease and hatred for someone because of their apparent differences. Although some landmark victories have been made in the fight for racial equality, the infectious mentality and condition of racism is still alive and just as powerful as it was when it came to this land so many years ago. With the racial divide in our country widening in loom of current events between what seems to be a matter of blacks against whites, it leaves me asking myself if we are all human, what is it that makes us see each other as different, or unequal? And why are we unable to stop this perpetual cycle of racism? Looking closer on the ways that media covers racial controversies, along with how some key political voices speak up on the issue, such as Reverend Al Sharpton. Through research it becomes more realizable why racism is a perpetual matter. Likewise to many Americans today, in Jhumpa Lahiris When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine of her book Interpreter of Maladies a young girl named Lilia is conflicted and unaccepting of the idea of racism when it first comes a reality in her own life. Lahiri uses Lilia as a human example of the implications of racism and how it is a problem in everyday settings for people whom are considered minorities.
