How News Sources Portray Systemic Racism Policy
This chart shows how major news sources across the ideological spectrum frame systemic racism policy, from left to right-leaning perspectives.
Although many issues are just now becoming divisive and polarizing in contemporary politics, some have been debated and practiced for centuries, one of which is systemic racism. Understanding important subjects such as this one is crucial, especially to those affected. Biased news can be especially harmful when researching systemic racism, as it unfairly sways the reader towards one direction.
Systemic racism in America refers to the systematic racism in American public life faced by people of color, particularly African Americans. Views and opinions on the presence of current systematic racism and the importance of historical racism are, unfortunately, highly partisan.
Systemic Racism Explained
The systemic racism definition varies slightly, but some ideas remain constant. Most definitions, however, include the idea that racism is deeply embedded and perpetuated in the systems, structures, and cultural norms themselves. They may discuss how forms of systemic racism can be intentional or unintentional, and conscious os subconscious. Systemic racism extends farther than acts of prejudice, but rather comprises the system itself.
Some current examples of systemic racism include the racial wealth gap, education, and criminal justice. The average net worth of a black family is significantly less than that of a white family due to the lack of wealth accumulation. White people can often have generational wealth passed down for centuries (depending on the amount of wealth), whereas black people don’t have that opportunity, largely because of slavery and racism.
Systemic racism in education has been an ongoing issue for centuries. Racism has greatly impacted educational opportunities, as black and white students were segregated in schools. Schools that white students attended had notably more funding than those that black students attended, thus impacting the quality of education that each student was receiving. This still can be seen in schools with a majority black population (mainly in the South) – they often receive less funding and less qualified faculty and staff, which directly impacts the quality of the education.
Systemic racism in the criminal justice system is still prevalent in the current times. The criminal justice system has unfairly seen black Americans as more dangerous or inhuman than white Americans, and therefore receives harsher punishments and longer sentences than their white counterparts. Black Americans have been experiencing this poor treatment for centuries, and it’s still seen today. In 1960, black men were five times more likely than white men to be incarcerated. This increased to nearly six times in 2010. Overall, black incarceration rates have declined to what they were in the 20th century, but remain higher than white incarceration rates. In 2021, black women were 1.6 times more likely to be incarcerated than white women.
Partisan views surrounding Systemic Racism
There are many political topics surrounding current systemic racism and racism in general, such as the importance of racism’s history, how much progress has been made towards eliminating systemic racism and promoting racial equity, the presence of systemic racism, and more. Opinions on each topic are, unfortunately, highly partisan; however, it’s important to stress that neither Democrats nor Republicans are in favor of systemic racism, but they differ on whether equality has been reached.
Republican Stance on Systemic Racism
Republicans tend to believe that the U.S. has done a great job of working towards eliminating systemic racism and that racial equity has mostly been achieved. 71% of Republicans contend that the U.S. has made a lot of progress over the last 50 years in ensuring equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their racial or ethnic backgrounds, compared to just 61% of Democrats. Almost all Democrats (81%) say that little progress has been made in the last half-century to reach equal rights for all.
Overall, Republicans generally tend to be skeptical of systemic-racism arguments, especially when those arguments are connected to critical race theory, DEI programs, affirmative action, or school curricula. They often argue that these ideas divide Americans by race, blame white people unfairly, or turn anti-discrimination efforts into discrimination against other groups.
At the same time, the Republican position is not completely simple or historically fixed. The party was once strongly associated with abolition and Black political participation, but its modern conservative movement has often opposed race-conscious policies and promoted a more “colorblind” or individual-responsibility approach to racial inequality.
Politicians Who Oppose Systemic Racism
46% of Republicans agreed that overcoming racism requires fundamental changes to laws and institutions.
Tim Scott
“Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country. It's backwards to fight discrimination with different discrimination. And it's wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present.”
Nikki Haley
“We're not a racist country... We've never been a racist country. Our goal is to make sure that today is better than yesterday. Are we perfect? No. But our goal is to always make sure we try and be more perfect every day that we can... America has always had racism, but America has never been a racist country. The liberal media always fails to get that distinction.”
Democratic Stance on Systemic Racism
Republicans and Democrats also differ on their opinions of overcoming systemic racism and how it should be addressed. 46% of Republicans agreed that overcoming racism requires fundamental changes to laws and institutions, versus 88% of Democrats. Other polling reveals that 46% of Republicans believe that increased public attention to the history of slavery and racism in America is bad for society, while 78% of Democrats say it’s good for society.
Overall, Democrats generally believe that systemic racism is a real and continuing problem in American society. They argue that racial inequality is shaped not only by individual prejudice, but also by historical discrimination and present-day institutional barriers in areas like housing, education, voting, healthcare, policing, and employment.
Their stance is usually that government and institutions should actively work to reduce racial disparities through civil-rights enforcement, voting protections, criminal justice reform, DEI programs, and economic investment in disadvantaged communities. While Democrats differ on the exact policies, they generally support a more active role for government in addressing racial inequality.
Politicians Who Support Systemic Racism
88% of Democrats agreed that overcoming racism requires fundamental changes to laws and institutions.
Joe Biden
“One of the core values and beliefs that should bring us together as Americans is standing against hate and racism, even as we acknowledge that systemic racism and white supremacy are ugly poisons that have long plagued the United States. We must change the laws that enable discrimination in our country, and we must change our hearts... That is why, on my first day in office, I signed an Order establishing a whole-of-government approach to equity and racial justice.”
Kamala Harris
“Let's speak the truth: People are protesting because Black people have been treated as less than human in America. Because our country has never fully addressed the systemic racism that has plagued our country since its earliest days. It is the duty of every American to fix. No longer can some wait on the sidelines, hoping for incremental change. In times like this, silence is complicity.”
Structural vs. Systemic Racism
Some mistaken structural racism as systemic racism; however, although some sources use them interchangeably, there are some minor differences.
Systemic racism refers to how different institutions and systems interact to create and maintain racial inequality. It focuses on the integration and correlation of various systems and how they collaborate to intentionally discriminate against racial minorities. Examples can include the wealth gap, education, and the criminal justice system. Systemic racism is broader than structural racism.
Structural racism, on the other hand, refers to the historical, cultural, and social structures that create and maintain racial inequality. It focuses on the roots of racism rather than the interaction between current systems to put black Americans at a disadvantage. Examples can include the history of segregation and discriminatory lending practices. Structural racism can be seen as the foundation, or the main structure, that builds systemic racism.
Dismantling Systemic Racism
Combating systemic racism is a convoluted and complex topic, but it’s important to address in contemporary politics. Systemic racism can be properly addressed by increasing awareness of present-day occurrences of it and educating those who require or lack education about the subject. Obtaining education from unbiased news sources, or news sources that express their bias outright, is one way to do so. It’s also crucial to understand and challenge your own political bias to properly discuss the issue.
Once educated on the subject, one can participate in their democratic obligations by voting on topics that are important to the voter, whether it surrounds systemic racism or not. Voting and participating in democracy is a great way to make your voice heard, whatever opinion you may have. It’s crucial to educate others on the topic as well to increase community engagement. The more people who understand and know about systemic racism, the easier it will be to fix and lead institutional change. Fully dismantling systemic racism takes time and effort, but with enough people who are properly educated and are passionate about the subject, the easier it will be.
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