The question shouldn’t be if any faces of oppression exist in America, it should be, how many could I count on my hands…and maybe toes. The faces of oppression we see in America today resemble those that Young says they appear as, which includes exploitation, marginalization powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence.
Exploitation can be seen in America as it relates to migrant workers. Migrant workers have worker’s rights, however they are still a target of exploitation and subject to mistreatment. Employers know that they are unlikely to stand up and voice their demands to them or the police, especially if they are undocumented, and this makes them vulnerable. This is where powerlessness comes into play as well. Knowing that you have absolutely no leverage, no say so or influence in an aspect or all aspects of your life is what defines powerlessness. Marginalization can also be seen in the workplace. A personal example of mine is a fellow manager. She is a seasoned member of management having decades of experience, however employers are trying to push her out to make way for a younger crowd. Lastly, and something more clearly seen in society is violence. The one that immediately comes to mind and maybe to others as well is that of the insurrection, and the violence that was seen there. Which, if we think about it, stemmed from other means of oppression, like voter’s rights being one.
These examples and just the two of the iceberg when it comes to being oppressed in America, so again, the question shouldn’t being can you see them, to should be how far down the road can we get before I have to start counting on my toes.
