Marginalization is increasing in the United States today. As much as some people may think it is not a problem, it is found to be one of the five faces of oppression. I can see why. Taking a look at the workplace: When we apply for jobs, we expect them all to be equal opportunity jobs. This is not always the case. Why is this important? It is important because people are left unemployed in our societies due to things they can not control such as their skin color or their gender. Taking a look from another angle, marginalization is experienced in people that are not allowed to vote. Amongst these people are people without valid IDs, undocumented immigrants, homeless people, people with mental illness… and the list continues. How come these groups are denied the same opportunities as other people? Aren’t we all citizens in the same country?
Violence is yet another face of oppression being faced in America today now more than ever. Why is there a correlation with higher violence in lower-income communities? Is there a predisposition to violence set earlier? On top of this, we have police brutality against people of color. George Floyd. Walter Scott. Philando Castile. Rodney King. Eric Garner. Laquan McDonald. The list can go on and on. This is a huge problem and one of the biggest types of oppression affecting everyone. When the verdict was decided for Laquan McDonald’s case, the city of Chicago had plenty of riots and even more experienced violence. Parts of the city had to shut down because things were just getting out of control. These situations and their outcomes affect everyone differently. Honestly, America needs a better judicial system to help combat the violence seen today.
