The DIVERSITY AWARENESS

Female Genital Mutilation in African Nations

Female genital mutilation, which involves the removal of the female genitalia for therapeutic or cultural purposes, is common in African nations like Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization (2012).

Certain are rites of passage and cultural activities exclusive to girls and women in these countries. They risk humiliation, disgrace, and alienation if they don’t go through with this passage because they can’t participate in the cultural activity. Communities are made up of people from various cultures, each of which has its own set of adhered-to beliefs. Members of the various groups understand and accept these beliefs and behaviors, albeit others may not agree with them. FGM is a cultural activity which is practiced by some cultures with others viewing it as an evil thing done to girls and women. These make people in the culture where it is practice resist the change to abolish it as it is part of their lives (Lower, 2013).

Reconciling Cultural Relativism with Human Rights

A cultural relativist would see no problem with FGM as he advocates for his culture. To him, FGM is no evil as it has been done over the years and it’s a rite of passage for the females in his community (Mitchum, 2013). Any attempt to abolish it to him is illegal and wrong as it means interference with his cultural activity. Reconciling cultural relativism with the human rights is a hard task as people in that culture view their practices as human rights. However, some of the exercises they regard as their rights might because of their suffering and education be done to make them understand why some of their practices are wrong. Globalization plays a significant role in changing the cultural practices which are evil in some communities. It opens the villages to the world and makes them understand what some of their practices cause to the people’s lives. For example, people can know the effects of FGM on the girls and women hence shun such practices. Globalization has opened the eyes of the people to see what is wrong and right (Esikot, 2012).

The Emergence of the “Black Lives Matter” Movement

According to The rise of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. (1970), Issues that brought to emergence of the “Black Lives Matter” movement before 2000 were the Los Angeles Rebellion in 1992 which was caused by a videotaped that showed a policeman brutalizing a black man. In 1999, Amadou Diallo who was unarmed black immigrant was 41-bullets shots and killed by the New York City police. These were cases that showed racial profiling in America resulting in people forming the “Black Lives Matters” movement.

A Long History of Discrimination between the Whites and the Blacks

Discrimination between the white and the blacks is something that started a long time ago over 300 years. It began during the period of colonization with the coming of the black slaves from Africa. The slaves were treated as not humans by the Americans. Despite them intermarrying later, the hatred between the whites and the blacks did not come to an end. These then led to the emergence of the “Black Lives Matter” movement which champions for the rights of the Black-Americans. It fights for equality between the blacks and the whites.

Views on Racism from Different Scientists

According to Harvard Public Affairs and communications et al. (2015), Higginbotham tries to view the link between the earlier protest in the USA and the Black Lives Matter. He notes that the cause was a violation of the rights of the blacks by the whites. These were propelled to a great extent by the extrajudicial killings of the black people. Walter Johnson spoke about S. Louis’ as one of the most racially segregated cities in the USA using the case which happened in Ferguson. Additionally, Brandon Terry compared Black Lives Matter to the Black Power movement of the 1960’s and 70s since it was aimed at supporting black self-determination.

Examining the Causes and Persistence of Racism

Different scientists view racism in various aspects of life. An anthropologist would ask questions like what things did the blacks and whites do in the past to bring the animosity between the two races. Psychologist, on the other hand, would look what perceptions bring the hatred between the two races fueling conflicts. A sociologist would focus on the reasons behind the changing of the relationships between the blacks and the whites over the years. According to the gerontologists, they frame racism as a problem which has risen with years. Initially, it was minimal, but as the ages progress, it gets serious conflict in America. All these scientists aim at finding the causes of racism and why it is hard to curb it in America.

The Ongoing Struggle against Racism

Events that show complete discrimination between the whites and the blacks in America are up to now rampant. Police shoot and kill unarmed black people who are not threats. These leads animosity among the whites and blacks despite the education among the Americans on the need for unity. The NFL protest matter protest against police brutality and racial inequality and Trump response to some extent shows nothing is done by the politicians to curb racism (Chrotiner, 2017).

Fighting for Equality and Unity

Racism is evil as it alienates people based on their race which is not right. America has both whites and blacks as its citizens, and all are equal as per the law. Therefore, the rights of the blacks should be protected as well as those of the whites. Laws have been enacted to avoid racism like the anti-discrimination laws. However, the political system should campaign against racism and all the societies to make people live in harmony. The Black Lives Matter movement should fight for rights of the blacks to be upheld. Schools and government agencies should teach the need for unity and non-discrimination based on color.

References

Chotiner, I. (2017, September 25). Politics in Sports Is As American As Racism. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/interrogation/2017/09/the_nfl_protest_and_the_long_history_of_politics_in_sports.html

Esem, N. (2016). How can young people end PGM in Nigeria? Retrieved from: http://womendeliver.org/2016/what-role-can-young-people-play-in-ending-female-genital-mutilation-in-nigeria/

Esikot, I.F. (2012). Globalization versus relativism: The imperative of a universal ethics. Journal of Politics and Law, 5(4), 129-135. Retrieved from: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jpl/article/viewFile/22550/14543

Harvard Public Affairs and Communications |, Karen Feldscher, Harvard Chan School Communications |, Al Powell, Harvard Staff Writer |, Liz Mineo, Harvard Staff Writer |, Colleen Walsh, Harvard Staff Writer |, |, S. S., & Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Staff Writer |. (2015, November 13). Background on Black Lives Matter. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/11/background-on-black-lives-matter/

Lower, M. (2013). Can and should human rights be universal? Retrieved by:http://www.e-ir.info/2013/12/01/can-and-should-human-rights-be-universal/

Mitchum, P.D. (2013). Slapping the hand of cultural relativism: Female Genital Mutilation. William & Mary Journal of Women and the Law, 19(3), Article 4. Retrieved from: http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1363&context=wmjowl

The rise of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. (1970, November 18). Retrieved from https://socialistworker.org/2015/01/13/the-rise-of-blacklivesmatter

World Health Organization (2012). Female genital mutilation. Retrieved from:http://www.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/77428/1/WHO_RHR_12.41_eng.pdf