Race is a socially constructed biological categorization of peoples with regard to heredity, and physical characteristics. Racism, as defined by Webster, is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. In the year 2005, do we believe that this kind of discrimination still exists? Absolutely! Racism is undoubtedly the root of the many trials and tribulations of the United States and we believe that it only involves the issue of black vs white. In a semester's worth of reading and research, it is safe to say that racism covers a much larger spectrum than "race". In this day and age, racism can be categorized with that of gender, income, background, and even sexual orientation. Frankenberg said it best: Any system of differentiation shapes those whom it bestows privilege as well as those it oppresses.
             Racial profiling is a prime example of contemporary racism in the United States. For example, in Montgomery County, Maryland, African Americans make up only 15% of the population, but were involved in 26% of the more than 40,000 traffic stops between April and September of 2001. In Bronx, New York, Amadou Diallo,age 22, was shot several times and fatally wounded in front of his residence by four, Caucasian, plain clothed police officers because they believed he fit the description of a serial rapist who has since been captured. On April 7, 2001 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the country's eighth most racially segregated town in the United States, a man by the name of Timothy Thomas, age 19, is gunned down by Cincinnati police for running away from them for 14 seat belt warrants. Surprisingly, in each of these cases, all police officials involved were acquitted of their crimes. With these three incidents alone, it is very hard for one to deny the presence of contemporary racism amongst us.
             With the report of these three...