Racial Issues In Get Out

Run! Run and never look back; just keep running as fast as you can, and you might escape. Do not question it, but you must do this in order to survive. You might have a chance to live, but your life will never be the same again.
Do you have to drink from a separate water fountain? Do restaurants not serve you food? Do people act as if you do not exist? Do people yell and spit at you? Do people call you horrific names? Do people treat you differently solely based on color? Do people try to tear you down instead of building you up?
Unfortunately, all of these scenarios are more common than one likes to think. There will always be people who see you differently. There will always be people who find ways to hate you. There will always be people
who treat you poorly purely because of one reason: your skin color. In today’s society, our skin color defines us. The color of our skin decides how we are treated, how we are viewed, and how we are accepted in society. Racial relations, especially those between whites and African Americans, are still a major issue across the country. The concept of racial issues can be clearly seen in the 2017 renowned film Get Out.
This film was directed by Jordan Peele, and it challenges viewers to take a closer look at racial relations in society. The film primarily follows Chris Washington, an African American, and his white girlfriend Rose Armitage. Chris is traveling for the weekend to meet Rose’s parents for the very first time. During their first interactions, Rose’s parents do not know how to comprehend that their daughter is dating a person from another race. Immediately, Rose’s parents treat Chris differently than they would any other normal human being. They see it necessary to treat him differently because he is an African American. They can barely create conversation with him or even try to get to know him. Soon, the weekend turns from a relaxing time away to Chris fighting for his life. Chris starts to notice abnormalities throughout the house. The other African Americans are servants and do not talk to anyone. In the end of the movie, it is revealed that Rose’s family takes the brain of the dying, white loved ones and puts their brain and mental capabilities into the better, physical body of an African American to essentially create a superior race. After this discovery, Chris fights for his life to get out of the house. Fortunately, Chris is able to escape and be freed from the chains that would bind him to that house
forever. This film raises many social issues found in today’s society.
One of the main issues is the idea of white supremacy and racial relations among African Americans and whites in daily life and interactions. Simply because of skin color, many white people think that they are superior. They are quick to jump to conclusions about African Americans and stereotype them in society. Many people stereotype African Americans as dirty, uneducated, and dangerous. These stereotypes and simple hatred of others because of race contribute to a culture filled with uneasiness and racism. Many people believe that racism does not exist anymore in America and that racial equality is present; however, racial relations have experienced recent tensions and social unrest is still at hand. Get Out exposes those issues and shows viewers that racism has not departed America nor is it anytime
soon.
Before looking at the impact of racism across America, it is important to realize exactly what racism is. In a review of the book Race, Racism, and Social Work: Contemporary Issues and Debates, author of the review June Sadd stated, “Racism targets whichever groups it chooses depending on social, economic and political circumstances.” (Sadd) Racism takes all shapes and forms and targets different groups of people. People may be immigrants, lower social class status, or different ethnic background. No matter which group of people, hatred and discrimination towards someone solely based off of factors one cannot control is racism. It can be seen throughout the movie Get Out in several scenes. The workers of the house are seen as slaves, and they are African Americans. Another example is seen whenever Rose’s parents speak to Chris. They always have a superior tone in their voice or a sense of power in their personality and attitude. Racism can be seen even in the smallest actions; however, they can still have a large impact in society.
The fight for racial equality is not a new concept for America. Since its birth, America has encountered this issue; as a result, the Civil War was fought as a temporary solution. Thousands of people died, and the lives of many African Americans were taken over by slavery. Even once the war was over and slavery was illegal, the African Americans were still not treated the same way. They struggled to find work or get an education. Their lives were forever altered. Fast forward about a hundred years. The civil rights movement occurred in the 1960s in order to bring better racial equality across the country. Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for his work in this peaceful movement. African Americans were being discriminated against because of their skin color, and the Jim Crow laws were put into place to make sure they felt subordinate. After a long battle to equality, many people believed that racial equality was reached. However, was it reached? In a 2017 study over race and ethnicity, authors Zulema Valdez and Tanya Golash-Boza state, “As we have argued, the three main pillars of inequality in the United States are white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy.” (Valdez, Golash-Boza). Hatred and discrimination still haunts society today.
Even with America’s rich history with this problem and its many attempts to resolve it, tensions are still high across America today in 2017. In a Catholic social review published in 2016, author Stephen Krason states, “To be sure, there is still racial prejudice today. The college fraternity incidents that were in the news indicate that. The racially charged rants of college freshmen, however, simply pale in comparison to Jim Crow.”(Krason). Krason does not deny that racism still exits across America. There is not a day that goes by that newsfeeds are not bombarded with a news article related to racial tensions in America. From the problems in South Carolina to the events that took place in Ferguson, Missouri to even the racial issues that occurred on the University of Missouri’s campus not long ago.
Now that one is aware of this important and critical social issue perpetrating society, how is this issue currently being seen across the country? In a 2016 study entitled The Black and White in America: Views on Race and Inequality, Worlds Apart, the opening lines of the results stated, “Black people, far more than whites, say Black people are treated unfairly across different realms of life, from dealing with the police to applying for a loan or mortgage. And, for many Black people, racial equality remains an elusive goal.” (Africology). In a national survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 1,799 whites and 1,004 African Americans were interviewed to see what their thoughts are on racial relations. From that survey, 88% of Africans Americans said that the country still needs to make changes in order for blacks to have equal rights with whites. That 88% is compared to 53% of white people who said that work still needs to be done.
In addition to these numbers, the survey also asked its participants about personal experiences with discrimination and hatred. Out of the responses, 71% of blacks say that they have experienced discrimination because of race or ethnicity. And 1 in 10 blacks or 11% surveyed said that this discrimination is a frequent occurrence. However, on the other side of the spectrum, discrimination is far less prevalent. 30% of whites responded saying that they had been discriminated against or treated unfairly because of the race or ethnicity. Only 2%, however, stated experiencing discrimination on a frequent basis.
Racial discrimination does not stay only in a person’s personal life; it extends to the workforce or economic status. The next question answered was concerned with reasons why African Americans may be struggling to get ahead in society. 6 in 10 blacks or 58% of those surveyed say that their financial situation and economic status is worse than whites. The whites who were surveyed tended to agree mostly with this statement. 47% of whites surveyed say that blacks are worse off financially than themselves.
A big part of the reason why African Americans believe that they are financially worse than whites resides in the workplace. The African Americans surveyed had three main social factors as reasons why they struggle to get ahead in the workforce. The results of the survey stated, “Two-thirds or more Black people say failing schools (75%), racial discrimination (70%) and a lack of jobs (66%) are major reasons that Black people may have a harder time getting ahead these days.” (Africology). In response, however, only 36% of whites surveyed believe that racial discrimination plays a factor in the struggle for African Americans to get ahead in today’s society. The facts do not lie that racial discrimination is a major problem that still exists today in society. Racial issues affect more than just a person’s daily attitude, personality, or self-image, racial hatred leaks into a person’s daily life and affects their economic well-being in society. There are many cases every single day that deal with racial hatred. In the past decade, there have been countless incidents with African Americans and the police that have sparked a need for change across all of America. Even right here on the University of Missouri’s campus has change been sparked because of the recent events that occurred in 2015. There are people within society that see a need for change, and it is only a matter of time before change is made to better society and social culture of America.
Racism is seen all across society in America. It is time for a change. A change in which all people are treated equally. A change that has been needed for a long time in society. Some researchers and professors have studied racial relations across America for years, and they too see a problem that needs to be resolved. One of their ideas is the ethnoracial core. A 2017 journal by Christina Sue stated, “The concept of the ethnoracial core aims to explain dynamics associated with socio-economic and cultural integration, as well as individual-level variation.” (Sue). Sue calls for action through integration on the societal level as well as individually. She further states, “In response, we developed the idea of the ethnoracial core, which we define as a set of forces or fields involving ethnoracial institutions such as neighborhoods, organizations, a language community, the media, state-imposed categorizations, and even the relationship with the sending country and contact with immigrant co-ethnics. Essentially, the ethnoracial core’s interlocking institutional fields generate, perpetuate, and recreate ethnicity, counteracting the influence of the mainstream.” (Sue) Society wants to recreate itself and go against majority opinion or the voice of the media in order to create a society that is inclusive of all.
Society believed that it had solved an issue regarding racism during the Civil War; however, it continues to threaten today’s culture. Change must occur. Whether someone is black or white or purple or green, we are all human beings. Everyone deserves to be accepted and loved, and it is only a matter of time until society realizes all of the hurt it has caused and the urgency for change.