you've probably heard a lot about systemic discrimination in America it's
the idea that if you're not white
the deck is somehow stacked against you and that is true government studies and
academic research show over and over again that to be black in America is
two-faced bias
what you might not realize is just how constant varied an idiosyncratic that
bias can be so using all these studies
let's try to paint a picture of a life that millions of black americans live if
you're black in America you run into bias at a pretty young age if you walk
to school in the morning you might have to wait longer to cross the street
drivers stopped less frequently for black pedestrians than four white if you
misbehave in school you might be punished more harshly than your white
classmates even if you broke the same rule and when you apply to colleges your
disciplinary record might make it harder to get in if you're black in America and
you're looking for a job you might have to look harder job applicants with black
sounding names receive fewer callbacks than those with white sounding names and
if you get the job
keep in mind that you'll be working just as hard as your white colleagues but
might make thirty percent less than them if you're black in America and you want
to buy a house
your agent might show you fewer properties than his white clouds and if
you manage to find your dream home you might have a harder time getting a bank
loan
if you're black in America you might get pulled over by the police more than your
white friends if that happens
police are more likely to search your car and they're more likely to use force
against you if there's a misunderstanding if you're arrested and
convicted of a crime your sentence might be harsher to if you're black in America
and you get sick you might have to tough it out
doctors prescribe pain relievers to black patients less frequently than
white patients and sometimes life-saving heart medication to if you're black in
America and you're getting older
make sure to plan ahead you might have a harder time getting into a nursing home
and your white friends or family and finally if you're black in America and
you're tired of this bias and you want to use your vote to change the system
it won't be easy when you try to learn about where or how to vote local
officials might not even return your call
now there are some caveats first Hispanics Asians and other minorities
face a lot of these situations to and second the story is based on studies and
surveys so not all of these situations are true for every place in America at
every time but it does paint a pretty consistent picture if you're white
it's a picture that might shock you if you're not you might have faced a lot of
this already