I find it to be truly remarkable that the views of society can be so powerful in constructing so much of what we see in our lives on a daily basis. Racism stands out as being very artificial. Throughout history, many members of American society have put much effort into forming the belief that the lighter one’s skin, the better. This has even gone as far as racism being biologically justified, such reasoning having no merit of course. In fact, what more is race than yet another social construction? Foner highlights the fact that race is also socially constructed.

Racial classifications tend to be quite broad, white, black, Asian, etc. However, it appears that in some cases becoming part of a broader classification is desirable. In the past Jews and Italians, especially those who came in the first large wave of immigrants and prior, were each discriminated for specific reasons. However, Jews and Italians have worked their ways into the “white” classification, which tends to face the least racial discrimination in society.

Previously, it was believed that Asians and blacks and other non-whites shouldn’t come to the U.S. because they would taint American society with certain aspects of their culture and behavior. The language barrier was also used as a justification for such racism. However, what truly stands out to me as being disgusting is that many of the members of these heavily oppressed groups were racist, as well. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Why would members of groups that have faced much racism over the years stoop to mistreating members of other races in the same ways? Is the seemingly lower level of racism in the U.S. today versus prior truly an indication that views, and people, have changed, or is it just coincidental with the decreased rate of immigration? Perhaps time will show what the answers to these questions are, and hopefully time will also bring us a world in which racism no longer exists. Nancy Foner certainly provides enough reasoning to indicate how silly racism really is.