Discrimination

To discriminate against someone is to treat them differently than you would others because of their race, gender, religion or any other difference. It is a form or prejudice that often leads to crimes being committed against an individual or group of people.

The United States Department of Justice defines a hate crime as any act of "violence, property damage, or threat that is motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation." Discriminating against anyone due to a difference, whether it be real or perceived, is illegal and may be punishable in a federal court. There are two basic types of discrimination: direct and subtle. Direct discrimination involves actively victimizing people in a clear and obvious manner whereas subtle discrimination entails persecuting people in a more secretive and hidden way. Graffiti that contains racial slurs would be an active form of discrimination, and excluding an individual from any group based on their gender or race demonstrates subtle discrimination.

One of the most common areas of discrimination occurs in the workplace. People may not be given a job, or even an interview because they are viewed as being too old or too young. In 1967, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act was created to put an end to discriminatory policies for hiring, promoting or firing of any person. It also forbids listing any age limitation within a job notice. Employers may discriminate against potential job candidates for other reason, including their race, gender or sexual orientation. The federal government has established several laws to counter these issues, including the Equal Pay Act which declares men and women must be given equivalent salaries when they satisfactorily perform the same job duties, the Americans with Disabilities Act which ensures that differently abled people are not denied the opportunity for a job they are qualified for and the Civil Rights Act of 1991 which fights against racial discrimination wherever it is found. Similar examples of discrimination include not renting an apartment to someone because of their race or refusing to allow students or employees to take time off for a religious holiday.

Discrimination has affected people in many ways over the years, often violently. People are often assaulted because of the color of their skin or perceived sexual orientation. Any hate crime is illegal, whether it be direct or subtle. These crimes not only harm the victims, they are also in direct opposition to the very concept of basic human rights.

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