MessyandchaoticpracticesofdemocracyintheUnitedStates:Entrenchedracism_GuangmingOnlineByJunyeZhangOnDec.5,2021,China'sMinistryofForeignAffairsreleasedareportonitswebsitetitled"TheStateofDemocracyintheUnitedStates."Thisseriesofinfographicscentersonthesecondsectionofthetext,"Messyandchaoticpracticesofdemocracy."ThissectionillustratesthatdemocracyintheUShasgonewrong,whichisreflectednotonlyinitssystemdesignandgeneralstructure,butalsointhewayitisputintopractice.ThegunshotsandfarceonCapitolHillhavecompletelyrevealedwhatisunderneaththegorgeousappearanceoftheAmerican-styledemocracy.ThedeathofBlackAmericanGeorgeFloydhaslaidbarethesystemicracismthatexistsinAmericansocietyfortoolong,andspurredadelugeofprotestsripplingthroughoutthecountryandeventhewholeworld.WhiletheCOVID-19pandemicremainsoutofcontrolintheUS,theissueofmask-wearingandvaccinationhastriggeredfurthersocialdivisionandconfrontation.Dividendsofeconomicgrowtharedistributedunfairly,andincomegrowthhasstalledformostordinarypeopleforalongperiodoftime.TheAmerican-styledemocracycanhardlyupholdpublicorderandethics,noradvancepublicwell-beingtothefullest.Herearehighlightsfromparttwoofthetext:Entrenchedracism.(2)EntrenchedracismRacismisanindelibleblotondemocracyintheUS.Whileadvocating“allmenarecreatedequal”,thefoundingfathersoftheUSlefttheinstitutionofslaveryuntouchedintheConstitutionof1789.Today,althoughracialsegregationhasbeenostensiblyabolishedintheUS,whitesupremacyisstillrifeandrampantacrossthecountry.DiscriminationagainstBlackAmericansandotherracialminoritiesremainsasystemicphenomenon.Americansocietyhasexperiencedrelapsesofitsmalaiseofracialdiscriminationfromtimetotime.On25May2020,GeorgeFloyd,aBlackAmerican,losthislifeinMinnesotabecauseoflawenforcementviolencebythepolice.“Ican’tbreathe”—Floyd’sdesperatepleaforlifebeforehisdeath—sparkedpublicoutrage.Afterwards,protestsanddemonstrationseruptedinabout100citiesacrossthe50statesofAmerica,demandingjusticeforFloydandprotestingagainstracialdiscrimination.Thedemonstrationscontinuedmorethan100daysaftertheincident.WhathappenedtoGeorgeFloydismerelyanepitomeofthetragicplightofBlackAmericansoverthepastcenturies.SandraShullman,PastPresidentoftheAmericanPsychologicalAssociation,saysthatAmericaisin“aracismpandemic”.ThedreamofcivilrightsleaderMartinLutherKing,Jr.remainsunrealized.AccordingtoaneditorialofTheIndianExpress,amainstreamnewspaperofIndia,Americanracismhasendured,subvertingthecountry’sdeepestdemocraticinstitutionsintheprocess.InFebruary2021,StanfordNews,awebsiteofStanfordUniversity,carriedanarticleexaminingsystemicracismintheUS.Thearticlesuggeststhatineducation,youthofcoloraremorelikelytobecloselywatched;inthecriminaljusticesystem,peopleofcolor,particularlyBlackmen,aredisproportionatelytargeted;andintheeconomyandemployment,fromwhomovesforwardinthehiringprocesstowhoreceivesfundingfromventurecapitalists,BlackAmericansandotherminoritygroupsarediscriminatedagainstintheworkplaceandeconomy-at-large.AstudybytheUniversityofWashingtonfindsthataround30,800peoplediedfrompoliceviolencebetween1980and2018intheUS,whichisabout17,100higherthantheofficialfigure.ItalsoindicatesthatAfricanAmericansare3.5timesmorelikelytobekilledbypoliceviolencethanwhiteAmericans.TheangereruptingacrossAmericaisnotjustBlackanger,butacrossraciallines.AnarticlepublishedonthewebsiteofTheJerusalemPostofIsraelnotesthatAmericanJewsareconcernedaboutright-wingantisemitismandviolencedrivenbywhitesupremacistgroups.AccordingtoannualsurveysconductedbytheAmericanJewishCommittee,in2020,43%USJewsfeellesssecurethanayearago,andin2017,41%sayantisemitismisaseriousproblemintheUS,upfrom21%in2016,21%in2015,and14%in2013.ThebullyingofAmericansofAsiandescentisincreasingintheUS.SincetheoutbreakofCOVID-19,therehavebeengrowingcasesofAsianAmericanshumiliatedorattackedinpublicplaces.StatisticsfromtheUSFederalBureauofInvestigationindicatethathatecrimesagainstpeopleofAsiandescentroseby76%intheUSin2020.FromMarch2020toJune2021,theorganizationStopAsianAmericansandPacificIslandersHatereceivedover9,000incidentreports.AsurveyofyoungAsianAmericansontheNationalBroadcastingCompany(NBC)websiteshowsthatinthepastyear,aquarterofyoungAsianAmericansbecametargetsofracialbullying,nearlyhalfoftherespondentsexpressedpessimismabouttheirsituation,andaquarteroftherespondentsexpressedfearaboutthesituationofthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.