美国存在的社会问题social-problems-in-the-U.S.

SOCIALPROBLEMSINTHEUNITEDSTATESSocialProblemsintheUnitedStatesRacialProblemsPovertyCrimeTheAbuseofPowerbyGovernmentandCorporationsDrugAbuseI.RacialProblems---Americansareprimarilyanationofimmigrants---1.someasrefugeesfromreligiousandpoliticalpersecution(逃避宗教和政治迫害的难民)---2.someasadventurersfromtheOldWorldseekingabetterlife(从旧大陆来寻求好生活的冒险家)---3.someascaptivesbroughttoAmericanagainsttheirownwilltobesoldintoslavery（有一些则是被抓获后违背他们的意愿运到美国，被出卖为奴隶）---4.somefleeingahopelesseconomicsituationornaturaldisaster---5.somewantinggreatereducationalopportunitiesThoughpeopleallshareacommonAmericanculture,thenationcontainsmanyracialandethnicsubcultureswiththeirowndistinctivecharacteristics.(虽然人们有共同的美国文化，但美利坚民族包含了许多种族和少数民族的亚文化群)。ThesedifferenceshavecontributedtoracialconflictsthathavebeenapersistentsocialproblemtoAmericansociety.（这些差异造成了在美国社会长期存在的种族冲突）RacialProblemsTheUnitedStateswasfoundedontheprincipleofhumanequality,butinpracticethenationhasfallenfarshortofthatideal.RacialtensionParticularlysincethecivilrightsdemonstrations,ghettoriots,andotherunrestinthe1960s,raceandethnicrelationshavebeenamajorpreoccupationofsocialscientists,politiciansandthegeneralpublic.discriminationagainstblacks:InAmericansociety,anygroupotherthanthedominantwhiteAnglo-SaxonProtestantmajorityisaminoritygroup.ThesecondlargestoftheracialandethnicminoritiesintheU.S.istheblacks,afterHispanics,whomakeupabout11.7%ofthepopulation.TheirhistoryintheU.S.hasbeenoneofsustainedoppression,discrimination,anddenialofbasiccivilrightsandliberties.(他们在美国不断经受着压迫、歧视，被剥夺了最基本的民权和自由)美国黑人Afro-AmericanAfricanAmericanNegroBlack---theblack“underclass”(“最低层”黑人)《---TheNorthernstateshadalloutlawed(废除)slaveryby1830,butintheSouthernstates,itwasendedbytheCivilWarLincoln’semancipationofslavesin1863(1863年林肯颁布的《解放黑奴宣言》)andthe13thAmendmenttotheConstitutionin1865（1865年美国通过的第13条宪法修正案）---Butaftertheabolitionofslavery,manystatespassedsegregation(隔离)lawstokeeptheracesapartinschools,housing,restaurantsandpublicfacilities,andinstitutionalizeddiscriminationkeptblacksinthelowest-paidjobs.（制度化的种族歧视使黑人只能干一些收入最低的工作。）Dr.MartinLutherKing“IHaveaDream”in1963ProgressTheCivilRightsMovementinthe1950sand1960shelpedblackpeoplesecuremanyoftherightspromisedintheConstitution.A1954SupremeCourtdecisionruledthatsegregationhadnoplaceinpublicschool.In1955,RosaParksrefusedtogiveupherseatonabusforawhiteman.Finally,CongresspassedtheCivilRightsActof1964tostopdiscriminationinallpublicplaces.PovertyBymanystandardstheUnitedStatesisthemostfavorablywealthysocietyinhistory.Yet,35.9millionpeople,about12.5%ofAmericansarelivingatorbelowtheofficialpovertyline,onincomesthatthefederalgovernmentconsidersinsufficienttomeetbasicrequirementoffood,clothing,andshelter.Theaffluentmajoritysometimesseemsindifferenttotheproblemsofthepoorestsectionofthepopulation.PovertyintheUnitedStatesdoesnotsimplymeanthatthepoordonotlivequiteaswellasothercitizens.Povertycanalsomeanlowself-esteem,despair,andstuntingofhumanpotential.PovertyTheproblemofpovertyintheUnitedStatesisaggravatedbecauseitoccursinasocietyinwhichtheoveralldistributionofwealthandincomeisveryunequal.ThecontinuedexistenceofpovertyinagenerallyaffluentAmericansocietyraisesseriousmoralquestions—andinevitablycreatesfierceconflictionofinterestandmanypoliticalcontroversies.DrugAbuseDrugabuseintheUnitedStateshascometoberegardedasoneofthemostchallengingsocialproblemsfacingthenation.DrugabuseintheUnitedStatesisasocialproblembecauseithasawiderangeofsocialcosts,ordysfunctions.Drug’sDysfunctions1.Crime2.AutomobileAccidents3.EffectsonIndividuals4.EconomicLosses:ThreattotheyoungCrimeCrimeisoneofthemostseriousproblemsfacingthenation.Itisgenerallyagreedthatserious,violentcrimehasreachedalarmingproportionsintheUnitedStates.ViolentCrimeIthasreachedalarmingproportioninU.S.61%ofallwomenfeelunsafeintheirownneighborhoodsinnight.45%ofthepopulationisafraidtowalkaloneatnightneartheirownhomes.47%owngun,largelyforself-protection.CrimeTheprofileofatypicalcriminal(典型的罪犯形象)Thosearrestedforcrimesaredisproportionatelylikelytobemale,young,amemberofaracialminority,andacityresident.MembersofracialgroupshaveadisproportionatelyhigherrateofarrestsReasons:1.poororunemployed2.racialprejudice(thediscriminationbetweenblankandwhite).3.undereducated4.selectivelawenforcement(执法偏见）.Crimewhite-collarcrimes(白领阶层的犯罪)White-collarcrimesarethosecommittedbyhigherincomegroupssuchasthecrimesoffraud(欺诈),falseadvertising(做假广告),corporatepricefixing(共同限定/控制市场价格),bribery（行贿）,embezzlement（挪用公款）,industrialpollution,taxevasion（偷税漏税）…TheAbuseofPowerbyGovernmentandCorporationAcrucialproblemofgovernmentandcorporationsconcernspower—andtheabuseofit.GovernmentandcorporationsarewidelydistrustedintheUnitedStates.ThescandalprovokedcongressionalinvestigationsoftheFBIandtheCIAthatturnedupliterallythousandsofillegalactsintheexecutivebranchofgovernment.TheAbuseofPowerbyCorporationAsforcorporations,theyarewidelybelievedtobemoreconcernedwiththeirownprofitsthanwithsocialresponsibility,andthequalityorpriceoftheirproducts,orth