“History, despite its heartbreaking pains, cannot be lived, but if faced with courage, it need not be lived again” – Maya Angelou. Because of the countless stories of inequity throughout history, the despair that results from these actions outweighs the hope for a better future. This is evident even in deplorable cases such as racist hate crimes, sexism, and mass shootings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayIn American history, hate crimes have always been a very apparent problem. One of the largest and most famous hate groups was called the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan was a hate organization created by white Protestants in the 1860s targeting African Americans in the United States. For example, the Ku Klux Klan mercilessly raped, beat, and murdered African Americans out of pure hatred for the opposite race (Mankiller). These acts of violence cast a dark shadow over the history of the United States. For American citizens to represent the United States by targeting those of a different skin color is despicable. On March 3, 1991, Rodney King, 36, was beaten by several police officers, while others just looked on and said nothing. After this terrible event, Rodney King became an important part of the civil rights movement and brought awareness to the fact that African Americans are targeted by others because of their ethnicity. The September 11 attacks were arguably the greatest hate crimes ever committed in United States history. On September 11, 2001, two hijacked planes crashed into New York's Twin Towers, killing thousands. This tragic event has darkened the history of the United States with death and hatred. All these acts of hatred and violence confirm the fact that the events of history are too tragic to inspire others with hope for the future. Sexism is universally defined as “prejudice or discrimination based on sex or gender, especially against women” (Masequesmay). In 2019, women are still paid less than men for doing the same type of work. According to the AAUW, women still only receive about 80% of the pay a man would receive for doing the same job (Vaginas). This discrimination against women is a shame for the United States and its policies. There is absolutely no factual reason why a woman should be paid less than a man if she does the same job, for the same amount of time. This lack of respect for women is intolerable and should not be continued. Another example of sexism is the fact that women did not have the right to vote until 1920. The fact that the United States had been a country for over 100 years and women did not even have the opportunity to have a say in how their country was run is despicable. Sport is a platform in which sexism is very apparent. Women are judged differently than men for playing competitively in their events. For example, during the 2018 US Open, tennis player Serena Williams was penalized for displaying rage during her match after receiving a questionable code for receiving coaching and breaking her racket during the match. When Williams became angry at the call and demanded an explanation from the referee, she was penalized for showing rage. This is one of the greatest examples of sports sexism to date. The fact that women are so disadvantaged in situations such as sports and professions is.