Is being a racist very common even in the US?

 Racism remains a significant issue in the United States, though its prevalence and perception vary across demographics, regions, and contexts. Below is a synthesis of key insights from recent data and reports:

 **1. Perceptions of Discrimination**

- **Majority Acknowledge Discrimination**: A 2025 Pew Research survey found that 74% of Americans believe Black people face at least "some" discrimination, with 48% saying transgender people face "a lot" of discrimination . Similar percentages were reported for Hispanic (72%) and Asian (66%) communities .

- **Partisan Divides**: 

Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to perceive discrimination against minorities (e.g., 94% of Democrats vs. 54% of Republicans say Black people face discrimination) . Conversely, Republicans are more likely to say White people (55%) or evangelical Christians (57%) face bias .

- **Declining Perceptions**: 

Since 2021, fewer Americans believe racial minorities face "substantial" discrimination. For example, only 40% now say Black people experience "quite a bit" or "a great deal" of bias, down from 60% in 2021 .

**2. Structural and Systemic Racism**

- **Historical Legacies**:

 The U.S. has a long history of racism, from slavery and Jim Crow to redlining and discriminatory policing . These systems have perpetuated disparities in wealth, education, and criminal justice .

- **Current Inequities**: 

  - **Criminal Justice**: 

Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of White Americans and are seven times more likely to be falsely convicted .

  - **Housing and Wealth**

: Redlining and discriminatory lending practices have contributed to a persistent racial wealth gap .

  - **Health Disparities**:

 Black women face maternal mortality rates 2.6 times higher than White women .

 **3. Hate Crimes and Explicit Racism**

- **Hate Crimes**: 

Anti-Black hate crimes remain the most common racially motivated offenses, with 908 incidents reported in 2018 . Recent years have also seen spikes in anti-Asian and anti-Jewish hate crimes .

- **Political Polarization**: 

Under the Trump administration, rhetoric against diversity initiatives (e.g., DEI) and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants have heightened tensions .

**4. Regional and Demographic Variations**

- **Self-Reporting vs. Lived Experience**: While only 28% of White Americans say Black people face "a lot" of discrimination, 70% of Black Americans hold this view . Similarly, 74% of Black respondents in a 2025 poll said their community faces substantial bias, compared to 39% of White respondents .

- **Geographic Differences**:

 Rural areas report higher perceptions of discrimination against White people, while urban areas highlight bias against minorities .

 **5. Is Racism "Common"?**

- **Yes, but Complex**:

 While overt racism (e.g., hate crimes) is less common than in the past, systemic and implicit biases persist widely. For example:

  - **Workplace Discrimination**:

 4 in 10 Black adults say DEI efforts have inadvertently increased skepticism about their qualifications .

  - **Everyday Bias**:

 Microaggressions. and racial profiling (e.g., police stops) disproportionately affect minorities .

**Conclusion**

Racism in the U.S. is not universally experienced or acknowledged, but it remains deeply embedded in institutions and attitudes. While fewer Americans now perceive "a lot" of discrimination compared to 2020–2021, structural inequities and partisan divides suggest racism is both a lived reality for many and a contested issue in national discourse . 

For further data, see [Pew Research](https://www.pewresearch.org) or [HRW’s 2025 World Report](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025) .