A Friendly Tone with Harmful Impact

The official’s friendly expression and open hand gesture contrast sharply with the grim, disappointed look on the man facing him. This tension highlights the core message: discrimination doesn’t always come from hostility. Sometimes it comes with a smile, paperwork, and polite professionalism.

The use of an “English Literacy Test” — historically tied to exclusion, voter suppression, and immigration barriers — reinforces the idea that not all discriminatory practices announce themselves as such. Some are packaged as “requirements,” “standards,” or “eligibility checks.”

Overt vs. Covert Discrimination: The Image’s Central Question

The illustration forces the viewer to consider two categories of unfair treatment:

Overt Discrimination

Clear, intentional, easy to recognize. A person is mistreated because of their race, ethnicity, background, or language abilities.

Covert Discrimination

Hidden in policies, procedures, testing mechanisms, or criteria that seem objective but disproportionately harm a specific group.

The English literacy test in the scene symbolizes the latter — a gatekeeping tool that appears neutral but can be applied selectively or unfairly.

The Power of Institutional Barriers

The man receiving the “FAIL” paper isn’t confronted by slurs or aggression. Instead, he faces an institutional structure designed to justify exclusion while shielding itself from accusations of bias.

This image critiques:

  • Workplace hiring practices

  • Immigration procedures

  • Voting laws

  • Academic or certification barriers

  • Public services that require “standards” not truly essential to the role

By framing the test results as a means of exclusion rather than evaluation, the illustration argues that discrimination evolves to become more sophisticated, more administrative, and harder to fight.

A Message for Today’s Political Climate

The caption — “Either way, you’re being discriminated against” — leaves no ambiguity. Whether discrimination is dressed up as policy or delivered with overt hostility, the harm remains the same. The image suggests that modern systems may replace the harshness of the past with rules and regulations that achieve the same exclusionary outcome.

In a world where discrimination is often debated, denied, or disguised, this artwork urges viewers to look beyond the tone and examine the impact.

Conclusion: Discrimination Doesn’t Need to Look Like Discrimination

The stark black-and-white illustration captures a profound truth:
Not all injustice shouts. Some of it whispers through tests, paperwork, and polite conversations.

Whether overt or covert, discrimination is discrimination — and recognizing its modern forms is the first step toward dismantling them.