As a kid, I thought we had reached a level of maturity that it was *understood* that it was no longer remarkable that the person next to you was a different color of skin. I thought it was also understood that being a bigot of any sorts was bad. It was more about ethnicity and culture. Colleagues of mine from Afriā¦
As a kid, I thought we had reached a level of maturity that it was *understood* that it was no longer remarkable that the person next to you was a different color of skin. I thought it was also understood that being a bigot of any sorts was bad. It was more about ethnicity and culture. Colleagues of mine from Africa told me about how they viewed America and our racial divides. They talked about how they viewed both white and black people here as compared to where they came from in Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa). At first, I was surprised to find that we had not reached that level of maturity and that we still had rampant bigots.
I should not have been surprised. I was naive. I was wrong.
Two major events:
1) We elected Obama, and throughout the election and after I saw how people just could not get over, he is a black man. The birther nonsense was ridiculous. Some of the same people wanted Arnold Schwarzenegger (I'm a fan of his movies, btw) as President. Big secret, Arnold was not born in the US.
2) We elected Trump. A lot of people felt it was okay now to be more bigoted and be very open about it.
Over time, I saw how people from all cultures are bigoted towards each other. Over skin, religion, nationality, economic status, gender, sexual preference...
People also hate each other over historical events that happened multiple generations ago.
I learned that racism is not as much a white condition or disease and not just an American white condition or disease, but it is a human condition/disease. Hate and fear, it seems, is the true democratic equal opportunity condition. It crosses all lines, skin color, origin, nationality, religion, gender, etc. It exists all over the world today.
If someone is not the traditional racist, then why be surprised?
Before you can solve a problem, you need to ask the right question. How do you know what answer to give if you have not phrased your question accordingly?
Once we realize that racism is a human condition and not just a "put your skin color" - condition. then we should ask ourselves:
1. How do you mature out of racism?
2. How do you go from a society that is extremely racist to one that is not?
Let us say that the society created extreme economic, education and social disadvantages on the targeted group.
1. How do you correct that?
2. Do you try to correct that?
3. If you correct it by tipping the scales the other way, at what point do you recognize that its not needed?
And then say we institute programs that help the oppressed group.
1. Should we, at some point, them back?
2. If we would roll them back, then when?
3. How do we decide when people are now on a level playing field to even consider rolling them back?
I do want to give brief mention to two other diseases: Power and Greed.
Someone wants power over someone else. Makes them feel safe and, in many cases, they can make some money off it too. Be famous. Be rich (greed).
We are seeing some examples of this now as people are taking the funds donated to them to get rich (I'm seeing it on both sides).
These diseases are enabled by racism. I think to solve the power problem we have to answer those questions I posed.
Is a Black History Month still necessary? Yes. We still have a severe racism problem in this country. I think both people should be educated about the achievements of black people and how they were treated. You need to remember the wrongs to not repeat them. And you need to know the all the good things, to cherish and celebrate what people can achieve as fellow human beings.
Answer those questions. Reach the point we do not need this discussion, and we can talk about what we do next. Maybe it should change to Culture and Ethnicity Celebration Month, and we still focus on the history of the wrongs and the celebration of the rights.
Racism: A Human Disease
As a kid, I thought we had reached a level of maturity that it was *understood* that it was no longer remarkable that the person next to you was a different color of skin. I thought it was also understood that being a bigot of any sorts was bad. It was more about ethnicity and culture. Colleagues of mine from Africa told me about how they viewed America and our racial divides. They talked about how they viewed both white and black people here as compared to where they came from in Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa). At first, I was surprised to find that we had not reached that level of maturity and that we still had rampant bigots.
I should not have been surprised. I was naive. I was wrong.
Two major events:
1) We elected Obama, and throughout the election and after I saw how people just could not get over, he is a black man. The birther nonsense was ridiculous. Some of the same people wanted Arnold Schwarzenegger (I'm a fan of his movies, btw) as President. Big secret, Arnold was not born in the US.
2) We elected Trump. A lot of people felt it was okay now to be more bigoted and be very open about it.
Over time, I saw how people from all cultures are bigoted towards each other. Over skin, religion, nationality, economic status, gender, sexual preference...
People also hate each other over historical events that happened multiple generations ago.
I learned that racism is not as much a white condition or disease and not just an American white condition or disease, but it is a human condition/disease. Hate and fear, it seems, is the true democratic equal opportunity condition. It crosses all lines, skin color, origin, nationality, religion, gender, etc. It exists all over the world today.
If someone is not the traditional racist, then why be surprised?
Before you can solve a problem, you need to ask the right question. How do you know what answer to give if you have not phrased your question accordingly?
Once we realize that racism is a human condition and not just a "put your skin color" - condition. then we should ask ourselves:
1. How do you mature out of racism?
2. How do you go from a society that is extremely racist to one that is not?
Let us say that the society created extreme economic, education and social disadvantages on the targeted group.
1. How do you correct that?
2. Do you try to correct that?
3. If you correct it by tipping the scales the other way, at what point do you recognize that its not needed?
And then say we institute programs that help the oppressed group.
1. Should we, at some point, them back?
2. If we would roll them back, then when?
3. How do we decide when people are now on a level playing field to even consider rolling them back?
I do want to give brief mention to two other diseases: Power and Greed.
Someone wants power over someone else. Makes them feel safe and, in many cases, they can make some money off it too. Be famous. Be rich (greed).
We are seeing some examples of this now as people are taking the funds donated to them to get rich (I'm seeing it on both sides).
These diseases are enabled by racism. I think to solve the power problem we have to answer those questions I posed.
Is a Black History Month still necessary? Yes. We still have a severe racism problem in this country. I think both people should be educated about the achievements of black people and how they were treated. You need to remember the wrongs to not repeat them. And you need to know the all the good things, to cherish and celebrate what people can achieve as fellow human beings.
Answer those questions. Reach the point we do not need this discussion, and we can talk about what we do next. Maybe it should change to Culture and Ethnicity Celebration Month, and we still focus on the history of the wrongs and the celebration of the rights.