Racism

Racism seems to be most commonly construed as "white people" disliking or discriminating against "black people", but that is not always the case. There are all kinds of racism that people do not always see as being racist. There are things that have been around for years, and prestigious institutions that even get praise for their racial discrimination, even if that is not how it is publicly viewed. Racism and prejudice are all around us every day and all over the media; we need only to open our eyes to see it.

When you hear the word "racism" you probably think about that crazy person Michael Richards from "Seinfeld" who, rather emphatically, expressed his anger in a socially and publicly unacceptable way. He said the "N" word. It seems, to the untrained mind, that derogatory racial slurs, such as that aforementioned word, are unacceptable in today's society. However, what if someone else had said that word? Would it be so appalling if "Snoop-Dog" had called someone the "N" word? Would it be considered just as inappropriate, or would it be accepted as if it were no big deal? Consider the U.N.C.F., the United Negro College Fund. It is a college fund reserved only for those of the African American race. If any "white people" started a fund just for their own race, would it be so welcomed? Would a college fund for "white people" be accepted and praised for its efforts? I do not think so. I think that such a thing might be considered racism and prejudiced. The fund would be ousted immediately, and its intentions would be frowned upon. Lawsuits would fly left and right against such an institution. Nevertheless, none fly against the U.N.C.F. They appear not to be racist, but isn't the exclusion of people of different races from a public institution as prejudiced as the exclusion of "black people"? Wouldn't both cases be considered to be segregation?

When someone thinks about racism, they think about black and white. However, it is so much more than that. I knew a girl once, who was dating a Filipino boy. The boy's mother did not approve of the relationship because, to her, whites should marry whites and Filipinos should marry Filipinos. I recently heard a story of a white woman who had forbid her daughter from seeing a boy because he was Mexican. The woman called the boy's mother, and told her "Whites should marry whites, blacks should marry blacks, and Mexicans should marry Mexicans." This kind of prejudiced behavior is not unheard of even in Europe. I spoke to an Englishwoman some time ago, and she told me how the English dislike the Irishmen. She told me that "all of the Irish are lazy people and drunkards who all go to England for work". The situation reminds me of the way many Americans feel about Mexicans.

Some people out there act as if the whole thing is a race; an actual race, the "Whoever gets there first wins" kind of race. It is as if those people are trying to further their own races by putting down other races, and fighting for "rights" and such on television. A certain "civil rights" leader comes to mind. The term "civil rights" implies that rights are sought after for all people, regardless of race. Take Reverend Al Sharpton, for an example. Is he really a civil rights leader? He seems to me to be only the "President of the Black People's Club". He does not care when Mexicans get unfair treatment in the workplace. You will not hear a peep from him when Muslims are discriminated against as a result of 9/11. You never hear him complain when people are denied applications from the U.N.C.F. because of their color. Are those concerns fit for a civil rights leader's consideration and time? The answer is: "Yes".

All of these types of racism and discrimination are brushed aside and ignored every day. These, as well as other, more subtle types of racism are disregarded daily, only because they are not as widely recognized as "white against black" racism is. Who is to blame for these ignored injustices? I do not know. Maybe justice really is blind, blind to that fact that people are being discriminated against every day. Regardless of color, race, or country of origin, people should not be treated like that. Every soul has worth and it is a sad thing when people never recognize it in them, or in others. Civil rights should not be our only concern. We also need to worry about social rights, and how we all need to be treated with respect, like human beings, not like animals.

The Eclectic Pen - Racism: An Essay

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