Opinion Editorial Final Draft

Racism: An issue with a foreseeable end

Although the United States has always been known as the “melting pot” of the world — a place where many ideas and races are socially assimilated — there has been and still is a lot of racism here. The origins of where racism started are hard to determine, yet we can understand that it was long before the United States was established. We have come a long way concerning this in America. 2008 was a huge year on this front because Barack Obama, an African American, was elected President. That was the first time an African American had been elected to that position. This was a huge milestone for the United States when thinking about where we stood 200 years ago, but racism still exists. There have been laws passed to try and prevent racism, but these laws can only do so much. Racism, defined as racial prejudice or discrimination, is still a huge problem that we face as a country. Racism happens because people believe stereotypes, are quick to judge, have unfair expectations, and perpetuate discrimination. Racism is unkind, unprofessional, and unnecessary. If people were to give everyone a fair chance before formulating an opinion about people, I think the issues with racism would be eliminated.

There are so many stereotypes that people uphold. Asians are smart, blacks are dangerous, and Mexicans are illegal are just a few stereotypes that abound. However, nobody is the same. We are all individuals who make our own decisions. People don’t act a certain way just because of their race. The stereotypes that people have are obviously inaccurate, but for some reason are generally accepted as “OK.” If someone does something that is racist but not against the law, typically they get away with it. Even when it is immoral and inappropriate. Nobody can stop this inappropriate behavior from happening by themselves. We need to work together and stick up for what is right when situations arise and we are witnesses. A lot of the time racism is expressed through jokes and comments, most of which people find to be funny, because they play off the stereotypes that exist. I will admit that I have laughed at a few of them in my years. That doesn’t make it okay though. If the jokes I heard were about me, I most definitely would find them offensive. I’m sure that the people who these jokes are about feel the same way. These jokes can be hurtful. Sometimes people play off of the humor that is involved with these jokes and stereotypes, especially the people who these jokes are about. They just play along and brush it off, but that still doesn’t make it okay. The world is already bad enough as it is, we don’t need to be making it worse with racist jargon.

People base their opinion of a race on experiences they have either had themselves, or heard of from others, about certain individuals of that race. They have a predisposition to like or dislike someone just because of the way they look, based on the way one person of their race acted. Without ever meeting them or talking to them, they already have an opinion about who they are and what they do, which is completely unfair and wrong. These stereotypes are not reality. You may have heard that black people have sass, and some do. But most black people that I have met, don’t. Most of them are just normal people, like you and me. People can be identified by race, but even after knowing that, you still know almost nothing about somebody. People are much more complex and interesting than that. If we don’t take the time to get to know people we cannot come to appreciate who they really are. Judging people quickly based on stereotypes automatically shuts down the opportunity to see them as individual people.

When it comes to racism I think that it is important to remember to treat people with kindness and respect. Think of the golden rule “do unto others what you would have others do unto you.” If people would just live by this one principle so many of the world’s problems would be eliminated. Recently at the University of Missouri, where blacks are a minority, the president, Tim Wolfe, was basically forced to resign. The University has a student body consisting of mostly white people. Racism was making the black minority students feel unwelcome and discriminated against. On one occasion Wolfe didn’t do anything to put a stop to racist comments against the black students, which got some of these students agitated. One of the students went on strike saying he wouldn’t eat until Wolfe was removed from his position. The situation escalated pretty quickly with more and more students joining in the no-eating strike. Even the football team joined in and said they wouldn’t play another game until Wolfe’s resignation was announced. Because it was the middle of the football season it made an irrefutable statement. Soon Wolfe made the announcement that he was to resign. I’m not saying who is right or wrong in this situation, but everything could have been handled better to achieve a more reasonable outcome, if people thought of others as much as they think about themselves.

Racism will always be a problem until people of all color stop participating in it. Black people have this way of communicating using slang like the word “nigga” which is a very common thing for them to say to one another. But if a white person calls a black person “nigga”, the black person gets offended. White people aren’t allowed to see other races the way other races see themselves. As long as any race sees itself as more worthy of something than another race be that privileges equality or respect, discrimination will exist. I’ve heard black people say “I don’t have to do that because I’m black” in order to do or not do whatever they want. Likewise, there is basis for what we call reverse racism. Is “white privilege” really a privilege? When whites act racist towards blacks it’s bad, but on the other hand when blacks are racist towards whites somehow it is okay. There are things like Asian clubs at schools, or black appreciation month, which is totally fine, but if white people tried to do similar things for white people they are considered “racist.” In this country racism against whites is accepted because of the presumed “white privilege.” Racism in any form toward any group of people can only be stopped when people stop using it as a defense or an excuse.

I think racism will be an issue in the United States until people start thinking differently about other people. There are good people in all races. Equality is important, but so is personal heritage and identity. Your skin doesn’t define you, but it is something that is part of you. Be proud of it! Embrace your race and allow other people to do the same. Racism won’t be eliminated unless people let go of it. Stop holding onto “blind” racism, and give everyone a fair chance. It shouldn’t be that big of an obstacle to overcome if people truly want equality and fairness in all aspects of life.