Does Colonialism Have Anything to Do with Racism and Other Discrimination?
With a curiosity to find the reason behind the Racism and/or the other discrimination, I did some digging into the History and the Internet. Here’s what I found and learned.
After I came across the current globally trending topic about racism and the incident of George Floyd, I wondered why some people are racist. What do they really get from such discrimination?
Being curious and carrying such questions in mind, I checked some answers on the internet by reading some articles to see what do the experts and different writers have posted. In one article, I read this definition of discrimination: “prejudicial treatment of different categories of people”. The word prejudice (prejudicial) means a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
What I learned is that the meanings of these two words are implying that there is a high possibility that history might have something to do with Racism and/or Discrimination. I started connecting this with Revolutionary Acts and other Historical moments that have changed and shaped the world. The most convincing act I can think about is Colonialism. Two articles about Colonialism clearly state that Colonialism proved to be an act with some positive outcomes — for the colonizers. The greatest outcomes were modernization and development of rural and underdeveloped areas/countries. But, all this came with a great cost, problems, and harms of colonialism. One article stated: “Colonial powers justified their conquests by asserting that they had a legal and religious obligation to take over the land and culture of indigenous peoples. Conquering nations cast their role as civilizing “barbaric” or “savage” nations, and argued that they were acting in the best interests of those whose lands and peoples they exploited” and also “Coercion and forced assimilation often accompanied those gains, and scholars still debate colonialism’s many legacies. Colonialism’s impacts include environmental degradation, the spread of disease, economic instability, ethnic rivalries, and human rights violations”.
One thing I believe is that Colonialism has created Ethnic (meaning of Ethnic — relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition) rivalries. I also believe that this was a trigger or root cause from where the hatred started between different nations and races that migrated to different countries. For example, African-Americans (Racism between White and Black people), Hindu-Muslim (different issues created because of Political/Personal/Religious reasons/acts/beliefs), etc. People are using discrimination and/or racism as a weapon or way against an individual or group with a shitty reason started from ancestors.
Talking about African-Americans and other Africans from western countries, their ancestors were taken to Native America (later northern parts of the America) and other European countries for slavery. Slavery was outlawed in the mid to late 19th Century — although many were not still completely free. This makes over 2 centuries of slavery. Even after they were liberated, they are still facing racism and various problems in America and other Western countries.
Fact : Barack Hussein Obama II was the first African-American president of the United States.
Links of two articles to know more about History of Colonialism:
The whole world witnessed how many people are united against Racism and Discrimination after the incident that happened in the USA (George Floyd Case). People from different countries are supporting and demanding justice, raising voice against not only racism but also all types of Discrimination. One is clear that the majority of a global population is not infected with this sickness. Many people do discriminate without any reason just for fun and some people have personal reasons. Targeting someone just for fun or because of personal reasons using discrimination or making racist comments, you are not only bullying an individual but also disrespecting whole race, religion, community, or specific term representing a large group of people. In my view, it is a shameful and coward act to make any racist or discriminating comment. There can never be any valid reason to start such discrimination. One must ask these people, What is the value of the knowledge from the education that you have gained not only from schools and colleges but also from real life. We all have a friend(s) and/or relative(s) who might have different skin color, religion, nationality, etc. and we still like them or in some cases, you love him/her, the reason is you know that person, and this is what we need to know and understand. We must not judge anyone by their looks, religion, race, skin color, or any other discriminating way.
Discrimination is illegal by law but still, it is not completely in anyone’s power to stop it. It is we who can do it. You, me, our friends, our family, our society — everyone, all we need is a little understanding and genuine respect by knowledge as well as from the heart. On BBC Idea there is one video that I watched and this beautiful thing that Historian and Writer Onyeka Nubia said in that video
“You can punish people for their ideas and beliefs but you might not change their views and idea. Only way is through education.”
Do watch this video,
With the knowledge I currently hold, this is what I believe. I also believe that this modern world has power, intelligence, and all the reason to understand and accept that we are not supposed to face such behavior and issues in these modern societies. We all must unite and accept everyone as one — Human Being as that is what we are. There is only good or bad, NOT black or White.
“We all bleed red and have transparent tears, We all are same - Humans.”
If you have any suggestion or point- do comment and share it with me and other readers. Thank You.
|Gmail- baderaharsh@gmail.com ||Instagram username- baderaharsh|
