The term "Racism" has become the most offensive and politically incorrect word of the century, especially when used by a minority.

 

 

The term "Racism" has become the most offensive and politically incorrect word of the century, especially when used by a minority.  Because we have made "great strides" in the gap on equality according to many people and agencies, I am to accept that racism, discrimination, and prejudice no longer exist.

Well, if you ain't walked in my shoes or the lack of shoes of my ancestors how can you possibly "know" that prejudice no longer exists...Oh! Wait, I might know the answer to that question.  Gee golly gosh, the media has shown us all of the well paid minority talk hosts, athletes, actors, entertainers and let's not forget politicians.  These people have been appointed as the representatives of all minorities as a whole.
Like it or not even well educated, hard-working minorities that are able to achieve a decent quality of life are still subjected to discriminatory attitudes and behaviors, this is a fact and even for those people that don't like to talk about it they do talk about it even if its only in quiet little groups.

The fact of the matter is that if you talk to the majority of white Americans long enough about injustice and the lack of equality sooner or later you will be met with the following statements:  " Get over it!", "Not that, again!", Why do black people always scream racism anytime something happens?", "Times have changed", "Some of my best friends are black.", "I'm tired of hearing about that."  these are just a few of the statements that I have heard over the years, there are many more, said in many different ways.

How many of these same white individuals have walked into a predominately white store and were followed or stared at as if they were potential shoplifters, terrorists or were the carriers of some deadly contagious disease. Have you ever driven into a predominately white town, been pulled over by law enforcement, not been cited or told that you committed a violation and then been escorted back to the highway.  When was the last time you waited outside of a bank to cash your check (from a "real" job, not welfare) waiting for the bank to open it's doors, been rudely shoved by an elderly white man as he said "I don't know who "those" people think they are, them "N-----s" are taking over".  These scenerio's may seem extreme and sporadic but they are not, they happen everyday either to myself or to someone else in varying degrees of severity.

I am of mixed heritage but I have no choice as to how I'm categorized on government forms, census reports, or applications.  Isn't this a form of discrimination?  My mother was a Caucasion women from Europe, My father was of Ethiopian and Native American descent.  If we want to eradicate discrimination we must first do away with stereotypes, labels, and categories which identify people as a nationality or race. It is easy to say we are of the human race yet when all is said and done most of the time a person's race is the first thing that is seen or asked about. Why is it prudent to know what a person's nationality is? 

Even though racism, discrimination or whatever term you choose to use is an uncomforable topic of conversation, it still is what it is...ugly.  I do believe that any intelligent human being knows that this is not just a "black" issue, it crosses religious, status, cultures, the sexes and even exists with in
individual racial groups.  One way to combat this problem is to keep the lines of communication open between all concerned and to be part of the solution and not the problem.
This doesn't mean endorsing the "elephant under the table" attitude by ignoring or pretending that discrimination doesn't exist. It does exist and like it or not we all have discriminatory tendancies and opinions concerning someone or something.