The Abolition of Racism

The Abolition of Racism

Although America has come a long way since slavery (often labeled as the United State’s “largest regrettable mistake”), racism and discrimination are still present in our society. Even today, in February of 2014, race is a carefully approached topic capable of evoking particularly charged emotions and disputes. The words “racist” and “racism” are thrown at any intellectual who simply tries to point out their own observations or thoughts about another group’s culture or traditions. Perhaps these mudslingers have not considered that they themselves are part of a much larger problem: the perpetuation of racism. By defaulting on negatively charged words such as “racist,” these name-callers only further stimulate the idea that one’s “otherness” or foreignness make him somehow unequal to his fellow man as they place themselves in a separate, adverse camp.

Instead, they should catch their tongues and think about why that intellectual may feel that way, what could have shaped his perception, and from there find a way to refute his claim. They may even come to realize that the claim does not have any roots in race at all, but rather was simply an observation that was written down by someone who experienced a real life situation. Acknowledgement and affirmation are monumentally important to the art of argument. Otherwise, one would just be written off as stubborn. Like a mule. No one wants to be a mule.

Innocence. When we’re children and have not yet been exposed to the terrible idea of discrimination based on the color of one’s skin, we don’t see white kids and black kids and red kids and blue kids. We only see kids. We see people. That is, we see people until we are introduced to the idea that certain people are different from others. Yes, obviously one can see that they look different, but one does not feel differently about them until he is told he should. The notions of race that many of us see as universal are, in fact, socially constructed. As such, if society wasn’t so centered on being politically correct, it is possible that people could speak more openly about racial differences in a non-derogatory way without having to walk on eggshells as they approach the dreadfully awkward topic of race (which, unfortunately, usually leads to a discussion of racism). The media also plays a large role in perpetuating racial stereotypes. Perhaps popular news outlets and other informational sources are what have been making everyone so touchy. While there is no doubt in my mind that these sources have helped to preserve a certain level of sensitivity in our society, we cannot place the blame solely on news outlets and the Internet. The blame is on us.

I believe that racism is a term that sits on fear’s shoulders. Everyone is worried about offending everyone else all the time. Well, stop that. Just stop it. It’s February of 2014 and you’re telling me that I can’t speak my mind? Racism has been more or less dead for a long time, and each time that word is used in its accusatory sense only serves to beat a dead horse or to form an attack against someone who was only trying to speak his or her mind.

In her essay “No Man’s Land,” Eula Biss demonstrates that many of us are scared. Scared to walk through an ally late at night. Scared to swim in the infinite, violent waters of the ocean. Scared to… say what we feel. Biss also alludes to Barry Glassner’s Culture of Fear and points out that, like race, fears are also socially constructed. Every society chooses what to fear. Some societies fear things that others do not. Because people are scared of offending others or being distasteful, they hold inside possibly important information about the ways that these notions of race are perpetuated and maintained in today’s society. We need to reshape our notions of race. We need to reshape what we fear.

Look, I know that we’re human and that we react in certain ways to certain things via these things called emotions, but enough is enough. While I realize some of what I am writing may be insensitive, it is important. I in no way, shape, or form support any type of racism or discrimination towards other groups or ethnicities; however, I do believe that, because of the sensitivity and general awkwardness associated with the topic, it is difficult to find progress in a room of timid individuals who won’t look the issue in the face when talking to it. In a perfect world, everyone would adopt a newfound confidence about issues like race and realize that no, everyone is not out to get you, and no, you do not have to shy away from sensitive but important topics (because if you did then you wouldn’t be making would be hindering the development of society and mankind, so please don’t do that). With a newfound confidence, the issue of racism may finally be driven into the ground and the word “racist” would only be used in a way that looks back on a “close-minded” past. Open and honest discussion about racial connotations and stereotypes is pivotal to societal progression. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world, and both racism and hypersensitivity will probably still continue to exist. In the meantime, maybe we could focus on one of the millions of other problems that exist in our world today. Maybe we could start with fixing the hotels in Sochi?