Will we ever rid ourselves of Racism, overt or insidious?

Question

Does a person who acts on the basis of race recognize that their actions are predicated on the race of the recipient.

Will a racist ever accept they are racist?

Do you act differently under the anonymity of Yahoo emails and espouse views you wouldn't do in your normal daily lives?

I ask this because of a very intelligent and heartfelt correspondence today.

Answer 1

Humanist,

This is an interesting question and certainly a much discussed and exposed topic on YA. I'm inclined to believe we will rid ourselves of racism for all practical purposes. I do not believe this for idealistic reasons but from observation. The caveat is that it is not an isolated problem, but is connected to other issues as overpopulation, religious exploitation, unbridled corporate greed and ignorance.

Will there be prejudice? Certainly, a rational being cannot think without grouping past experiences into generalizations. Otherwise we would need to relearn everything each tme we encountered it. For instance if you are burned by a pan on the stove, you will react to future pans on stoves with that experience in your mind. Be it a person's color, social status, clothing, hair color, etc., you will group this person with your memories from your past experiences. However, once you receive new data about this person, they will become an individual in your mind.

A prejudice can stem from a positive or negative memory or learned behavior. It is the same for behaviors if you a rewarded or punished for them. Prejudice, however, is not racism. Prejudices shift with time and experiences. Racism, however, tends to be symptomatic of an inflexible mind. Education typically with enlighten a person to think beyond such a level.

As I'm sure with most, I've been on the receiving end of racism. When I was younger this was quite shocking to me. Now, I consider racism to be a small agitated part of larger problems. Race is exploited for people's agendas. Often it is a pot stirred up to distract people from larger issues like poverty. A person in poverty of one race is no better off than one in poverty in another. As you may recall Martin Luther King ask his white jailers to join his cause when he learned of their poverty. Far more insidious are religious, greed and political exploitation, and with them racism is sometimes attached to further an agenda.

To me, another far more important issue is overpopulation. And here again, racism can be born from the problem. Though people rationalize human overpopulation as benign, I do not think it is. Racism can be used to exploit or harm another group. Take the atrocities that are being committed in the world today where race and religion are masking problems of resource scarcity and greed. Overpopulation benefits many in power, be it business or religious groups. Race differences are simply a distraction to avoid focusing on the real issues. It keeps the masses busy focusing on such trivia so the powerful can keep their real agenda out of the spotlight.

In most cases when people are educated, the race of another person is of little consequence. I've worked with people of all races. Cultural sensitivity is a far more important issue. Of what matter is race, really?

Of course, one projects upon the world their own thoughts, but to me race is a negligible matter. I can only assume that it is with others too. Or it will be when they are fortunate enough to have the benefits of education that have been bestowed upon me.

Then again, ignorance is like asphalt, it can cover ground and prevent growth. And isn't racism really just a symptom of ignorance?

Urgel

Answer 2

Ever rid ourselves of racism...
- Racism in terms of prejudices, no. I clarified that because I do think eventually basing prejudices on race will fade away. I answer the question as no because of human nature tending to always want to judge others as less... to have a need to feel 'better' than some other group.
IE, I spent a summer once at the Univ. Of Oregon in Eugene, Or. I'm from the south so having ppl of many different colors is the norm for me. I couldn't help but notice that Eugene lacked ppl of color... all aspects when I say that. What I did notice was ppl, in the internal need to dislike some group, will seek a group out to prejudice. In this case, it was a group nicknamed 'Dead Heads.' These were white teens that wore dreadlocks in their hair, dressed purposely like bums and rebelled from society.
IE2, when I moved to an island in NC, I, once again, noticed the lack of ppl of color. I was so excited to see a black woman as the manager of a local store that I just had to talk to her. I got her to the side and quietly ask, 'where are the black ppl.....' We had a great conversation and are still friends to this day. Once again, I noticed around here under that situation, ppl will seek out something to dislike... being more economic based here.

Racist ever accept being as such:
- Let's hope so. Because from my own family experience, once a person recognizes it, they begin to change... to heal it. The problem is that many ppl don't recognize it.
IE, the N-word within the white community here in the south used to be openly used and accepted. Today, even when I do hear it, it is whispered, etc... and many times a white person will stop the person using it and say, "Hey NOW.... " My pt is that those that have adjusted their tone, etc... feel they have done enough by being politically correct but fail to recognize themselves as racist... amazing. You will hear this group say things like, "I don't believe in discriminating against anybody. I believe everybody should have the same opportunities... BUT black ppl....." There is ALWAYS a BUT at the end of that sentence.

Differently under anonymity....
- Yes to a certain degree. I am more vocal in my anti-racist views when in writing simply for the reason that in person, I don't feel I have the right to go-off and preach at a racist person. Afterall, they do have the right to be a racist. This is a question/answer forum where we are being ask our opinions... not forcing them.

Answer 3

Is it possible that a racist can ever accept that he or she is a racist? Yes. Is it likely anytime soon? Hopefully.

You should try to think about the way you worded the question, "Will a racist ever accept they are racist?" It sounds like you are saying it is an outward problem with "those people." It is in human nature to be prejudiced, regardless of race. You have to start with that and understand that "you" as a human being have certain prejudices toward people daily, maybe just to less of an extent than some who don't bother even asking the question at all. I have to admit even I have prejudices and I was raised in a mixed family.

It starts with the older people who had these bundled ways of thinking passed on to them, then onto our Grandparents, our parents and now us. It is up to us to pass on to our kids that, "don't tell Grandpa, but he's wrong for thinking this way and here's why" sort of teaching.

Incidently, who do you think is more racist against black people when the chance presents itself? Same for white people? People, knowing how "other people" think, do not want to be grouped in with the others "like them" they see f***ing up... (with whom they know they are likely to be grouped.) No one wants to be treated the same as a screw up, for doing nothing wrong especially.

As for predicating actions according to whom a person speaks, again this is human nature, regardless of race. If someone is seen as rich or strong or a football fan, whatever, if he or she is trying to be accepted by this certain person he or she will act a certain way to earn respect. Some people may have an alterior motive to appear to appreciate a certain person while they are speaking to him or her simply for the hopeful "improvement" in social standing, to feel better about himself or herself, etc., but yet again this is human nature.

So, when the majority of people toss aside their alterior motives, including self promotion, and I'm even talking about Rev. Al (Mr. Rolex collection,) maybe then most people will express themselves altruistically the way they know they should. When we people stop acting, stop yelling racism at every turn and just be the best we all can be without worrying about who's better, because there is no such thing, everyone will be a thousand times farther ahead.

Answer 4

I think that racism is a learned attitude, so yes. So it is passed from one generation to the next. Although I admire my grandparents' generation, and love my grandparents, they would say some things that I won't repeat. My parents' generation were much more open-minded, but they said subtle statements that can and did influence my perceptions. As I encountered more diverse situations, I knew these perceptions were baseless, of course, as I as indistinctly knew. But in all honesty, there is still some residual racism. Not overt, but subtle.

My son was talking about his "brown" friend one day, and I realized something. Although not politically correct, his statement was totally without malice. And I genuinely believe that he sees all other children as a potential friend, based not on ethnicity, but character. His criteria for a friend is based on kindness, defiantly not ethnicity.

BTW, I agree with Alex B.

Answer 5

I am very niave when it comes to racism--I have a hard time excepting that it is still around. But, sadly, it lives on.

I believe we have a whole generation to "get rid of" before the idea of racism ending is even possible. The people that owned "white only" stores or went to segregated schools, etc are still alive--and most likely teaching their children the same things they believe for 40 years.

And I am interesting in seeing the responses you get to the question regarding racists admitting their feelings, because I have to question if you are intimated to admit it--do you know you're wrong or do you feel like a minority in your opinion?

Not sure if I added any insight to your questions...but I think it's a great discussion to open up.

Answer 6

Unfortunately, racism is a fact of life. Many people do not admit to being racist, but it is part of our culture. Sometimes, I find myself struggling with this issue. Although, I am not a racist person by definition, we are confronted by its insidious nature on a daily basis.

Answer 7

I think the only way to eliminate racism is to truly take down all barriers that have been established in the government (which somewhat sets the example for our society) that are based upon race. Such caucuses that exist in both parties (like the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, etc...) only allow members that are a certain race, Affirmative Action (which favors people simply because of skin color), hate crime legislation (which rules based upon skin coloring [as if not all violent crimes aren't hate crimes]), quotas, and other such racial based government institutions. Eliminating these race based practices would be step towards ending racism

Answer 8

I am a white male, and 31 years old. I live in Pennsylvania. I judge people by attitude, not race. Back in high school (1994), there were more white people I didn't care for than blacks. Then these rap artists need to stop using the "n" word in their lyrics. There are a lot of white people I like and there are many blacks who I like. I have a Hindu Doctor. So it all depends who you are. Am I prejudiced? No.

Answer 9

My answer to your first question, as much as I hate to admit it, is a flat out resounding no. Racism in its latent and expressed form will never be vanquished from human culture. There is something about our social framework, since the inception of civilization, that has made us inclined to racism. Secondly, I believe there is a biological component that predisposes us to racism. Just observe the opportunities that are given or taken away (most obvious in mating activities) from a particular animal by other animals, based on physical characteristics, and you will see discriminatory practices based on appearance are engrained into who we are as living organisms.

Given how deeply racism is entrenched into our biology and into our social structures, I think the odds of racism being obliterated from our society is next to nil. That certainly doesn’t mean we can’t mitigate its effects and stave off its spread by education, but the aspiration of completely removing it from human interaction is nothing more than a pipe dream.

To your next two questions, concerning whether a racist truly understands that his sentiments are not founded on rational grounds but on the race of the person who he resents, and whether a racist truly accepts that he is a racist, I think the answer to both questions is that it depends on racist. Many racists don’t acknowledge the grounds for their racism or even acknowledge that they are racist. Some other racists, who are more reflective, understand why they espouse the worldview that they do, and they will admit to their racism, but they also understand that racism is such a powerfully emotive reaction, that even rational thought and admitting one has a problem, won’t necessarily cure this ill.

Generally the views that I express on Yahoo Answers are things that I subscribe to in my personal life, but many times, because of the anonymity Yahoo Answers affords the users, I can be more forthcoming with my views and not fear the reprisal I might experience in real life. I believe that is one of the most important things about Internet forums like Yahoo Answers. They provide venues for the expression of ideas unencumbered by fear.

Now there are many times that I will respond back in a juvenile fashion to other Yahoo Answers participants, when I see them behaving in an uncouth and racist manner. So I might say things that patently look racist, but the reality is it is more done out of retaliation to another participant, for who I know rational discourse has no meaning.

Racism is ultimately a human problem that is interwoven deeply into the fiber of our beings. Education and discourse can reduce its effects, but like all things that are intrinsic to who we are, no effort on our part, no matter how genuine, can completely eliminate it.

Answer 10

Not as long as it keeps being brought up daily and used as a "card" in the game of politics." Will a racist ever accept they are racist? " Probably not. The game is getting old and the ones still playing the race card are the one's that are the real racist.