Are people taught to hate and be racist?

Question

My family raised me to love all races of people and I always try to teach this to my own kiddies. Do you think racism is taught? How can we break the cycle of racism? It hurts and does no good to anyone!!

Answer 1

I'm white and I grew up in a very small town with no black people. When I went into the cities with my family, I admit, I would gawk at black people because I didn't get very many chances to see them. My parents told me that there really is not much of a difference other than the pigment of the skin and I left it at that without ever putting much thought into the issue.

Then I moved away from home and into the city... The neighboorhood I chose was predominatly black, was hard to tell when I got the place because it was winter and not many people were outside. A few months into my lease I came to the realization about black people as a whole than I could ever imagine before. Day after day literally hundreds of people were outside in the parking lot yelling at each other, every conversation (if you can call it that) were one sided and unintelligable. Childern by the multiple dozens were destroying everything in sight with sticks and broken toys, smashing car windows, apartment windows and doors. Noone was stopping the kids, let alone supervising them.

I adapted quick to my surrounding mainly because I could easily drown out the noise with my own tunes indoors. Not being there most of the time helped alot too.

Now through my own experience I have somewhat of an understanding of why whites in the southern states seem more "racist" than most. The reason simply being: large numbers of one race will anger a smaller number of another.
I'm positive this formula works with every race. I'd be willing to bet that if a black family moved into the small town where I grew up which was predomitaly white over a few weeks to a month that black family would develope multiple prejudgices that they would have never thought of while they were living amongst their own race.

As far as your question about racism being taught, I don't think that has much to do with how people sterotype one another. One friendly gesture from either race to a small child would negate any absolute hate speech from thier own parent.

Answer 2

Racism is taught by any racist element around a person usually when they are at a young age. This can mean his/her parent(s) were racists and their views rubbed off on the child. The child's friend(s) could have been racist and that might have affected the child. Media also effects peoples views on race by expressing stereotypes, which the majority are not true. All of these have the ability to mold a person's attitude about another race. The only way to break racism would be to get people to stop being ignorant and relize that we are all different, BUT not because of race. People need to learn that if one person of a different race is a mean, nasty, and an uneducated person it doesn't make everyone in their race that way too. People have a problem with generalization and this leads to thinking that all people within a race are similiar.

Answer 3

There's a part which is taught, and a part which is part of us inherently. Some societies and people do teach hate and racism - I think of somebody like Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson and weep for all the hate they've sown. Others don't. We have been very careful not to say anything negative to our kids about other people who are different, no mean feat given that I came from a family of South New Jersey rednecks who regularly use well-known disparaging names for blacks, Italians, Jews, etc.

So the surroundings make a difference, but the root cause is sin in the hearts of every one of us. Sadly, there will never be an end to racism and hate (at least not until God ends this age). I think the best thing we can do is consciously try not to be racist ourselves, and accept that as much as we try, the world will never be perfect.

And accepting our own racism and hate inside is really the first step. Some people have so little self-awareness it's horrifying. I actually one time heard an African-American say "It's impossible for black people to be racist - racism is something that only afflicts whites." I could weep also for an extremely racist attitude like that.

Edit to Lori O's answer: It's obvious you have no kids yourself. Nobody who has kids and is the least bit aware of what's going on could say that kids are innocent, blank slates. They are self-centered little monsters, ready to rip something out of a playmate's hand if it at all conflicts with what they want. Don't get me wrong - I love kids. My kids are extremely precious to me. But the idea that they start perfect and only other people mess them up is so simple-minded it would be laughable if it wasn't so dangerous.

Answer 4

Take my hand in peace as I walk you through this!
On the Northern Continent racism is subliminal as much as taught indifference and non accept ace is the reason this is so prevalent. You could not be a racist you could only be Black and proud with much knowledge of who you your people your culture you spirituality your wisdom and your power has. Now I shall continue to show you why the White race is good for this non sense.
Oh sit down! I shall take you now on a path very short and powerful if you can follow.... Christianity is the faith which sets racism up and inferiority up in us and gives power to the race of white ones for Prophet Jesus (PBUH)! Is what begins this many are learned from the photo they claim to be he - white skinned blue eyes tall blond hair to be God ( this is a tragic error) also an untrue fact, here's the hit wow god is white why ain't i? so you then for the rest of your life see some superiority in all white or lighter skinned than you.
that is how it is done on the Northern continent!
you could tell your children any thing but imagine what society secretly show and tell them!
relax teach them acceptance I beg you to tell them about the land Christ walked on tell them about his description in the bible is closer to them in description and this shall break the spell of inferiority. tell them stories you have heard of your people and have them embrace true African culture.
Last but never least worry more about uprising your beautiful knowledge of your people for knowledge is key!

Answer 5

I was raised by a good family, that being said, my good family still practiced mild amounts of prejudice towards other races.

Since I was raised by a good family with a generally mild prejudice, I could only imagine how someone from a family full of hatred would act.

Maybe like some of the people in this section.

Answer 6

Children are taught to be racist. Children are born with a blank slate. If you look at children in any daycare they aren't clinging to their own race. They socialize and play with each other.

Answer 7

We can break out of this cycle if we just acknowledge that all races and cultures are different, and that we can draw strengths and eliminate weaknesses from each.

Answer 8

Why yes, yes it is, if you go and watch the history channel they sometimes show stuff about the KKK, and they were raising a baby in front of the burning cross saying "we protect are kind" and **** like that, it's really F***ed up if you ask me.......................they need to be shot out in space
with no oxygen.

Answer 9

I think racism is a sickness of society that will only end when all of us do our part to teach everyone that it is wrong.
4joy

Answer 10

Yes. Pardon my cynicism but there will always be racism... the masses are too ignorant to let it go.