RACISM

 

1 word, 6 letters responsible for the leading cause of deaths of people of color around the world. Deaths are not caused by acts of god, natural or biological, but caused by humans who suddenly deem that certain are unworthy of living. So, ladies and gentlemen, it is not just a mere word, but an excuse. An excuse for the unjust persecution of millions because the color of their skin, or their ethnicity supposedly ‘frightens’ people? Fear, evil, death – is this all we can depict from humans with darker skin tones, completely ignoring the living soul or the beating heart that resides within? Is one’s true essence only limited to the color of his skin? What does it mean to be black or brown? None of us know what it means to be a person of color in a whitedominated society who has to undergo unnecessary critique & discrimination unless we step in their shoes. Being a person of color is having to search for what racism is like in the countries you want to visit. It is having people cross the street because they are scared of you. It is being labeled aggressive when you are explaining something you are passionate about in anything louder than a whisper. It is being told that you are acting white because you are well-spoken, yet you are associated with gangs when you are slang in your sentence. It is being in a dangerous situation not knowing if calling the police will help or make things worse. Being a person of color is heavy. You’re either involved in heavy trauma, heavy traumatic content, or shielding yourself from heavy traumatic content. How ingrained are these disgusting and biased notions that a man accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill supposedly ‘threatened’ four armed security guards? “I can’t breathe!” was still not enough to convince the policeman pushing his knee down against his neck to reconsider his decision. George Floyd was murdered in cold blood – all due to his complexion. There is no denying that racism runs deep. This was not the only time in human history that racism manipulated and corrupted mindsets. The Doll Test; a social experiment part of the Brown VS Board of 1954. During the experiment, 5 out of 7 children preferred the white dolls over black ones, the reasons given included because ‘she is pretty or white is good’, while black dolls were rejected because ‘she is ugly, evil or dirty’. Is that not enough proof of racism that has infiltrated our society? In the wise words of Audre Lorde, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” Onerous and heart-wrenching as it is, as long as prejudice is alive, racism will never die out. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” We must let this quote help us think, learn or unlearn what we have carried for many years and reflect on it. We must all hear and stand for the rights of all. The cruel acts of violence made towards all – black, brown, and white - need to end one day. How about now? 

Mazen Zaheer XI O B