So after reading all of the comments on the first Excedring RT post, I felt that I had to come back with a follow up and speak my mind. I'll admit once again that what I said may have been wrong and insensitive, but as I stated earlier, it's one of my prejudices. And my point of this post is that ALL of us have them. So when I read the comments on my blog it pissed me off that people had the nerve to call me ignorant and rude. What I said may have been insensitive, but I at my core am not ignorant or rude.
BIAS:
Dictionary.com defines it as "a particular tendency or inclination, esp. one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice."
Humans are conditioned to favor their own race. Even those who reject their race and assimilate into another race's culture. How do I know this? How many times have you as a black person been watching the news and hear that someone was arrested for robbing a convenience store. Before they show that picture, in your head
*or out loud* you are saying "please don't be Black, please don't be Black." When the picture is shown and it's a Black person, you then say "DAMN." Tell me that you haven't done it and I can call you a liar.
When you are watching sports, are you not hoping for the Black athelete to come out on top?
How many of you want Barack to win on the sole fact that he is (half) Black?
I'll tell you a story. One night, a group of 10 of my friends and associates and I went to
Joe's on Juniper for some food and drinks. As would be, the Academy Awards were playing on the television monitors in the establishment. We noticed that when a white person won an award, the mostly white crowd would go into applause. But when a black person won, there was silence. So we started giving applause when a black person won. What really pissed off the white people was when we gave a standing ovation and rousing round of applause when Hattie McDaniel's name was mentioned. She was mentioned as the first Black person to be awarded an Oscar. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Gone With the Wind. You should have seen the stares and dirty looks that we got. How's that for favoring you own race? But don't we all do it?
PREJUDICE:
Dictionary.com defines it as "any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable."
It's hard to believe that there is any person on this earth who doesn't have preconceived opinions about people who are not of their race. And the most striking thing is that people don't want to admit it. How many times have you started a statement with "white people..." or "latino people" or "Asian people...?" How many. The point that i'm trying to make is that we all have some pre-judged thoughts of people of other races. One of mine is that white people don't wash their hands. In turn I don't shake hands with them unless I feel that it's obligated. Call me prejudice if you will, I just may answer. Now tell me one of your prejudices, if you can admit to it.
RACISM:
Dictionary.com defines it as "hatred or intolerance of another race or other races."
Now this is a category of which I do not fall into. I never have and hopefully never will hate another race. I see no reason to. I may admit to being prejudiced, but nothing can make me hate another race. If there is, tell me now so that I can be informed. As many Black people were put into slavery, lynched, harassed, and denied opportunity by white people, I still don't HATE them. It's just not in my heart or mind. While I do have my pre-judged thoughts about other races, I refuse to be intolerant of another race.
CONCLUSION:
I wrote this post because I want people to know that Bias, Prejudice, and Racism are a part of each and every person on this Earth. Our differences are what both keep us apart and keep us together. Think about it.
NO human can escape how they truly feel about racial issues. I honestly believe that expressing how we truly feel will actually help with racial issues. We should not be afraid to talk about them. If we dont' talk about them, then people can pretend that the issues don't exist. Maybe I shouldn't feel the way that I feel, but I am human and I am imperfect just like everyone else.
And to top it off, dude didn't wash his hands until after the conversation.
Labels: People, Race, Think
