People are asking me about the race problem...

People are asking me about the race problem.... I know of no race problem. The great problem that confronts the American people to-day is a national problem -- whether this great nation of ours is great enough to live up to its own convictions, carry out its own declaration of independence, and execute the provisions of its own constitution. (Frederick Douglass)

I had an interesting bit of racism happen with me yesterday. Social networking is an interesting thing, no matter how many people it will connect you to, in the most diverse settings, people still have the very real possibility of being wholly ignorant and socially irresponsible.

I was speaking to a friend of mine when someone, whom I've never met, decided it would be his place to jump into a conversation that had nothing to do with him to make a racist remark aimed at me... I looked him up and found out he's a 2nd generation Polish-American, while interestingly enough, I am 3rd generation (about the same as the majority of "Ellis Island" immigrants from the early 1920s), so my family has been in the USA longer than his has... so where's the rationalization?

The question that I raise to myself everytime I've ever experienced racism is "why".

Essentially, what would bring this individual to hate and detest me on such a level that he/she feels a need to act in such a negative manner towards me?

Possible answers: ignorance, socialization, negative experiences

But racism is such a COMPLEX topic now isn't it? We can't just answer it with one word.

But in this case I could take a guess that this individual had an upbringing that caused him to perceive other races/ethnicities/cultures as "unfit". From what I know about Immigration and the new socialization of families in a new culture is that, statistically, the majority of families hold on to their traditions and remain very family and ethnically oriented.

This is why when you look at urban settings, you'll see broad differences in "race" by neighborhoods and districts. Ever heard of "chinatown" or "little italy". Or take a look around south Philadelphia at South Philly Italians, Somerton Russians... how about the FACT that through the 2000 Census entire city blocks and sections of the city are measured 69-100% of it's residents that speak languages other than English?

Is this wrong? of course not... People naturally want to find groups that accept them; and hopefully that they accept as well...

But think about it...

What is race? Race is socially constructed. DNA testing and empirical research tells you humans are all 99.9% identical yet, as people, we still let the subjects of "color, race, religion, ethnicity, hometown, neighborhood, sports team, political views, etc." separate us.

Why do we separate ourselves then? (I say ourselves because technically, we are all the same)

We separate ourselves because we hold the belief that people [from the other group] are "less" than we are; this comes from ignorance or negative experiences with a MINORITY of the group. So we find excuses.... this is where stereotypes are made....

Creating stereotypes is antagonistic in nature and causes both groups now to create stereotypes against the other group...

SUDDENLY you find each group growing through time and each group suddenly starts adopting the stereotypes that their "opposite" brethren created...

Why would a group buy into the ignorant stereotypes then that were made against them?

They're basically like wearing team colors... They believe that the other group is their enemy so they have to be "more hardcore christian and preach to those who don't want to hear it, more black and get the street rep they think they need, more... you fill in the blanks..."

SO WHERE DOES IT ALL GO?

Nowhere

Race doesn't exist.... we created it. If we don't believe in it... then it's like it never existed huh?

Is it that simple? No of course not. But people reciprocate how they're treated.

But we can start when we ask ourselves why we feel a certain way about a group of people... The loudest voice is the most heard.. So if you keep hearing the same message, maybe you need to open yourself to a little objectivity and ask yourself if what you're hearing... if what you're believing is, at it's core, legitimate. (but that's a topic for another day I'm sure I'll cover)

Much love

-Inspire