Kicking the Habit

A brief study of racial prejudice in America and an overtly simplified solution that so many of us overlook.

Kicking the Habit: Ending Racial Prejudice in America

While sitting on a park bench one warm afternoon, I observed two young boys, maybe kindergarten aged, possibly younger. One boy was white, another was black. They were both playing separately, when the black boy approached the white boy, offering a football as an adolescent peace treaty, and extending a warm welcome to join him in his play. The white boy looked back at him with a disgusted expression, and promptly said “get lost kid, I don’t play with black kids”.

Do you know what the best part of this story is? I made the entire thing up. I don’t think I’ve ever sat on a park bench observing the scenery in the first place. The most important fact to take away here, however, is that racial prejudice does not exist naturally. It is a learned behavior that is detrimental to the health of society. Much like smoking, it is almost an addictive behavior, and it is incredibly difficult to break the cycle, in other words, to “kick the habit”. As far as I’m aware (and I have spent far too much time carousing through medical journals for a business major), there has yet to be a single case of a child being born with a cigarette lit in his mouth. It sounds absurd, but in the same respect, not a single child has ever emerged from the womb acknowledging skin color, much less judging a person by it.

As I sat in class this evening, my professor remarked about his neighbor, a three year old girl. The topic came up as we were trying to define ethics in a manner that we would had a small child asked us. He told us about the curious nature of this child, and went on to mention the natural curiosity and innocence in all children. He briefly touched on a story in which the girl gleefully remarked “your skin is brown!” While he continued on to admit how it would be a shame if someday she grew up to hate him because of the pigment of his skin, he recognized it as a reality he would not be able to shake. Ironically, though I don’t think he meant to by any means, I think his comment is a step in the right direction towards ending racism in America.

And here is why:

 

Most of us have good intentions. Though recently I’ve seen quite a rapid increase in racial topics, I still feel that most Americans are not going to discredit or, even despise a person based on how they look. I would like to think that, as a nation, we are all educated well enough to know that a person is not and different inside because of how they look outside. So many Americans, of all ethnicities, are involved in a fight to end prejudice. But every single one of them is going about it all wrong.

It isn’t about white, black, or brown, no. But that doesn’t mean we can’t see black, white, and brown. That doesn’t mean we can’t describe someone as “that white guy” or “that black guy”. The fact that someone gets offended by a phrase like that is nothing more than an overt display of their own prejudice. Why is it that the media feels it necessary to target ethnicities and pit them against one another? As we saw recently in the George Zimmerman trial, a nation was divided by skin color. This was scarily similar to the mid 20^th century southern United States. What are we doing?

Blacks sided with Trayvon Martin, whites sided with Zimmerman, and some switched sides. Why is this? Because all we were looking at was the skin color of one vs. another. So many people failed to just look at the case in terms of fact. I’m not going to get into my opinions regarding the matter because I don’t feel it necessary to stir controversy. The bottom line is, a jury found there to be a lack of sufficient evidence to convict Mr. Zimmerman. The way the jury decided the trial was the way we all should have.  This was not a case of race; this was one man doing something (whether it was maliciously motivated will never truly be known) and another trying to do his job.  What resulted was a tragedy. A human life was lost at the hands of another human, two lives and the lives of countless relatives were destroyed, and yet all we seem to see is “a white man killing a black man”. By the way, Zimmerman is half Hispanic anyway, but our lovely media doesn’t report that.

If you are truly concerned about the loss of a special life as a result of the violence that runs rampant in our streets, why don’t you do something? Why don’t you stand up to defend the thousands of teenage lives lost each year due to black on black violence? What about white on white? Black on white? Does it really matter? Or should you just care that a life was lost? I’m thinking the latter. Again I say, if you truly care, make a real difference. Fight to end all violence; don’t simply hop on a case because Al Sharpton (who is truly a blubbering idiot) got involved.

Now then, how does a three year old girl solve all of our problems? She saw color, but thought nothing of it beyond “that’s strange, he looks different than I do”. She does not treat my professor differently because of this discovery. If our nation was made of innocent three year old girls, Trayvon’s death would not be a racial issue. They would simply think “gee, that is sad, the black boy died”. They feel no need to march in defense of his race, they aren’t afraid to support Zimmerman, lest they be considered “racist”. The nation of three year old girls could see color and still make an informed decision of who to support because of their own inner voice. That, America, is where we need to be.

The reason I call Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, and so many other “activists”, complete and utter idiots, is because while they try to portray an image of anti racism, they do nothing but promote and provoke it. They literally force a race issue that need not exist. A true activist would not even consider the races of parties involved.

So how do we end racism in America? The answer is quite simple: accept that we will see color, stop being afraid of sounding politically incorrect, and do what you know is right. It is okay to see a black man and know he is black. It is not okay to think he is superior or inferior because of that.

Blacks: stop blaming white people. In the words of a true black hero, Dr. Ben Carson, “you have yourself to blame” (quoting a poem often recited by his mother). Dr. Carson is a black man who rose from poverty to become a world renowned neurosurgeon. If he can do it, you can too. Stop making excuses and get motivated.  Be the change you want to see in the world.

Whites: stop blaming blacks for drugs and crime and violence. They are not the only perpetrators; you are as much to blame. If you have never committed a crime, and you work every day, that is wonderful. There are many black men who do the same. Stop seeing a black man and thinking of him as a criminal, or a welfare case. I’ve seen just as many, if not more, whites on welfare in my lifetime. Judge the book by the story.

One final point: notice not once did I use the term “African American”. There is no such thing. You are African, or you are American. The majority of blacks in America are removed by countless generations. Even if you have immigrated here yourself, as soon as you become a citizen, you are an American from there on out. You should be treated as such, with respect and dignity. Associate yourself with this country and be proud, stop subdividing your race from everyone else. You are American. Be proud of it.

America, I implore you, put out the cigarette once and for all. Racism can be stopped. And it starts with each of us. Kick the habit.

Reviews

[Tony]

I'm going to be as cruel to you as I can be here, because I think you have a real hunger for Truth, and Justice, and you can empathize, and do, and thus your victims, will be few.

A quote that took the wind out of my sails as a young wannabe writer person;

"young writers, if they can refrain, should not hesitate."
Menchen

lol ... well, I know it's offensive, but it's the truth. Young people have no more business being serious and holding opinion and god forbid uttering ultimatums, than old people do having batman sex.

It's a problem of Life and Time. When it comes to successful writing there is only one [1] way to do it.

Go with what you know.
And I suggest you keep practicing like a fanatic, you got a way with words.

As far as the body of this writing;

As I mentioned in my previous review, the mejor modo to be King, is to Know yourself. The problem with everything you say here is it's same old, same old. The bullshit, and it is bullshit surrounding racism, is the same club of bullshit fascism that has been around for the Revolutions, and the Crusades, and the Civil Wars. Everytime people write about it, talk about it, they are reafirming the Division, and over decades what has progressed?
Nothing.
Don't bother looking for a statistic, man! ... Listen to me. Go to your window, take a Real look at the World and what Human and your personal existence Exists, but everything you take in is Approved, Listed, and Typed for your consumption, digestion, and regurgitation.
Problem is, No Protein.
I'm going to give you something to make you Know. I will ask you to forget your ever so presentable and highly likely self and just Listen to a couple of things ...
hmm... Politics .. you like politics?

bueno, this is a suggestion only. If you are not moved, then disregard. It is impossible to offend me, asi asi.
These both can be found on YouTube, and you will not be able to Function in the brave, individual, FuckinAyePulitzer here I come kind of Art/Life/Occupation, unless you Challenge yourself outside your parameters.
A man of your mind will go insane trying to run with pack and compete with egomaniacs and a******s.
You are headed for a life of swimming with sharks. Why not have some Horizon in that sharp speech of yours. How about if you go to parties and say things that piss the f**k out of practically everyone, but still be Right? How cool and awesome and powerful is that compared to idle ideas about people and their shallow and stupid and boring interpretations of Life and Stuff.
Did you know that once, at the moment of Conception, not birth, you were a fish in a race with a bajillion other fish?
And you f*****g won!

Michael? meet Michael:

http://youtu.be/x9LnssNxiW4

let's see ... political ..hmm.. I hate politics, I've been round it already.
Aha!
Eat this:
One of the things I see in youth is ignorance of things that are very important, due to very selective and diabolical eschemados designed to do just that.
Sound like 'conspiracy nuts'? or algo?
the reason I chose this leccion for you personally, is because I want you to be disabled by societies functions and i want your mind to scream things when it hits you, how Scripted, things have become, and how Censorship, is the word of the ages.
I want you to be astonished with Clear Reason, not some practiced lecture handed down in the f'n graduate schools.
Something without a price or compromise attached.

you are Smart enough and Empathize well, and have great Cognitive Function, if this doesn't Disturb you into real contemplation of the political arena, well, I'm just a jackass and should be ignored.
I'm not afraid. The funny thing is about Reason.
It is very, very difficult to argue with, in fact, only a fool, or a patsy would even attempt it.

Christopher Hitchens;

http://youtu.be/1dWxklSFPEA

If this does astonish you, send me a note please, as to How. I have detailed files.

Nice to meet you, Michael.

That is all.