Ignoring Racism

My thoughts and opinions do not reflect those of Honorsociety as a whole

How far does racism go?

Is it embedded into our skin like the pigments we use to differ from one another? Or perhaps the look in our eyes when we see someone who doesn’t look like us. Are we taught it from a young age or exploited by it? Do we witness it? Or do we simply teach ourselves what our version of racism is so that there is no set definition? Is it just an opinion like so many other subjects in our lives?

There was a debate on the internet that I saw a long time ago and the subject or comment that had been written and presented stated, “We should just ignore race and racism. That way, all of this hate will go away and we could look at everyone as one people.” The statement stayed with me for a while, lingering on my thoughts. If we really did ignore all the racists who stated their thoughts, gave them no light of attention, would it change society’s view of the subject? Would we change as people? It was a tough thought but one that I finally concluded to an answer. No.

The thought and statement was perhaps a good one. What wonderful occurrence it would have been to simply ignore people’s skin colors and the racists who highlight it, then simply go about our ways. But humans are too difficult for that to happen. Such an occurrence will most likely never take place. Is that an awful thing? No. Ignoring race and racism may have its benefit, but highlighting them are just important. Race and racism have already played a sterile game in our society, from the birth of America to across the world. Most cultures’ histories embellish in some sort of racism or segregation. Of course, we don’t have to be bound by past decisions, but as I stated earlier, we are only human.

Having race and racism talks in a community is an important part of learning what not to do. Growing from the past but remembering that these things have happened. Since our past is full of racists events and people, there’s always going to be something to influence someone later on. That will never change. I would say coming together as a unit or embracing the possibilities of a new world would have its benefits, but sometimes it’s better to have a blunt reality at times when needed, then a painted fantasy. Society is harsh, opinions are harsh and so we have to come to terms that things may never completely change, but ignoring racism isn’t the answer. If anything we should try more to learn from different cultures. Don’t just embrace them, see what they can teach you, debate your past stereotypical thoughts with what you see now. Try. Something that our society has forgotten. Try.

Trying means you may succeed or you may fail, but either way, you learn. You grow. You’re knowledgeable. In my opinion, it’s quite idiotic to argue and diminish others because of how much pigment their skin holds, but as said, that is my opinion. This is a year filled with the most tragedies but the most knowledge since the march of Martin Luther King Jr. So while racism cannot be tamed, cannot be washed away, perhaps it can be built over, but ignoring a race will never do that. Instead, see the problems certain races are going through because of what color they grew up to be, realize our societal judgements, don’t deny obvious bias going on in the world. Just see it. And try.