Racism Lives On
It is duly noted that there are a few websites selling anti-racist t-shirts and ones that support gay rights, ironically on the same website. I have for many years said that "the gays people came out of the closet and the racists got in". I seriously did not even know how right I was at the time so many years ago when I coined this statement. Simply knowing that racism is still very much alive is just a small part of the issue. Recently we have been faced with the reality of racism because of the public humiliation of college groups making it clear that they would not accept blacks into their sorority. In fact there was some chant or song that was racist shared by a female sorority in the south. Although many in the media displayed shock and amazement there were many of us who were not surprised, those of us who know that racism is alive and thriving and those of us who are people of color. We know it because we experience it on a daily basis and even when we would like to be the ones to announce the end of this idiotic behavior, we are still addressing it time and time again. This time what I would like to share is my ideas of how to reduce racial tension and racial hate.
Here are my thoughts:
Don't give it power:
Do your best as person of color to not give racists power. Do your best not to be moved by it and only when it is necessary report it. If you are around racist people (sometimes not out of choice) and you know these people will not change, stay away from them, in fact the less you are around them the better. Don't subject yourself to this bad behavior even if they think it funny or amusing as do some ignorant people.
Be your best:
Be the best you can be. Success is the best revenge and success is power in this country. Consider opening a business or starting your own clothing line. Separate yourself from the crowd and be all that you can possibly be. Don't let people who are racist make you believe you are less than them and that you cannot excel. In fact the biggest fear that racist have is that we be too successful often times referring to successful people of color as "Uppity". This is not a surprise considering that women are still being paid half of what a man does to do the same work in many companies and the women who are successful are called guess what? Uppity.
Don't focus on Race:
Live your life every day knowing that you are a good person who has a lot of great things about you. Don't focus on your race as much as you focus on what you can do to heal the world of an issue that is almost as old as mankind. We will likely never change every person's mind and we should not try to do so. Focus on the incredible person you are and the incredible culture you share with others. Focus on showing your most beautiful part of who you are as a person and as a person of color too. It is a waste of time trying to convince racist people that you are worthwhile or worth hearing.
Pass It On:
Pass on your culture to your children. Pass your language on to your kids. The thing that racist dislike the most is our different language and for many years these individuals have worked to crush our culture by making negative comments about our language. We have literally been shamed into not speaking Spanish, Polish or Greek or believing it is not important. Make certain to pass your customs, holidays and special aspects of your culture with your children and with others. It is important for us to show that we are not ashamed or that we will not be shamed.
Embrace others:
No matter what a person is like or their beliefs do your very best to embrace them. Don't fight fire with fire and insults with insults. Show yourself and others that racism is not going to deter you from loving others for who they are. If you want to be accepted as you are accept others for who they are. Embracing others is part of our own healing as people of color and as human beings.
Pray for Peace:
Pray for the peace of all people of all races. Take the time to send that kind of energy into the world. IF anything it surely could not harm us. Believe that we will be a world filled with unity and peace and we will be.
Remember that racism is darkness and you don't want to be a part of it.
Here are my thoughts:
Don't give it power:
Do your best as person of color to not give racists power. Do your best not to be moved by it and only when it is necessary report it. If you are around racist people (sometimes not out of choice) and you know these people will not change, stay away from them, in fact the less you are around them the better. Don't subject yourself to this bad behavior even if they think it funny or amusing as do some ignorant people.
Be your best:
Be the best you can be. Success is the best revenge and success is power in this country. Consider opening a business or starting your own clothing line. Separate yourself from the crowd and be all that you can possibly be. Don't let people who are racist make you believe you are less than them and that you cannot excel. In fact the biggest fear that racist have is that we be too successful often times referring to successful people of color as "Uppity". This is not a surprise considering that women are still being paid half of what a man does to do the same work in many companies and the women who are successful are called guess what? Uppity.
Don't focus on Race:
Live your life every day knowing that you are a good person who has a lot of great things about you. Don't focus on your race as much as you focus on what you can do to heal the world of an issue that is almost as old as mankind. We will likely never change every person's mind and we should not try to do so. Focus on the incredible person you are and the incredible culture you share with others. Focus on showing your most beautiful part of who you are as a person and as a person of color too. It is a waste of time trying to convince racist people that you are worthwhile or worth hearing.
Pass It On:
Pass on your culture to your children. Pass your language on to your kids. The thing that racist dislike the most is our different language and for many years these individuals have worked to crush our culture by making negative comments about our language. We have literally been shamed into not speaking Spanish, Polish or Greek or believing it is not important. Make certain to pass your customs, holidays and special aspects of your culture with your children and with others. It is important for us to show that we are not ashamed or that we will not be shamed.
Embrace others:
No matter what a person is like or their beliefs do your very best to embrace them. Don't fight fire with fire and insults with insults. Show yourself and others that racism is not going to deter you from loving others for who they are. If you want to be accepted as you are accept others for who they are. Embracing others is part of our own healing as people of color and as human beings.
Pray for Peace:
Pray for the peace of all people of all races. Take the time to send that kind of energy into the world. IF anything it surely could not harm us. Believe that we will be a world filled with unity and peace and we will be.
Remember that racism is darkness and you don't want to be a part of it.
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