In the world we live in, different ethnic backgrounds tend to create hatred and negativity among each other. Personally, hatred is considered to be one of those things individuals can’t obtain. Hatred leads to the process of negative mindsets and terrible decisions that we can make. Currently, African American communities, as well as other people of color, are the ones who are mostly judged! And I am very disappointed in how everyone thinks of us! From the era of slavery to starting to use freedom to our advantages, we are still being criticized by other groups that surround us in this violent world!
Growing up in the world we are supposed to embrace, we still walk among the Earth with pain and misery coming from, and towards, others. For example, I had many friends around me each day in school - some of them would be white. One day, my friend and I made plans to play video games after basketball practice. We got off the bus stop and walked into his yard. As his father watched us walking into the yard, he ran out the house yelling at his son. Honestly, I thought his father received a phone call from his teachers. As I watched my friend being dragged into his house, I felt sorry for him. Things got worse once the front slammed in my face. As I overheard his father yelling at him, I realized he was saying words that just changed my mood. All I heard was, “you're hanging out with this n****r again!” He also said, “do you think you can learn from that black kid?” “You can’t learn shit from a n****r who isn’t going to get further in his own damn life.” Overhearing all of those harmful words lead to me walking home feeling upset. Usually at the age of 12, kids would experience great things such as playing video games after school with friends, playing tag outside, etc. But for me, experiencing racism added a bit of salt to my fire! Once I came home, I told my parents about this situation. Honestly, I cried for a long time, but listening to my parents and sister lead to a significant change within myself. All of them said that, the world we live in is a crazy, deranged place.” They also said, “You have a hidden talent within you that the Lord has blessed you with. Don’t let any racist remarks hold you back from being successful.” My older sister experienced racism as well and it didn’t stop her from becoming a high honor roll student and athlete in her high school days.
On that same day, my family told to read the bible more and pray to God to bless me with better days and opportunities. From that day, I remembered that the words of wisdom from my family and faith in the Lord help improve my perspective on life. Based on the outlook of a Christian, hatred is not a positive thing for us to obtain. Hatred, which is also known as “hate” is the complete opposite of love. The Lord himself wants love to spread throughout the world we live in. For example, Dr. Martin Luther King help fight through the racist world of America. Based on his strategy, he adapted this from Gandhi, a man who believed that violence would not solve anything. Before his death, he wanted the world to be granted on a few wishes. The first wish was for African Americans and White Americans to form equality instead of being separated. Also, he wanted the country itself to contain love instead of hatred and animosity. As a man of God, Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. was preaching the truth to the world. Today, other groups would describe us with negative characteristics. With negative characteristics being described for us, it is sad to see how things turned out to be. Police brutality creating chaos, black families losing their kids to the streets and violence, and us not staying as a whole. Hatred is one particular thing that can tear each individual apart.
Based on my perspective of racism as a young 12 year old, I know I’m not the only one who experienced this issue. Even though I experienced this act of racism, I put my faith into the Lord and many blessings came my way! Positive results directed me to becoming one of the scholar-athletes in my neighborhood, graduating from Westbury High School and attending Cazenovia College in the Fall. As a junior attending Cazenovia College, racism still leaks into other people’s mindsets. It’s a damn shame how I walk to class and hear some white people call me the “N” word under their breath. They would even call a bunch of African Americans groups “n*****s” just for standing in one spot! Usually, most African Americans would react by fighting those who call us these racist remarks. That’s because it would lead to chronicle events that would make things worse. As we look back into time, it resulted to various acts of discrimination and death of African Americans. For this country today, we still have that same problem that we need to fix! Our problem is that we must end racism before it gets out of hand again!
As a member of the African American community, I firmly believe we must help create a significant change to put an end to racism once and for all! If you think discriminating others is the right thing, then you must be out of your damn mind and if you have nothing to say about it, you are simply contributing to the issue! To my fellow African Americans who are attending college worldwide, working to keep food in their homes for families, and striving for success, we must not use the act of violence. We must not have history repeat itself! And to those who think it’s positive to call us a “n****r” or “colored folks,” ask yourself these questions: Do you think we will fight you because you called us racist slurs? Do you think these racist remarks and hatred toward us will create a road block for all of us? Do you think we won’t be educated? Do you think we all can do is will run, shoot, or steal? Do you think we can’t read? Do you think we don’t know shit? Do you think all black people can’t pursue their goals and achieve their milestones? Just remember that African Americans are people too!
