It amazes me that there are people out there that still view others as less than themselves. I've studied a lot of African American history, ethnic studies, read literature on Japanese American racism…etc., and it still astonishes me that our world is still so full of hate.
My friend recently told me of an instance where a white gentleman openly spatted out the n-word, not just the slang term, the real hard R, n-word. All I could think was wow. There really are no words I could say that hasn't been said before on how I view racism as the ultimate invasion of identity and self-worth.
As Bill Nye once explained, "researchers have proven, scientifically, that humans are all one people. The color of our ancestors' skin and ultimately my skin and your skin is a consequence of ultraviolet light, of latitude and climate. Despite our recent sad conflicts here in the U.S., there really is no such thing as race. We are one species—each of us much, much more alike than different. We all come from Africa. We are all of the same stardust. We are all going to live and die on the same planet, a Pale Blue Dot in the vastness of space. We have to work together."
Dating an African American guy, it breaks my heart when I hear people openly bashing or stereotyping African American people. I recall coming home one day to my boyfriend looking extremely defeated. I asked him what was wrong, as we had just come from the grocery store and everything seemed fine before then. All he could mutter was, "I'm tired of being Black." He went on to explain that too often when he walks in grocery stores or anywhere, for that matter, he's constantly given dirty looks or remarks - made to feel like he was born a crime, like his skin made him less of a person, as if he was someone less deserving of God's grace. My heart broke.
How awful racism is to make anyone feel like who they are isn't good enough.
I, too, have experienced racism as a Mexican American woman. People have judged me for not being Mexican enough, and other times not being white enough. You can't win. I live at the crossroads of intersectionality.
I fear that my future children will be judged based on their mixed race. I fear that no matter how good of a person they are, no matter their ability to love, to honor, to succeed, to change the world, they'll be seen as less than others.
I still can't fathom the fact that we live in a world of race hatred, hate crimes, white power, and supremacy. Where people are calling the cops because they see an African American person and instantly feel their life is in danger, or even that we continue to stereotype other races at all.
Why?
Why can't we all just be equal, loving, respectful, and lack a judgemental mindset?
Sure, I'm focusing this discussion primarily on African Americans, but it isn't just they who feel ostracised because of their identity. You know, in the bible, particularly Matthew 7:1-2 reads, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Why is it that those who judge feel superior, of God's purest form of human being? Who are you to decide who is deserving and who is not?
These questions linger in my mind and I can't come up with a reasonable answer to any single one of them that leads to the allowance in denouncing anybody else's identity.
God expects equality.
I just hope that eventually we'll all be seen as equal and that each man sees another as equally deserving of God's grace and love, no matter our skin color or background.
