What can be said of race relations among Americans in the new millennium? It is 144 years since the emancipation of the slaves, 55 years since Brown v. The Board of Education, and 45 years since the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today a black man is the president of the United States. Nevertheless, how far have we really come and how far do we have to go? RiseUp set out to learn how we as Americans could get from an arguable position of tolerating other races to celebrating our diversity. Is this goal possible ... or is it even something we truly want? Are we ultimately destined, tortoise-like for some kind of Star Trekian coexistence where there is intergalactic strife, but humans seem to get along very well with each other, and where people of color are in positions of authority and rank?
It presents a pretty picture of Earthling race relations in the future, a rosy state of affairs. How did they get there from here ... how do we? Where are the science-fiction series that imagine, that depict the process, the actual events by which our society becomes so egalitarian? How can it be done? What are the possibilities? Is it attrition ... the dying off of anyone who perpetrated or has even the remotest memory of the hardships and suffering of the Trail of Tears, the Jim Crow insults and indignities, the disgraceful internment of Japanese Americans? Or, perhaps it is an annihilating world war that exposes the entire race for what it is, self-destructive and counterproductive.
RiseUp sallied forth to brave the discomfort of asking perfect strangers their thoughts and opinions on race. We asked the butcher and baker and candlestick maker “How do we change? How do we come to accept each other without rancor, resentment or hostility?” Most people we spoke with, without saying so directly, intimated that they had not contemplated the eradication of racism. It is presumed to be impossible.
“Even if there were no racism, there would still be race,” said Dr, Carlos Cortés, who is 76 and professor emeritus of history at University of California Riverside and serves as consultant to the Nickelodeon preschool series Dora the Explorer. “People would still notice skin color, features, hair type,” he said.
Jonathan Brent was of a similar opinion. “When people say, “I don't see you as a mixed-race person, I see you as a person,’ I say, “Well, I want you to see me as a mixed-race person.” Brent, 26, is a full-time student at the University Of Virginia School Of Law and the outreach coordinator for the MultiRacial Americans of Southern California, an organization established to serve the needs of people who are of multiracial heritage, involved in an interracial relationship or trans-racially adopted. Brent, who is half-white and half-Japanese American, sees his racial identity as hapa, the Hawaiian word for “half.” He said that his ethnicity is, “Something I'm proud of. It is something I talk about for hours and set up Website organizations to discuss. Because a lot of the racial strife in our nation’s past and our nation’s present, there's a tendency to see race as a dirty word, as something that if we ignore it will go away. Many people get somewhat colorblind with it. I think really looking at race is a good thing.”
“I don’t really see the point of celebrating our differences,” Carmen Kerckhove said. Kerckhove, 31, is Chinese Belgian and the co-founder and president of New Demographic, a consulting firm that describes its mission as helping “people learn about race and racism without having to endure the misery of diversity training.” She hosts the podcast Addicted to Race and weblogs Racialicious, Anti-Racist Parent and Race in the Workplace. Kerckhove lives in New York City.
“As a person of color,” she said, “in the workplace I don’t really need my colleagues to celebrate my culture; I just need them to treat me as a full human being. I think that’s what racism causes. Racism causes people not to see each other as fully human three-dimensional people with dreams and hopes and aspirations just like everybody else; instead they just see them as a stereotype.”
“I think we need to get to tolerance first. That’s what scares me,” said Judi Jordan, who is Latina and black, and declined to give her age. Jordan is a writer-director-producer living in Los Angeles. “I think that [level of] tolerance is relative to where you live. On some levels there is more tolerance in San Francisco, New York ... big urban areas where people are forced to learn how to live together,” Jordan said. “I think tolerance is really based on people living together as closely as possible. Not all people want to do that. Everyone’s dream seems to be getting their own home and living in their own little world. I don’t think that’s going to help tolerance.”
Brent said he has “always hated the word “tolerant,’ because, at least when I was growing up, in elementary school, it was always “tolerance, tolerance, tolerance.’ When I got older, and actually, thought about it, I thought, “I don’t want to be tolerated. I want to be accepted.’ I think that in terms of getting from tolerance to celebration the first thing we need is sort of celebrating it yourself. Because if you as a person, regardless of your race, are ashamed of what you are ... if you’re not going to celebrate it, no one else is going to celebrate it.”
Dr. William Edmonson, 52, an associate professor of electrical engineering at North Carolina State University, gently espoused a scorched earth philosophy. “It most likely will take the leaders of the country or some type of cataclysmic event to level the playing field for everybody,” he suggested. “Like global warming ... that's going to be an event where people will have to begin to work together. You cannot do this by yourself. You can’t sit in Detroit or Los Angeles and say, “I can deal with this by keeping my head stuck in the sand.”
Mary Orona is 43 and an immigration agent in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She expressed sentiments similar to Edmonson’s by saying, “Now is a prime time to pull together. We’re suffering from the energy crisis. It’s a prime time to get creative, to get all of us with our thinking caps on, bring together the ideas on how we are going to deal with energy issues, how we are going to deal with food issues. I agree with Will Smith, when he said, “I really think most people don’t get up in the morning wanting to hate somebody else.’ I really don’t think that’s people’s motivation. Most people do want to get on with their lives and just be creative and do what they’re supposed to do and get their jobs done. Right now we’re facing potentially very strong struggles from a global perspective, such as food, energy, all these things that are going to make us very human, and it’s not going to matter what our skin color is in this country when those issues come into play.”
Getting an Education
Yet not all hope is lost. Nearly everyone we spoke to had positive ideas on how race relations can improve, and listen up, people, the learning process begins at home.
“I think it’s a change that sort of starts within. And the second part I think is just taking time to educate people around you,” said Jonathan Brent.
Carmen Kerckhove said, “One of the most important first steps that people need to take is really self-reflection and self-examination. It’s one thing to point your finger and say something is racist, but it’s another thing to look internally and ask, “What racist stereotypes have I internalized?’ That is an extremely uncomfortable exercise that many people are not ready for, and it’s not just something white people need to do. People of color need to do it as well.”
Mary Orona, who described her ethnicity as Irish and Spanish, said we must “start identifying as Americans, rather than breaking it down to it is us against them. ... Focusing on our unity as a nation, the fact that we do come from this continent and we’re North Americans and we’re here with a similar goal... that’s how I would like to see it happen.”
“I think everybody has to change,” was William Edmonson’s view. “The slaver is just as much enslaved as the slaves themselves; I have found that to be true. If I oppress someone, I find myself also to be in the box. But if you decide I’m not going to play the game, [you’re] not going to get caught up in this victim/victimization, then the rules have to change, because you no longer abide by the rules.”
Carlos Cortés said that to move beyond mere tolerance is to develop genuine intergroup understanding. “Without real understanding,” he said, “tolerance is an empty virtue. Understanding is necessary to create and sustain long-term attitudinal change.” He sees two main institutional avenues for improving intergroup understanding: educational institutions (schools and religious institutions) and the media.
Brent said, “I have a friend who’s a PhD student in ethnic studies. He always talks about how we should remember the difference between racism and ignorance. His example is when someone says something obviously racially offensive, oftentimes there’s this kind of knee-jerk “You’re racist!' reaction. How could you say that? You’re a bad person.’ Remember that some people say that just because they’re ignorant. They say, “What? “Half-breed” is an offensive term? I didn’t know that, I had no idea.’ Or something to that effect, but instead of either getting angry at them or simply ignoring it, it’s good to take that time to educate them.”
“People tend to be very attuned to their own oppression but they are much less interested in hearing about other people’s oppression,” said Kerckhove. “Similarly, I think that people are attuned to their own oppression but much less willing to admit to any privileges or advantages that they may have. But I think if we’re going to be serious about doing something about racism, each of us needs to take a good hard look at ourselves and think, “In what way am I contributing to a racist society?’ Or, “In what way do I benefit from systems and structures in a way that puts a person of color at a disadvantage?’ I think we really need to get real and be honest about these things.”
Conversational Gambits
Many agree that not only do we need to give ourselves a stern talking to but a national conversation also is necessary. Kerckhove, whose New Demographic, provides diversity training for corporations and other organizations, said, “There’s always a lot of reluctance or fear on the part of organizations to talk about race, but what I’ve found is that people are ready to do it and they are ready to do it in an authentic and an open and honest way.
“Too many organizations are sticking to a thing where they are focusing too much on the feel-good, touchy-feely stuff. You cannot talk about diversity without talking about racism. You can’t only focus on celebrating diversity, that touchy-feely stuff, without dealing with the fact that people are still experiencing discrimination, and that causes pain and suffering. Therefore, I think it is important to remember that talking around these issues because it is easier is not the answer; it is important too actually engage
people with these issues. And I’ve found that people are a lot more receptive than organizations give them credit for.”
For Andrew Susskind, 44, a life coach operating in Santa Monica, Calif., it’s a question is of individual, personal need. “What is it you really, really want?” he said, explaining how a life coach might approach the conversation with a client who came to him wanting to change his racial views. “What is the outcome that you’re looking for?" What is the obstacle here, what is getting in the way? Moreover, that’s when they would bring up the race issue, and I would start brainstorming with them. In other words, what is it that people do when they run into difficult feelings around [race]? ... How do they educate themselves? How do they emotionally deal with it? How do they spiritually deal with it? They might speak to someone from church. They might speak with a therapist.”
“I think that there has to be a conversation about it,” Judi Jordan said. “We’ve seen government try to enforce diversity or desegregation, and that doesn’t work. I mean, I don’t know how to open a conversation that becomes measurable [in its] results.”
Brent suggested that one method of opening the conversation might be through forming “deliberate friendships,” which involves the intentional outreach by a person of one race to someone of another race, simply to learn more about the other culture. “I think people are hesitant to do that because, they say, it falls under tokenism. You know, “I don’t want to have my one token black friend; my one token Hispanic friend; my one token Asian friend.’ However, I think especially for people who’ve lived in very homogenous areas, that it is important to deliberately make friends among people of different cultures, or otherwise, how are you going to learn more about those cultures?
“If you’re someone who routinely says we should put more fences up at the border and have more immigration crackdowns, yet you don’t know a single illegal immigrant, then it’s probably good to go out and meet one, become friends with him. Maybe you’ll still have those views afterward, but at least you’ll understand the human toll of what you’re advocating.”
The Obama Factor
People were galvanized by the “A More Perfect Union” speech given in March 2008 by then senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama, and they feel in a sense he lifted the gag rule off the topic of racism.
“I thought [Obama’s speech] was outstanding. I thought it was a really historic moment,” Carmen Kerckhove said. “I’ve never seen a public figure, much less a presidential candidate openly discuss white privilege and institutional racism on such a national level. I think he did an excellent job of showing the kind of empathy that I’m talking about, he illustrated that people of color have legitimate grievances, and they are not figments of our imaginations. At the same time, he showed that white people have legitimate grievances as well ... so I do think that that was a watershed moment and for a lot of people.”
Jordan too found inspiration in Mr. Obama’s words. “As a product of the “revolutionary’ ’70s and someone who had posters of Angela Davis and Che [Guevara] alongside Marvin Gaye, I am one of those people who bless President Obama every day. I am still in a state of perpetual astonishment about his election, his achievement, his family, and support him in my deeds and actions, unconditionally. It feels good for the first time in a long time, to be an American of diverse ethnicity in the world. I am so proud of his calm, courageous, skillful, pragmatic and yet idealistic leadership style. His choice of Judge [Sonia] Sotomayor [for justice of the Supreme Court] has been a masterstroke toward uniting the Latinos and Blacks in the U.S. and abroad. I look forward to seeing more such well-executed tactical and progressive future moves.
“There are no easy answers,” Andrew Susskind said. “I think it’s about awareness. It think it’s about intention and focus. In addition, I think it’s about taking action. It’s not always going to be a linear process. It’s not always going to be something that’s tangible, exactly, but it is about, like Barack said, it’s about opening up dialogue. It’s about having a willingness to talk about whatever needs to be talked about and to do whatever needs to be done.”
A More Perfect World
It seems no one expects a raceless, completely egalitarian world to evolve ... which may partly explain why television has leapfrogged over the issue and gone straight to science-fictional racial utopia. We asked people to think about, to take a moment to explore what such an America, what such a world, would be like. Initial reaction to the question “What would change in your life if there were no racism?” was often one of surprise that they’d never considered the supposition before. Everyone we asked, however, did give it serious thought. Some of their answers are below.
“It would be more peaceful,” Andrew Susskind, who is white and Jewish, said. “I spent some time in Thailand last year, and there was something about their respect and graciousness and honoring of differences that the Thai culture seems to have. ... I don’t know whether it is the Buddhist practices or what it is, but there’s less tension in the air. ... And coming back to Los Angeles, there’s a lot of compartmentalizing, there’s a lot of tension between all the differences, whether it be social-economic differences, racial differences, sexual-orientation differences, and somehow, I think that there would be more peacefulness and less stress.”
“I could feel the change from just [being asked the question],” Judi Jordan said. “I can feel the change just from walking in an office or walking on a set to get a job. If someone would just look at my resume or listen to my ideas and not sit there and think, “OK, here we have this woman who’s ... and we don’t really quite know what she is’ ... because I’m black and Latin ... “so we don’t really know what she’s going to come out with.’ Because everyone thinks that the color of your skin dictates the kind of material you’re going to be producing, that you’re going to write, so there’s a stereotype right there. They’re going to assume that I can’t write white characters, Jewish characters, I can’t direct those people. To just be judged on who I am and not on what I am, that would be a great day; that would be a very freeing day for me.”
William Edmonson expressed some ambivalence. “My gut reaction? Nothing. I can’t say I’ve gotten beyond it, but I don’t let it bother me. Oh, [my life] has been affected by racism. Today? Let me put it this way. I don’t let it affect me. That’s what I work for every day and that’s what I fight for every day. If there were no racism, I would not have to think about me being a black person. Every day you’re saying, are they doing this because I’m black? Or, are they doing this just because they’re crazy people? Did I get this because I’m black, or didn’t I get this because I’m black? In addition, I think it’s true, every day I have to think about me being black. I think it is a lot of wasted energy. Because I’m questioning ... some times you begin to question ... this it what it has been in the past ... maybe I shouldn’t be doing this or maybe I shouldn’t be achieving this because I’m a black person. Or they’re putting up roadblocks because I’m a black person.”
“It would be just pure,” Mary Orona said “to be able to tap into each other’s creativity and expand and really be part of what life is to be. ... If only that could happen every day, that feeling of, OK, everybody’s coming to the table to add something in their own unique voice and it’s gong to be honored, and we can allow our energy to flow into something we never expected.”
Jonathan Brent would remain true to his cause. “I would say it wouldn’t change a whole lot simply because I’m still ... I would be happy, but I would still think that race is something to be celebrated, I would still be doing activities to promote that celebration.”
Comments
but we can takes progressive steps...
How far we’ve come depends on what exactly the destination was designed to be. If the questions being asked, in relation to African-Americans, is whether or not the group as a whole can vote, own homes, use the same restrooms as whites, drink from the same fountains, attend college, then the answer would presumably be yes. But if the question of whether or not African-Americans have overcome the oppressive forces that once legally enslaved them then the unfortunate answer would be no. If the goal is equality amongst each and every one of us through equity, then establishing that, as a common goal would definitely be step one. Redirecting the thinking of our differences in skin color and hair texture to being something other than race-related, which has realistic consequences, is step two. Call me crazy but I don’t believe there has to be a dramatic event that leads to an enlightening and beneficial truth for us all to see and act on. Are we not all fully capable of establishing a common ground to break through the negative stigma racism has left on our societal plate? Especially if it is fact that we don’t ALL wake up “wanting to get on with our lives.”
Also, having friends of various races does help people to gain a better understanding of what different cultures and people within those cultures have to offer. However, while having authentic friendships is a plus to our society as a whole, if nothing about another culture is ever known, respectful boundaries of the group as a whole should still be given.
Obama’s plan for a more perfect world definitely begins with dialogue. Being able to openly have a conversation and present one’s feelings with the reciprocation of being equally heard is extremely important.
Color is beautiful, it's time to erase the lines
When I hear the term Person of color I always ONLY think of African Americans. I have never thought of an Asian American as a person of color. I found that interesting. Anyway, that being said, I also found interesting the different perspectives in this article. One man doesn't want to be seen as just a human he wants to be seen as his race, one woman wants to be seen as a person. That is where I think we have trouble. It all depends on the individual. We CAN get there from here. Maybe just seeing a person as an INDIVIDUAL and not as a race or a human, but just the individual person that they are. We know we are all humans. Getting to know them and how he or she wants to be treated. We all know we have come a long way, but also have a long way to go. I think we also need to NOT strive for perfection or expect everyone to NOT see color. Color is beautiful. Individuality is beautiful too and that man that said he wanted to be accepted and not tolerated; I totally 100% agree with him. Acceptance is also beautiful. It will take decades and decades to get where we need to be and no it doesn't mean attrition. We need to respect how we got here and not forget it. It starts with us...we are more diverse than our grand-parents and our parents and it is our job to pass it down to our kids so they can pass it to their kids and so on. It can happen...it already has...there will always be room for improvement. Color is beautiful, let's erase the lines.
Awareness
It's very important that people should understand that people of color are more than African Americans, it's Asians, Asian Americans, Latinos, Mexicans, Pacific Islanders, basically anyone that is not "white." Although very self explanatory, race and ethnicities are a very controversial issue. Awareness is an important part of this, and people, not only "white" people, but people of color need to be more aware of the issue of race. we need to understand what has happened in the past, but stop pointing fingers and playing the blame game. White people need to understand they will never FULLY understand what a person of color goes through because they are not of that race, and the same goes on the other side. People of color need to understand it is not ALL of the white people's faults with issues including white supremacy, etc.
Race Education
It has been a long time since racism is rooted in the country. Things are greatly changed than it used to be. Yes we have African American President now, we have General Colin and talk show opera but it doesn’t mean racism doesn’t exist anymore. Those people are some exceptions. There is no slavery but the existence of institutional racism is in large. Schools from elementary to higher education level are practicing racism. Opportunities are more opened for whites than colored students, their whiteness privilege are following them. Every major structure is instrumental for racism. In every school African American and Hispanics’ are treated differently. On the street, Polices treated African Americans’ and Hispanics differently, under the law. When someone said, I am color blind, I see people as a person. I think the person is innocently denying the reality. We need to see colors and accept their differences. Where do we go from now? I believe Race education for all is very important.
Awareness and Opportunity
I think we first need to realize that the problem of racism and segregation is still very rampant in our country. I think that many people are blind to the fact that these still are issues. People don't know the discrimination that some face. I think that recognizing the inequalities that many people in our country face is a good way to start moving forward. If more people were aware of the segregation and discrimination that people still face based on color and race, the issue would start to be realized and confronted. There is an ignorant belief that the Civil Rights Movement ended racism, but the truth is racism is still alive and strong. I think we should recognize and embrace the differences between us. We should stand united against racism, hate, and inequality and fight for freedom. The freedom of respect and worthiness. I agree with the statement that it is not tolerance we want, but acceptance. My friend was one of only 5 other black girls in her private high school. The pressure to assimilate to whitensess was extremeley fervent. She would tell me countless stories of the segregation and discrimination she felt. This made me sick to my stomach. My friend could not feel comfortable just because the color of her skin. As a nation we need to realize the war we are fighting between us. We need to recognize that racism is a terrible disease that must be cured. Our generation has the opportunity to make a difference, to pick up where are revolutinary leaders left off. It is our opportunity, for all those who experienced and battled with hate, inequality, and ignorance, to stand up for what is right. We need to unite, we need to rise up, we need to fight for the equality, justice, and freedom that is rightfully ours.
What makes us different...
Weather it may be God or what we call science, put us here on earth with no mistake. So, we are all here, and we are all not right and not wrong, but normal. Racists think they are superior to ones out of their circle (circle meaning race), but aren’t we all really in the same circle? We all are human. We all think, act, and survive using the same human body we know. So what makes someone superior? Nothing. I can tell you what makes us different… attitude, culture, religion, skin color, eye color, hair color, height, weight, etc. but none of them make us superior, irregular, not normal, or wrong. Yes, we as society have came a long way from slaves and such, but I think we as humans should be one, act as one, think as one, and be treated as one. Everyone is entitled their own religion and belief, and each and every one should be not only accepted each other, also respected.
Looking at the Human Race
My life has been priveldged because of my exposure to so many different people. I have meet so many different types of people, like certain things of one group, and disliked certain things about other groups. I never even questioned what race I was till I was 9 years old, and even then I had to ask what we were. I believe there is only one race, and that is the human race, that is it. Now, their are ethnicities, and they are amazing, each group brings its own gifts and beauty to the world. I do celebrate other groups cultures, many times as if they are my own, because I love how spontaneous and different we all are. To me, races is non-existant, a word created by the elite and by racist to separate us into managable groups in order to better control us. Race puts people on levels, some inferior, sum superior, and some in between. Eliminating that word is a good first step, and understanding other ethnicities other than your own is the second. It is possible to transcend this, it is possible to become harmonized, and understanding of each other is the key.
Conversation on Race
Race and racism has been a issue in our history and is still prevalent today. Race is socially fabricated and has given others the excuse to compartmentalize other people without knowing them. This problem has created fear in others and has keep people from uniting. There is a fear of differences and diversity. We should celebrate diversity and our own ethnicity. We should educate ourselves and get to know people from different ethnic backgrounds. This is one way we can get rid of fears and uncertainties. Those who choose to live in ignorance and fear will hurt themselves and others. They will never get to see the beauty in diversity and appreciate the world as a whole. I am blessed to have been raised in a diverse surrounding of people. I have been taught and raised to look at each person as a human being and that the color of their skin has no bearing on who they are. I have grown to love different cultures and appreciate their uniqueness. We have come a long way as a country in our acceptance of different people but we still have a long way to go. We have to start with ourselves before we can expect others to change. Recognizing any prejudices within ourselves and addressing them. Once we can educate ourselves we can spread our knowledge to others. Talking about race and racism openly is also important and not being afraid to open up about it. Once we can identify the problem we will be more ready to solve it.
Color should NOT be an Issue
The color of someone's skin should not be an issue. That does not need to define who someone is or isn't. In our society today, it seems that we base everything off of what someone looks like. I understand that the social concept of race will not ever be gone completely. However, I do believe that at this day in time it is absurd to still judge others and stereotype relentlessly because of what they look like, their background, and where they are from. There are so many places that individuals are afraid to even be the only one of their kind in a room. It should, by no means, be like this. We need to accept people for who they are and not what they look like because at the end of the day nobody cares and it doesn't matter. If we are ever able to reach this point, the world will be a much better place.
Progression.
Color should not be the first thing we notice when someone walks through the door, but truth is that color is the first thing. from there our mind starts judging and trying to pick apart that certain individual. Although, everyday is another step towards a better future. From the emancipation of slaves, to an African American President. It seems to be getting better day by day. Growing up I lived in a diverse city in North Orange County wchich I feel very priveledged about because from a young age I was raised with kids of all differnt colors, so it did not make a difference to me. At a young age I realized we are all so different, but the same in so many ways. In this article they raise the question, "What would change in your life if there wasn't racism?" I feel that we would be able to listen to other peoples opinions with ease, no pre concieved notions. We would all gain more respect for each other. We would be able to walk, drive, travel anywhere and not worry about a certain group or certain people doing something that we used to view as wrong, or different. Life would be a lot differnet, no more negative vibes, negative tension, and preconcieved notions.
From tolerance to celebration
The first section essentially asks the question, " What is it going to take to get to the melting pot?" How is the human race going to see eachother as a human race rather than a black, red, brown, white race? It's interesting to hear the opinions from the people of color. I tend to agree with Jonathan Brent rather than Carmen Kerckhove. I am of Mexican and Cuban descent and I don't want somebody just seeing me as another human being. TO me, that doesn't do anything but turn a blind eye to the situation. I want people to see me for who I am and accept me rather than tolerate me. I agree that a major step to ending racsim is examining ourselves and see what stereotypes we have internalized. However, this doesn't mean you forget your culture entirely, but rather try to break away from the negative stereotypes.
I like this topic because it is something I often think about. I always wonder when the day will come where everybody is so mixed up and accepting of eachothers culures, that racsism will be a thing of the past. It reminds me of MLK's " I Have a Dream" speech when he says "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." These are truly powerful words and I do believe we have made some progress thoughout history. Obama becoming president was a huge step into achieving the one race utopia that everyone dreams about.
Being from California(vista)
Being from California(vista) I understand where you would think that Obama being the President of the United States would be seen as an improvement, now that I go to Howard University and live in Washington, DC, my views have completely changed. Because California gives off such a laid back and humble society, that is because there is not as many black people in the area except for the valley of Oceanside. Living in a predominantly black area and being around more "Color" than I have ever been around in my life brings a whole differen perception to "progress." The air is much thicker here and toleration is much lower. Working in a high middle class area I see on a daily basis howunequal whites and blacks are. On many occasion whether on the metro, at work, or dinner you see a difference on how people are treated, looked at, and viewed. It's sad really to see tht the only place really that is not as racist is the suburbs. The city is completely divided by race where the eastern south and north districts police are on every street and ready to pull someone over or lock someone up. If your black in the city you are all ready classified a s the lower class. Even in San Marcos and Vista and especially Escondido, you seethe hate and intolerance of Hispanics by the minute men and police
To touch on what you also said about Obama I hope you saw his speech to Congress last Thursday because that shows right there that we have not come very far. It emphasized that he isn't able to get anything. I dont necessarily think that it is just founded on his race but I think that adds to the Reoublican party's opposition of everything he attempts to do to better our country.
Strive to Succeed
Trying to create a worldwide racial utopia is an extremely lofty goal to try and accomplish. It something that could take decades maybe even centuries or even longer to even realize such task. Though in realistic terms I believe it to be near impossible to have a complete utopia of such a nature in fact i believe there is no such reality as a utopia. Because in order for a utopia to exist everyone and everything must be perfect and everyone will be happy. But in reality nobody is complete perfect in one way or another there will always be that ignorant person, or one who knows and understands but chooses not to care. Race is not something we can just eradicate it is something that needs to be accepted. A racial utopia is a great idea that i believe should be strived for but will in all likeliness never be reached in full.
Every day there are new stereotypes people are being fitted with new words to describe them and others like them. Society changes from generation to generation, as one generation dies off so may some of their beliefs or ideals and the newer generation creates their own. I think with each successive generation some ideas of racism die off and more people are accepted yet more slurs against other races are created. In America our great grandparents were racist against African Americans. Today African Americans are accepted by most of the white majority though there are still stereotypes floating around. Also today much of our generation are frightened by Arabic people because of a massive attack by a single Arab terrorist group so now all Arabs are stereotyped as terrorist and are singled out in airports etc.
With each dying stereotype comes a new one and so the people of the world take two steps forward and one step back.
Hope for the future
Although we can see from this article the there is still racism today, we have come a very long way regarding this issue. It seems that each culture Is somewhere along a continuum concerning this issue. Some cultures are more or less aware and either trying to do something about it or refusing to evolve. Here at least the people care enough about the different cultures to be able to talk about it. Even the discussion itself is progress. It will be interesting to see where things go next 150 years as technology continues to bring us all closer and we continue to understand that we are just one race, the human race.