Mythology & Racism

When you hear the word racism what do you think of? Trayvon Martin, the KKK, a burning cross? These are the extreme cases of racism that typically come to mind, but what about subtle racism that hits us every day?

But before we look at subtle racism let us look at the definition of racism. Racism: A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type. 

Professor Alvin Alvarez explains subtle racism "These are incidents that may seem innocent and small, but cumulatively they can have a powerful impact on an individual's mental health. “These incidents can be anything from being made fun of in school for being different to being ignored by another individual to making judgments based off of stereotyping. Racial stereotyping dehumanizes our fellow humans. We only see them as a characteristic instead of having a life.

 

After 9/11 seeing someone from the Middle East on the street casted fear into the hearts of the American people, because the event of 9/11 middle easterners have a stereotype of being hostile and hating America. As a result most people ignore, make judgments, and even harass people because of their Middle Eastern race. 

Another myth we experience in our everyday lives is the myth that a mixed-race person only hold one of the many different races they contain.— For example, when we see a mixed Caucasian and African American person we tend to associate the stereotype that addresses the most promenade characteristic of them. 

Some of the oldest race based stereotypes that impacts our everyday lives can be easily found our kitchens. The products we have in our kitchen promote racial stereotypes to promote their products.

 We cannot continue to act upon our interpretations of stereotypes. We cannot continue to dehumanize our fellow humans. We need to not allow our impulses to act for us, rather we need to see all peoples, no matter their ethnicity as a living human being who have values, a family, and a purpose to their lives. We shall no longer look at a stranger as an empty husk.