The Real Heart of Racism

My simple definition of racism is this. Racism is based on the false, man-made concept that humanity is divided up into specific races. In fact, there is only one race, the human race. It is true that there are differences in skin color, language and culture but these are superficial differences and not grounds for discrimination. Assuming that one group of people is superior or inferior based on these differences is ludicrous. When prejudice becomes institutionalized, it is the worst kind of racism. The days of overt slavery may be over, but racism is not. The deep pain caused by the heavy yoke of racism is felt by millions of souls around the world.

Racism is taught in schools when it does not teach history accurately. Governments use it when they subjugate specific segments of the population based on their false assumption of race. Racism is exercised when there is institutionalized disrespect of cultural or religious traditions, when laws are used to shelter the rich while turning their backs on poorer minorities, this is institutionalized racism. Police use it when they harass people because of their skin color rather than their actions. In Minneapolis, the arrest rate of blacks is four times the national average. The business world uses it when they refuse to hire someone because of their color, or pay them properly when they do. There are many businesses that hire minorities specifically because they can pay them less and work them harder. These are but a few examples of racism and they do not begin to describe the severity of this deep scar woven into the very fabric of America.

In my opinion, racism is a thin veil used to disguise greed and self interest. It is a self justification, taught from generation to generation, for taking whatever is considered valuable. Mostly land. An old Indian friend of mine explained it to me this way. While we sat together on two tree stumps out in the woods, he taught me using this clear metaphor. “I invited you to come for dinner as my guest and slowly, you took over my home forcing myself and my family to become homeless. I invited you to walk with me in this beautiful forest and before long; you cut down all the trees and told me I could not live here anymore."

The battle for land and its coveted resources like oil, water, minerals etc., has been going on for ever. It appears to me that many of the isms, such as racism, sexism and rampant nationalism are driven by the same engine. Maybe they are all aspects of one disease. Maybe the complexity and confusion surrounding these isms is a self perpetuating mechanism. Maybe by overlooking the symptoms we can get a glimpse of the cause. In my wild imagination, I picture an evil puppeteer controlling the strings of all the ism puppets. Everyone is so caught up in the drama; they don’t realize he is behind the curtain orchestrating the whole thing. Let’s rip the curtain aside and learn what his motivation is. Simply put, greed. If he can make you less than human, less important, and inferior, then not only does he no longer need to share “the pie” with you but he can take your piece too, make you cook him up some more and charge you for it. Now, if he can brainwash people to think like he does, then guess what? He can get them to do the work for him! As long as we are all caught up in the drama, then he can continue amassing the wealth of the world, while polluting the environment, and wreaking havoc on our basic trust of one another. As long as we remain blinded and caught up in the drama of disunity, this little dark, wizard puppeteer I've described above, wins. The greatest weapon we have to outsmart him is unity. Simplistic, maybe, but what is hard to face is the part of him we have incorporated into our own thinking. The taint of the disease is in all of us. Only by facing it can we overcome it. That is the first step.

Here is another simplistic theory. Love is the only exit door off the stage of the ism puppet show. It’s amazing how truth can sound like a coke commercial, but it is truth nevertheless. In this instance, love of one another is often complex and hard. Love of the environment and caring about the planet takes work and sacrifice. Love of oneself involves the painstaking job of clarifying our vision and removing the veils from our hearts. Love is not easy but what else is as important? What else are we here for? What else are we waiting for? A friend of mine summed it up by saying “what else is there to do that is more exciting and fun?”

Sometimes the more subtle, covert manifestations of this disease are harder to bear. As a woman, I know what sexism feels like and it doesn’t feel good. I would never even venture or attempt to describe what it feels like to bear the brunt of racism as it is not my experience to describe. Instead, I will let my African American friend describe it as it is a reality she lives with everyday.

"The reminders that you are black (or any other "minority") are always there. It never, never ends. From the way news is reported to the advertisements we see, to the movies, and videos, to the redlining of insurance, and real estate companies, to the availability, and pricing of foods in "our" neighborhoods, to the treatment of our children, (especially) by the legal system, to the disproportionate number of blacks, and other minorities in the military, (therefore more likely to be killed or injured), to the roadblocks to decent education, and the resultant lack of preparedness for real jobs, and on and on. Racism drains your energy and your hope for a better world. "

Getting to know other people from different culture groups, or nationalities allows us to get a clearer picture of where our blinders are. It is too easy to assume that we are beyond reproach when we isolate ourselves in our own little world. Growing out of racism is a gradual process that happens only when we interact with others with an open heart, and when we truly understand that we are one. Science has discovered that we all originate from the same ancestral origins in Africa. We all share the same basic genetic code. The air we breathe is common to us all. We are one.

Only a fundamental change of heart can influence our laws, and banish racism forever. Learning to define where our biases and misunderstandings are and stripping ourselves of them is essential.

. It is clear that our world is moving very quickly toward a global society where mere tolerance is not enough. Unity without diversity is not possible and without it, any unity gained is superficial and temporary. Children grasp the concept of world citizenship in an instant. Talking with friends on the other side of the world over the Internet is an everyday occurrence in homes and classrooms everywhere. As the world shrinks, acceptance and love are the only answers. In the past, the "stranger" lived far away, in some strange land. Now, as we emerge into a global society, there are no strangers, there are only us created by the one and only Creator. It stands to reason that if there is a creation, there must certainly be a creator and certainly, each of us is a witness to a creation beyond our limited comprehension. How can one expect to develop sensitivity to diversity if we still have blinders on? If we as a human race do not learn the skill set and spiritual maturity necessary to deal with diversity, the disintegration into discord will continue. Everyone brings with them wonderful gifts, talents and wisdom. Appreciating the gifts each individual represents, helps those qualities to develop and enriches our lives as well as theirs.

In many urban schools in America, the lunch room is a model of disintegration. Each race has its own table. Crossing those boundaries is taboo. When gangs are involved, it becomes a matter of life and death. The breakdown into smaller and smaller identity groups is manifesting itself in society. Is this the world we want to leave for our children? Until we understand that we are one, it will only get worse. A long held dream of all races and nationalities is peace on earth, goodwill to all. The greatest challenge we face is making this a reality. It has been a dream for too long.Honoring and respecting the beliefs of others is so much easier when we accept that truth is one. What may look strange on the outside may only look that way because we don’t understand it. Many people for centuries believed that North American Indians worshipped a tree or a rock or some other inanimate object. People thought that this made them heathens and that they didn’t believe in a Supreme Being. On closer inspection, we discover that this wasn’t correct at all! Of course they believed in a Creator, but they also believed that the attributes of the Creator were manifested in the creation, just as a painting can reflect the qualities of the painter. By honoring the spiritual attributes in nature, are we not indeed honoring God? The respect most indigenous people have of the land is inspiring and beautiful. This is just one example of how misconceptions can interfere with our ability to see and appreciate someone else’s way of being in the world. Be willing to see things from another point of view.

It takes a certain willingness to accept that we have biases. So many people waste their time trying to defend themselves with statements like “I’m not prejudiced” or “I’m not biased.” Being human means we have some prejudices about someone or something. It is inescapable. Weeding them out daily takes courage and a strong commitment toward freeing ourselves from them. Imagine wearing glasses that have layers of different colored film on the lenses. Imagine how limiting it would be and really impossible to really see the beauty all around us. Prejudice is like that. It prevents us from seeing what truly is. Often these layers of bias don’t even come from us. They are veils we inherited or picked up from someone else. Letting them go is true freedom. Freedom for a fish is when he understands what he is swimming in.

Diane Robinson Kerr