Oxford Dictionary describes racism as “1) the belief that there are characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to each race, 2) discrimination against or antagonism towards other races.” The term has however become known as hate word. People who are called “racists” are usually looked down upon in society. I feel that everyone is racist though. Those who are open to admit to being racist are not afraid to show their real self are just true humans. Everyone makes racial jokes among their own race in their own house, people like me and others that can make racial jokes in public are just honest. There is nothing wrong with a little racism to me anyway; it’s when you take it to the extreme like the KKK when it becomes a problem in society.
The Ku Klux Klan or KKK was formed in 1866 by a group of veteran Confederate soldiers. The main purpose of the KKK was to resist the Reconstruction that President Lincoln talked about for the nation after the Civil War. The Klan stated in Tennessee and soon spread throughout all of the Southern States. The main focus of the Ku Klux Klan was to keep freed slaves from having the same rights as the white men down in America. This was in regard to the right to bear arms, education, voting rights, and even economic advancement. The Ku Klux Klan also wanted to keep the Republican Party down too, because they were sympathetic to African Americans. The Klan resorted to violence and terrorism to get the results they wanted. In one county in Florida during the height of the Klan’s terror 150 African Americans were killed, along with hundreds of other in other counties. You may wonder to yourself why people would want to join a terrorists group in the south, Plato suggests it’s because it’s what they grow up understanding. In an essay entitled Allegory of the Cave, Plato talks about people in a cave staring at shadows on the wall. In the essay one person gets out of the cave and sees the light outside. When he returns and tells the others what he has seen, they mock him and tell him it doesn’t exist. I think this applies to the KKK because they are all just seeing the violent acts and are used to seeing the freed slaves and republicans as they were that they didn’t know anything else.
The KKK is an example of extreme racism the kind that is not funny. There are some light hearted racist jokes and stereotypes that can be amusing. All throughout my four years at Port Richmond High School I learned a lot about the stereotypes of other cultures, especially on the football team. My high school was very diverse, more diverse then Old Westbury. I learned stereotypes about the Spanish, blacks and all the European countries. We would joke around in the locker room and in school about why this kid was better in athletics but could not perform academically. Joking amongst friends I don’t even like to consider racism. Everyone does it. I took a lot of jokes about drinking and potatoes. I even have an Italian friend who fulfilled a stereotype by not attending college in order to become a plumber. I don’t know about you but I find that funny. The best way to describe this I think is using Nasser as a field of examples. Picture if you will that instead of all the drivers being white guys, there were drivers from different ethnic groups. There is a driver from Mexico, an African American from the inner city, one from Italy and one from Ireland. Now that in its self may not be funny, but now imagine that the Mexican driver drives a car sponsored by “Home Depot,” the African American’s car is sponsored by “Kool-Aid,” the Italian’s car by a “Papa John’s Pizza,” and the Irish drivers car is sponsored by “Guinness.” All of the sudden to me those drivers become a little more humorous. As long as the stereotypes are kept like this and you don’t take it too far, you can have fun with races and stereotypes.
Throughout history there have been a lot of people that have stood up and spoke out about racism and discrimination. As far back as Moses in the Old Testament who led the Jews out of religious persecution by the people of Egypt. Some of the most influential people came out of the Civil Rights Movement in America during the 1960s. People like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and everyone’s favorite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During the 1960s in America there was a movement toward equality. All over America, though mostly in the south, segregation was common. African-Americans were not allowed to use simple things such as water fountains and public bathrooms as white people. Needless to say this made a lot of people unhappy. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the African Americans in a revolution that led to equality in America. King really showed how people can overcome racism and change the world. He rounded people together and led marches, protests, and boycotts. His most famous moment comes from his speech I have a Dream. A speech he made on the stairs on the Lincoln Memorial. King also wrote a famous letter from a jail in Birmingham Alabama. In the letter he explains his goals for the Civil Rights movement and how to achieve them. He also talks about what they have already done. He writes the letter in response to a statement made by another man of the time who feels that Civil Rights movement is not necessary. The remarks made by Dr. King were made patiently but got his point across very clearly.
The Civil Rights Movement was very successful and equality reigned over the nation. Unfortunately, some say it did not last though. Even today people are accusing whites feel they are superior to blacks. A recent example of this is the Jena 6. The story goes that some black students sat under what was called the “white tree.” The next day some nooses were hung from the tree to send a message to those students. A small race war followed and it ended up with six African-American students arrested for attempted murder. The crime weapon in the crime was a sneaker which outraged a lot of people. The six men right now as far as I know are out of prison right now, although they did all serve some time. The majority of Americans feel that this may have been an issue of race, again the not funny kind, because no charges were ever brought up against any of the white students. There were petitions in order to get the students free and raise awareness about the racism still in America. Even here at Old Westbury there was a speech given and people showing up in support of the Jena 6. The men all received money from the NAACP to help pay for their college. I found it amusing that the whole nation now looks upon these six men as Civil Rights heroes, yet most of the six have criminal records prior to the arrest. I know criminal records are paid more mind then they should be, but in a case where people have records for assault, then they assault somebody else and are let off the hook because they are black is absurd to me. They were charged with attempted murder originally which I agree may have been harsh for the crime. The man they assaulted was only in the hospital for two hours. The fact that he had to go to the hospital is the problem I have. Even if it is not attempted murder it is still assault and it is also a hate crime. A hate crime is a crime committed because someone was of a different race then that of the person committing the crime. Well in the case of the Jena 6 the man they assaulted was white and they were black. The crimes are supposed to be giving harsher punishment but the Jena 6 are still out scot-free and with money for college.
I was asked to sign a petition on campus to help the Jena 6. I declined because I felt that if the situation was reversed that many African-Americans would not sign the petition to help six white men get out of jail. The reason I say this is because to me it seems like whenever race comes up in any topic, white people seem to be at fault. African-Americans never seem to get blamed or accused of being racist in as wide of a scope. I have never heard of a black teacher being accused of calling her white students “cracker” or “honky,” but as soon as a white teacher calls a student a “porch monkey” or even worse a “nigger” it’s all over the news. Maybe less black teachers do use those words in the classroom but I do find it hard to believe that it never happens at all. Then I start to think that in every time I heard of any Civil Rights thing recently one name comes up, Al Sharpton. Al Sharpton has done a lot of good for his community without a doubt. However he seems to let the issue of race die. He cares more about the fact that people are black then anyone. It seems to me from seeing him in the public eye that he is first to throw the race card, for example, if a black man is served last at a restaurant when he is there with his three white friends, Al Sharpton would be the one to say it’s because he is black. Likewise though if those same four friends were eating out and the black guy gets he’s food first it’s again because he is black. What do you want from us Sharpton?
Racism has existed in America before the slaves even arrived. The Native Americans were also discriminated against.
“The white man came across the sea,
He brought us pain and misery,
He killed our tribe,
He killed our creed,
He took our game for his own need.”
(Harris, 4)
This quote says the same thing that Plenty-Coups or Aleek-chea-ahoosh says in his essay in the document Native American Voices. Plenty-Coups said how he sees his world around him changing and there are less and less buffalo because the white men use them for everything. He also said that “Their Wise Ones said might have their religion…” (Plenty-Coups 5) I think that the Native Americans had it worse than anyone else. In 1838 the Native Americans were forced to relocate to reservations. Many died on the long journey to Oklahoma from their original homes on the Eastern Seaboard.
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…” (Jefferson 6) This is a line straight out of the Declaration of Independence, which in no way promotes racism. Racism is however another invention of mankind. Only with time and understanding can man separate the comical and extreme racism that tore this country in two pieces. Sure every once in a while it is ok to make a joke about another race, culture, gender, and even religion, just make sure you know when to draw the line and make sure not to offend anyone with your humor. Racism has ripped America apart on several occasions, The Civil War, Civil Rights, and The O.J. Simpson trail. Gangs like the KKK have been in America for years and are a racist part of our history. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “lukewarm acceptance is more bewildering then out right rejection,” and I agree with him. Racism and hatred are both confusing topics; let’s not make it more confusing by sending mixed messages. We can all learn from history and hindsight is always 20/20, we saw the mistakes people have made in the past. Let us move forward in our world free of extreme racism but keep the laughter alive.
Works Cited
1. Anonymous. First-Year Reader the Ethics of Engagement: Educating Leaders for a Just World. Copley Custom Textbooks An imprint of XanEdu Publishing, 2007
2. Plato. “Allegory of the Cave” First-Year Reader the Ethics of Engagement: Educating Leaders for a Just World. Copley Custom Textbooks An imprint of XanEdu Publishing, 2007. Page 3-6.
3. Martin Luther King Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” First-Year Reader the Ethics of Engagement: Educating Leaders for a Just World. Copley Custom Textbooks An imprint of XanEdu Publishing, 2007. Page 454-469.
4. Harris, Steve. Run to the Hills Iron Maiden Album: The Number of the Beast Harvest Records/Capitol Records, 1982
5. Aleek-chea-ahoosh. “Native American Voices Plenty-Coups” First-Year Reader The Ethics of Engagement: Educating Leaders for a Just World. Copley Custom Textbooks An imprint of XanEdu Publishing, 2007. Page 15.
6. Thomas Jefferson. “The Declaration of Independence” First-Year Reader the Ethics of Engagement: Educating Leaders for a Just World. Copley Custom Textbooks An imprint of XanEdu Publishing, 2007. Page 399-402.
7. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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