YOU'RE "RACIST"

In my opinion and from understanding, racism still exists regardless an individual identify or acknowledge himself or herself as a racist. I believe there is racism within everyone, to a degree. There is a misconception in my opinion how individuals identify what racism may be; the act of antagonistic discrimination towards a person of color is definitely racism, but unfortunately this is only one form of racism. The many who identify themselves as a non-racist has a narrow grasp of what racism and being a racist is because there are many forms of racism. A person who might not act in any form of hostilely to another person of color, but instead are capable to appreciate different privileges on the basis of skin color knowingly or not, they are systematically a racist. Racism continues to exist because there still is a hierarchy of power and a difference in privileges scattered among the populations on the basis of pigmentation. Although individuals may not identify themselves as a racist in any form or shape, there will always be systematic order of power and discrimination building silent animosity; racism exist because of this concept not whether a person identify or associate themselves as a racist.

Commentators’ speculated and think that race does not matter in the United States anymore because of the election of Obama. The election of President Obama is undoubtedly a huge accomplished milestone in America’s history, but it does not mean that we are now in an era of post-racial. The reason that commentators claimed we are now post-racial is because President Obama, a person of African decent has been for the first time elected for presidency. Commentators used the election of Obama as an example of post-racial stating now, “Race is important but not a barrier” in the United States. Dr. Apollon argues that the election of President Obama does not mean racism is dead, I agree with him. Dr. Apollon points out that President Obama won the election despite the racial attack and fear, and built a massive Grassroots movement changing disastrous rule. President Obama was able to overcome visual bigotries but there is more to do until the United States truly become post-racial.

If I was to being conversing with a friend of mine in regards of the class discussion involving white privilege and they were to say, “Oh, I don’t see color, I just see people individually.” I would honestly tell them, “get real the only way a person doesn’t see color is if they are color blind.”

      

-422W