I had never felt so out of place or uncomfortable with the color of my skin. Normally, a person’s piercing stare or gaze would not affect me, and normally would be shrugged off just as when someone mentions an insult or snide remark. Then at other times, the color of your skin can even frighten someone else because of their racial misconceptions or biased views on a certain race. Racial prejudice is a negative aspect of society that has unfavorably affected me. I often wonder if it could it be something done by myself to cause this reaction or maybe my body language which would cause the other person to become uneasy around me.
Or maybe it is the other individuals upbringing of the “white is right” motto which leads them to presume me as an unmannered and uneducated minority. It almost seems as if it were yesterday when racial prejudice was bestowed upon me. The other individual was dressed in a fine wardrobe which consisted of high end designer denim jeans, and a fine solid silver silk shirt which had a strong masculine scent from the Giorgio Armani cologne he wore. As I walked ever closer to him browsing the fine designer store aisles it seemed apparent to me that he was appalled at the sight of my shopping in the same store as he.
Trying my hardest to fit in with the surrounding individuals and upper social class of the location, my wardrobe consisted of dark denim blue jeans, and a long sleeved striped dress shirt with a splash of sweet smelling cologne. To no avail this did not alter his perception on how he viewed me, instead he just stared intently as if to intimidate or make me feel uncomfortable. Which made me realize how difficult minorities had it back in the time period of segregation when they were treated similar just as a mere object, and not as a person with emotions.
Eventually it became unbearable being in this predicament to the point where instead of causing a ruckus and being rude with this individual as he was with me. I ended up leaving the high end department store disheartened and embarrassed because of the color of my skin. Another type of situation that had happened to me was involving racial fear it was on a hot Texas summer day when this predicament had happened involving some friends myself and a middle aged white couple. Feeling adventurous and being off for spring break on my senior year of high school I ended up going on a hiking trip with a few friends.
Everything seemed to be working out perfectly from the beautiful breeze and relative cooler than normal spring temperature we had on that day. To the amount of people whom were on the hiking trail that particular day in March which made everything seem to work together flawlessly. As we sauntered up the steep rocky trail we noticed a Caucasian couple who kept looking back at us fearfully as if we were going to harm them. We continued on our way not really paying attention to the couple’s uneasiness of us gaining distance on them and drawing ever closer to them on the hiking trail.
Finally without realizing it we were within 5 feet or so from the couple. They seemed fearful of three young Hispanic teens dressed in casual outdoor clothing. To the average person three friends dressed in cargo shorts and t-shirts would not strike fear into their heart as it seemed to instill into this particular couple. As we were about to pass the couple on the descent from the trail back down to conclude our trek. We noticed that the Caucasian male had pulled out a can of pepper spray possibly because of being fearful from seeing a group of three young Hispanic males approaching him.
I tried to defuse the situation by greeting the couple and by possibly initiating a conversation to lower the couples guard toward us and possibly eliminate their fearfulness of us. Instead all I did was make the situation worse and ended up angering the fearful couple which lead to a horrible experience and ruined trip. I could adhere to the racial remarks and, allow it to keep me downhearted and deter me from pursuing a successful life or achieving personal goals. Alternatively the viewpoint of treat others as they treat you could be used easily on instances where prejudice is bestowed upon me.
As gleefully as it may sound to do the same that would make it seem as if they had gotten the best of me. Emotionally it is hard to remain calm when placed in the uncanniness of situations involving racial prejudice. Instead of pondering on the negativity of the situation I have tried to turn the negativity of prejudice into a positive. My personal vendetta has been to prove by my actions that a minority can succeed in today’s society and become educated with a successful career and lifestyle.
For this reason my pursuit of attaining a Bachelor Degree in Business will be a personal achievement and accomplishment that will allow me to show that a person’s skin color does not define their achievements or goals in life. Anything in life can be achieved or accomplished with hard work and dedication no matter what color your skin is. This was something proved by Dr. Martin Luther King who was a very well respected minority whom had a dream and goal in mind.
He was able to overcome many obstacles and racial prejudice in his life, and in essence turn negativity into a positive during his era when he was battling racial prejudice by angry white men and women. Even though racism is wrong, it is still being practiced, in this country and in others. The origins are obscure, but it most likely had something to do with a poor or ill experience upbringing involving another race. Our enlightened society has more discernment than this, and we know that a person is neither good nor bad depending on the color of their skin.
