There is an underlying problem that is promoting racism. It is the fact that alot of people believe, and try to make themselves believe, that racism no longerexists.
Many people today live their lives oblivious to what is happening in theworld around them, often trying to convince themselves that racism is not aproblem in their world. Others know all about the problem, but dont reallyrealize that they themselves could possibly be adding to the problem bydiscriminating against someone elses human rights, and at the same time goingaround saying how open-minded they are. One of the main problems of racism isthat many people live in racist conditions, without even seeing it. Oftentimesits in their school, workplace, community, or even in their own homes. Peopleoften tell jokes with racist slurs, and while we know not to laugh at ones aboutblacks, it seems that ones about other races like Chinese and Hispanic are okay. We tell ourselves that they are just jokes, but not to those who they areridiculing.
We are all perpetrators of this and we usually feel that these typesof jokes are harmless. They can be harmless and maybe at times we even thinkthey are funny, but they are also hurtful and degrading. Some of the biggestracists are those who dont even know that they are, and even say that theyarent. These people are racist because they cannot comprehend what ishappening and do not realize what they are saying is racist. Until they come togrips with this problem, in their minds there is no problem. They say that theyare not racist, even when they dont hire the East Indian employee who was themost qualified of the candidates, even when the athletic team they coachconsists of all white athletes.
Often times these people feel that just becausea person is a certain color or race, that they must be a thief or a criminal. This is very typical in todays society and no one deserves to be prejudgedlike that. The prejudice of people in the world is disgusting. The worst part ofit all is that they dont even know that they are doing it, often thinkingthat it is just normal behavior. There are people that dont realize that theyare racist and then there are those people who are ignorant and unaware ofracism in the world. They walk down the streets, through the stores and workingat their job, completely oblivious.
We dont see what is happening around usbecause we dont want to see it. If you take someone and put them in the heartof a racist area, would they notice the problems then or would they still denyor overlook the fact of racism? Those people who do not see that racism is aproblem are almost as bad as the racists themselves. This is not to be taken inthe wrong way; some people who ignore racism are those people who are trying topush racism out of their own lives and out of the world. However, as long as wehave people who are unaware of the problem, it will continue to thrive.
