Appealing to the Majority

I think you picked an excellent topic for your project, however I believe you will find that eliminating an IDEA is impossible. There will always be racism to some degree, although I like what your doing, which is making racism unacceptable. However I think you'll find racism not just in white people but in any race that is in the majority in an area. But keep up the good work

Racism is a very touchy subject even in the twenty first century. As a biracial American (black and white) I identify with the black race more than the white. When I think about racism within this country my mind usually drifts toward how blacks are treated in this country. Being biracial I see both sides of the “field”. When I am with my white side (I only live with my mother who is white) she talks about different aspects of the black race that are distorted because of what they hear or watch on TV. The same with when I am with my black friends. There is this distorted image about how all white people are. Images on TV and the radio twist and destruct our thinking about how a human being is supposed to be.
It is a lack of understanding. Since slavery has been in are past its residue is still in our environment in all types of ways. For example, as a result of slavery many black people try to be as the same standards as white. Racism occurs within the black community in regards to the darkness or lightness of your skin. Or the coarseness and length of your hair. That is just one entity of racism, I could go on and on about the different viewpoints and aspects of it. But in all honestly I believe the only way to eliminate racism within the United States is to have an open forum for the whole nation to discuss about the tensions with each ethnicity. The United States is a powerful nation known for its wide variety of cultures but even today we are still transfixed with the how we are so different. The only reason why racism is still occurring is because LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. Once one understands why that person from a different culture or ethnicity acts the way they do then assumptions will not be made.

I applaud you for taking this on.

I wholeheartedly agree with lisanguessan above. I am Puerto Rican, which in itself is biracial. I'll tell you something interesting. Puerto Ricans on the island come in many colors because of our mixture of African, Indian, Spanish, and even French/Italian blood (as is in my case). You would think that Puerto Ricans would unite under the same banner based on our culture and ideals. But we do not. Puerto Ricans on the island are racist toward one another based on skin color and are biased based on class. It is the most sickening, disheartening thing to see.

So, hypothetically, even if we removed, say, all minorities and only white Anglo-Americans existed, there are some souls who would still create differences based on some petty, insignificant detail. We find this type of thinking all across the board, in politics, in gender studies, even in geographic situations (Northerners vs. Southerners). People always seek to divide. The challenge is, how to bring people together?

America is so multi-cultural, so diverse, that for a linear-thinking person, this nation can be a scary, confusing place. Some people are only comfortable in familiar, simple surroundings. These people also often believe in absolute truths. So separating those whose thinking may be a bit broader from those who are narrow-minded is key, I think.

Most of us are not hateful racists; we simply hold misconceptions and misunderstand people who are different from us. It is when something happens that the smaller, truly racist demographic enflames everything and everyone becomes scared and "retreats to their respective corners" as Barack Obama so eloquently put it in a speech.

I would suggest starting on a simple, creative level. Ever wonder why the artist/creative communities seem to hold race as a non-issue? I think it is because creativity is something all humans share in. Music, art, literature can be a common thread. Devise interactive games to challenge stereotypes. (I will email you with a really interesting activity that a diversity trainer once did at one of my former jobs. I think you'd like it!)

As for those white, privileged persons who don't seem to be excited at the prospect of combating racism, take heart. The proper message can lure almost anyone. Maybe you can lure people in by framing it as an initiative to teach younger children the importance of learning about one another. You will attract all those with a sense of volunteerism and perhaps in working together, will begin to learn something about themselves in the process?

You are wonderful. Best of luck!

Yeah.. I know that everyone does it, and every culture is prone to enduring them..but it seems like we (blacks and latinos) get them the most.

*We don't all love fried chicken
*We don't know every lyric to every rap song ever made
*Some of us don't even listen to rap
*We don't put hot sauce on everything
*All of us don't receive help from the government. (food stamps, unemployment, welfare, etc.)
*All of us aren't as concerned about putting chrome rims on our vehicles opposed to paying our utilities
*We don't end every sentence with "girl", a neck role, and a finger snap
*We aren't all the product of 14 year old girls that "weren't properly guided"
*Some of us do have fathers living at home
*That weren't carted off to jail for gang banging or selling drugs..

I could go on but you get the gist of it.

"Prefiero morir parada que vivir la vida en mis rodillas"