The “R” word
I don’t know what you might be think the “R” stands for. Rights? Romance? Nope, RACE. Nowadays, it seems like race is a dirty little word that no one wants to say for the fear of being judged. It has become a topic that people cringe at because, automatically, they think it’s going to end in picking a side. That is the sad world we live it my friends. A person can’t say black, or white, or any other race outside their own because they’ll get fiery looks and probably stopped before they really begin talking.
I for one don’t have a problem talking about race. In actuality, I see only one race…the human race. As corny or lame as it sounds, we are all human and should be judged based on our character and not our race. I also don’t think that race should be used as a way to judge a person’s character. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone from the same group of people are the same. *Gasp* There’s a shocker! I mean look at your immediate family. Are you all cookie cutter? I doubt it. I’m not even exactly like my twin.
Sometimes, I wish race didn’t exist. Not the human race itself but the “what are you race.” You know the one they make you check off for a job or some formal exam. I’m black but I ‘m also hispanic. I check off hispanic on everything unless I don’t feel like being judged by my ethnicity(even though they claim you don’t.) The black community is not fond of my decision to list myself as hispanic because I’m supposedly neglecting my true self. But I’m not going to check “African American/Black (Non-hispanic)” That too, in my eyes, is neglecting my true self. I’ll check my hispanic box and if you give me an interview or see me face to face you’ll see I’m a black woman. Anyone with some sense would know that hispanic, in itself, is not a race. There can be people that look like Hillary Clinton all the way to people that look like the singer Seal. There’s no RIGHT look. It is very annoying feeling like I have to choose. You have to be one or the other because that way it’s easier for us to be put in a box. That’s why I sometimes wish we all looked exactly alike from head to toe so the madness wouldn’t exist but then I think of all the beautiful people and rich culture this world has, and know that would be a horrid thing.
Why can’t we all just be excepted for who we are as people. I was lucky enough to be raised by a mother who didn’t see race. My mother is black and my father was a hispanic man that looked like a dark skinned Native American, flowing long hair and all. My mother had a best friend growing up who is Arab. She gets upset whenever people talk crap about Arabs because to this day she has a bond with her friend and her friend’s family. My mother’s mother was also very excepting of other races. I made the mistake once of telling my mother that I didn’t really like people from the Dominican Republic. She quickly put me in my place. Besides the fact that her boyfriend was from there and my little brother were technically half Dominican, I wasn’t raised to say such stupid things…to think so stupidly. I couldn’t be racist even if I wanted to. My mother would probably snatch my soul from my body if I ever told her I hated an entire race of people.
I don’t know how people do it. How can you hate a group of people based on skin color. For whatever reason, people think that racism is reserved for whites only. As if there’s segregation in racism. Like only whites can be racist. Far from it. But you see people use the past to justify their racism like, “well we were oppressed, so in reality, we can’t be racist.” Oh, yes you can sweetie! Denial is a terrible thing, especially when it comes from an ignorant person. Yes, there was unbelievable cruelty done to people based on race but that doesn’t give us the right to spew hate, because it would just make us as bad.
Nothing justifies hatred of a person for basically no reason. If all you have to go on is race or skin color in order to like someone , then you’re crazy. I find it beautiful and intriguing that we have such a diverse human race. I think it’s sad that someone could deny themselves the ability to appreciate that. How, in this day and age, can people be so ridiculous? Is it based off of fear? Hatred that was passed down? Plain and simple ignorance!? Whatever it is, I pity people like that.
Don’t ever let someone’s race determine how you value them…how you see them. We are one. Despite our physical traits, we are family. I can only hope that my daughters won’t grow up in a world that will continue to separate us based on something so trivial. My wish for them is that one day, race won’t be a factor as much as it is now. I understand more now, after having children, why Martin Luther King JR wanted so bad for equality. It’s one thing when you as a parent might deal with racism but you pray that your kids won’t have to go through it. We should love each other and respect each other no matter what!
This post is not to condemn anyone or to offend but to open a line of communication about race as it relates to equality and love. As always, ((Hugs and Love))
I’m a mother of three. I’ve been writing for six years both for myself and for different companies. I write content about many different topics but mostly about motherhood, faith, and life.
