Chapter 18.

True Reasons For Racism

People of different races are all equal with the same amount of potential. But why racism
isn’t yet eradicated? Is the desire to feel superior the only reason for racism? Is it only about
breeding hatred and ignorance? Perhaps not. There are countable reasons for its
pervasiveness despite modern changes that took place in our world.

What are the true reasons for racism?

Racism is a serious problem. It caused too much in our past and can affect our future. As
most of us know, it is a collection of hateful thoughts of a racist to another person or group
and woven to different institutions, markets, and even in your neighborhood. A lot of people
don't know what are the true reasons behind racism, yet there are so many racists. How will
we solve something with unknown origin, causes, and reasons? Hence, to fix the issue we
have to fully understand what it is all about.

 Racism has nothing to do with your skin color.

It has nothing to do with your color, your physical features, your accent, or your learning
ability. Rather, it has all to do with the inherent and formed greed in the hearts of men. Do
you speak with a different accent? No problem. Do you have darker skin? There's nothing
wrong with that. What's wrong is how people think of you, how they make judgments and
assumptions. We all breathe the same air, we are all capable of doing something whatever
group we're in.

 Racism is economical.

One of the biggest and oldest reasons for racism is economical and not skin color
differences. For example, slavery. Conquerors who call themselves "masters" make people
of color their slaves- they will work for them and obey their orders. They gain not only from
the work given to them but also from the resources available in the place.

Social classes are created also because of racism. They gain profit by stepping on other
people. They step up on the social ladder because of the ideas they created. Therefore,
because of the want to gain power, a person or a group can be racists.

 Racism is a major issue throughout history.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, one common form of racism in history is slavery.
Powerful men and women created racist ideas to justify existing racist policies. One example
of this racist policy is letting white men call black people property back then. This is known
as chattel slavery.

Other people will say that what happened in the past is no longer important in
contemporary society. And yet, it is. What happened back then leaves a significant impact
on what we are today. It helps us learn lessons and know the possible consequences of
creating distinctions. It guides in determining our future course of action. To stop from being
chained twice, one must eliminate ignorance and embrace everyone’s uniqueness.

 Racism can be inherited and adapted.

Racist views and ideas are passed from one generation to another. This is another reason
why racism continues to persist even in the modern world. Thus, parents should be aware of
the values they try to teach to their children. They have a significant effect on what they
think and building up their children’s beliefs and worldviews.

Parents influence their children. Once they give harsh comments towards someone of a
different race, children will think that racism is the right thing to do because their parents do
so. Raising a child to hate other races affects their overall personality which becomes hard to
change.

Who surrounds affects who you care whether it's your family or social circle. When you
choose to be friends with people who have unwanted remarks to people of a different race,
you are likely to listen to them and become a racist yourself. They say birds with the same
feather flocks together, this also applies to the social circle you are in. They affect your
beliefs and ideas in the same way as your parents. So be friends with people who will let you
grow and will help you see the world rightly.

 Racism aims to divide and conquer.

By dividing people into groups and leveling which is better, which is the best, people (who
think they are superior) start conquering the inferior ones by discriminating against them.
They wanted to show them who is more powerful by pinpointing what they consider their
imperfections or flaws. They wanted to show superiority by creating racist justifications.
We may all part of different groups but we are all of one blood. Never let any ideas conquer
you; you are no one’s slave, you are free.

 Racism generates fear.

It is said the threat of color is one of the best tools the devil has used against mankind.
Thinking that a person can be a threat because of his color is just mind deception.

When someone says something bad about you, even if you say it's fine and you don't care, it
has this small effect on you. When you were assaulted by someone of a certain race, it won't
just lower your self-esteem and you'll start to have fear towards them. You will then have an
opinion not just about the person but also about his culture or race. These are natural ways
to react to such incidents. Not only that it causes fear to the one discriminated against, but
true racism is the fear of a person or group rising economically than yours.

 Racism is to elevate yourself, your culture, your race.

No one can choose who will they be once they are born. An unborn child can't decide for
himself to be American or European. He can't choose which group he should belong to.
Growing up, he'd be fully aware that the world comprises different people and cultures and
not just theirs. He would see people of different races, who dress, act, and speak differently
as theirs. Seeing new people and culture, he might react and get surprised. It is indeed
important that from a young age, children have learned about diversity to avoid culture
shock. And that no people, culture, or race are greater than one another.

Ethnocentrism can make a person a racist towards other race. It is the belief that your ethnic
group is superior to any other. You judge their cultural practices, ideas, and behaviors from
your own reference. Being open-minded is the key to understand parity and stop viewing
things unequally. Elevating yourself, your culture, your race only gives you a feeling of
superiority. However, it just shows none other than partiality.

 To stop racism is to spread awareness.

Societies are filled with stereotypes and prejudices which trigger racist views and ideas. It
can be observed in media, the internet, and even in literary pieces and music. Seeing the
world through the lens of social stereotypes create hasty generalizations. People will then
accept these because society says so without even analyzing how can it affect one's life. If no
one tries to change this perspective, it will absorb most of us. Granted, other people start
creating campaigns and movements that help in spreading awareness about racism. They
become more oriented about the issues concerning this matter. However, it won't erase the
fact that racism continues despite the efforts exerted. Everyone's cooperation is needed to
experience the change where everyone treats each other humanely.

Blocking The Door For Racism

Racism can be unconsciously practiced, nurtured, and propagated within oneself. Societies
planted seeds of discrimination into people's conscious minds that grow later on. Asserting
our ideas, we become unaware that we already have formed racist beliefs in our mind-
which is in deep need of alteration. Outrageous events such as the Holocaust in Germany
are severe consequences of racism.

Don’t make history repeat itself. Whatever reasons racism has, one shouldn't let it
overpower them. Never let people gain something in exchange for losing some part of
yourself. Tolerating oppression only allows a racist to perform his true reason and much
more, succeed.

Chapter 19. The Devil’s Color Mask

People put meaning mostly in everything and colors aren't excluded from the list. Colors
become representations of objects, of feelings, of anything. Red is love; green is nature.
Though black and white are non-colors, they are used to represent something too. Black is
evil. White is good. Symbols are associated with each of them however meanings given to
black color are mostly negative. Not only as evil but it's also a representation of death,
sorrow, and suffering. Images of Satan won't look as detailed at it is without the black color.
Hell is submerged in darkness. Black cats are ill-omen. These notions create an impression in
the minds of people making them accept unjust ways of distinction and segregation.
Unfortunately, color meanings and representations are also applied to individuals that
create discriminatory remarks and racist assumptions.

Do colors really matter? Undeniably, yes. It helps us associate meanings to things as well as
emotions. It makes understanding simple and easier. Colors make everything lively but for
people of color, it's otherwise. Black and white are like two opposite poles possessing
ancient and commonly used symbolism. Even in meanings, both contradict each other. Note
that even general meanings aren’t applicable for everything, for everyone. The idea of black
as evil isn’t relevant especially if we’re talking about people or race. There are either good or
bad in every color and not just in one. The Bible says that the devil can masquerade as an
angel of light (2 Cor.11:14). Hence, we can say that the true evil deceives people as someone
good with no regard for skin color.

Unveiling The Devil’s Color Mask

Now, we are going to focus on one of the true reasons for racism: being economical. By
creating racist ideas, one can gain something. For example, labeling that white is more
beautiful. Whitening products then emerge and being sold in the market. Advertisements of
having fairer skin influence one's mind that the fairer you are, the prettier you'd be in the
eyes of everyone. Economists then gain profit and revenue as the sales increase.

We only see the first layer of this issue but barely gets deeper in fully understanding it. Social
hierarchy propels an individual to be a racist. It stratifies society which leads to division
among black/brown and white; to people of different religions; to people of different racial
groups (Latino, Caucasian, African, etc.) This group division now detests to communicate or
engage with individuals who are part of another group which creates tension and animosity
among them. Also, as we observe, people of color are more likely to be in detention centers.
Even in the criminal justice system, there are racial biases that are quite challenging to
eliminate. Most African-American communities have lower-income not because of lack of
work effort but lack of high-paying jobs available for them. Equality among minority races is
impossible to reach once deprived of rights and opportunities. These shows both the
economic and social influence of racism.

The main culprits for racism are economic inequality and the threat perception of the
economic front. To understand more, below are further explanations why racism is
economical:

• Economic advancement is the hidden reason for racism.

Is it a requirement to pull down other people as you go up the social ladder? As people
continue to hate seeing people advance before them, racism will never stop. They never
want people whom they consider as “lowly” precede over them.

This can also be considered as an economic threat- which is the heart of racism. People view
status as equivalent to power. They would do all the means just to maintain or improve what
they have to keep their power and control people they consider as below them.

• Racists like people they once oppressed as long as they stay poor.

To continue oppressing people, racists want them to stay poor. Of course, they can no
longer oppress them when they become wealthier than them. Plus they think that poor
people can't stand up against them because of economic status. See? They make use of their
position to degrade less fortunate people- showing them that having a good life is
impossible for them. Remember, social status is not a ticket to look down on others. And we
are supposed to uplift each other.

• Racists are fighting a lost war to keep oppression justified.

Even though they are wrong, they won't admit they are. Admitting defeat in war is perfectly
not their style. They will continue to create justifications to show they are right. They'll do
everything they can to prove you're wrong. You will get tired of hearing their unending
reason why you are less like them and feel weary explaining to them you are not. They won't
just listen; they find it hard (or don't dare) to accept the truth. All you can do now is live
positively for yourself and not let a racist limit the things you are capable of.

• Racists believe in dominance.

Racist beliefs in racial domination create conflict between groups. Why? Because the
supremacy of a certain group results in the inferiority of others. One's domination results in
more privileges, more wealth, property accumulation, and more power.

Racism encompasses the symbolic power to segregate groups. Mainly it is a kind of power
observed anywhere; it is political power withholding people of color's basic rights; social
power excluding membership of people of color; economic power providing opportunities
and privileges to white men when it comes to job placement and advancement. White men
gain considerable advantages and enjoy more opportunities and privileges given to them
while people of color suffer from having no accumulation.

• Racists don't like the economic rise of oppressed people.

In your workplace, you work hard to be complemented by your boss or simply get
promoted. You dare to degrade others just to elevate yourself. When one surpasses you,
you then feel jealous of that person. You don't want others to be better than you even
though someone will always be (in terms of work performance). Just like this, racist doesn't
want, especially of other race they oppress, to economically surpass them. They are afraid to
go down as you go up. They belittled you and don't want their assumptions to be wrong.

As mentioned, a racist is afraid to see the person or group they oppress rise economically
before them. They fear that idea. They fear that their justifications would be invalid because
of the advancement of those oppressed.