Racists have been emboldened by the rhetoric and divisiveness generated largely from the campaigning from president-elect Trump.
You do not believe me, take into consideration that Trump was publically endorsed by David Duke, a former Grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan as well as the Klan itself (its first time ever having its official newspaper, The Crusader, publically endorsing a presidential candidate.
The fact that Trump never publically denounced Duke’s endorsement and only tacitly, thru his son, repudiated the Klan’s endorsement, only further served to show why Duke the Klan and other White Supremacist organizations feel bolstered in spreading their ideology.
Racism in the United States has never been eradicated. I would not even say it has been dormant, but on a national level open racism has been unacceptable or at least politically incorrect with an African American in the nation’s highest office for the last eight years.
Much of America’s history is predicated upon its sordid oppression and uneasiness of relations within races, cultures and religions that make us a melting pot, albeit one that struggles to find cohesiveness.
Besides disgusting and unnecessary, Racism is largely defined by preconceived prejudices and a lack of knowledge and empathy toward those that look or embody different cultures and/or religious beliefs.
Blacks, Whites and Hispanics (primarily Mexicans) have lived together in this country for over 400 years. The relationships have been defined by inequalities and prejudice, but you would think that after 400 years the races would have more commonality and understanding of each other to eradicate prejudices based on ignorance and untruths.
The truth and reality is that racism exists because racists are immune to logic and rationale. They are immersed in ignorance of thought that defies all logic and understanding. Racists cannot be reasoned with because their mind (or lack thereof) is so entrenched with a refusal to be open to learning… a refusal to be empathetic…a refusal to look at people as people.
Races, cultures and religions contain differences. Some of those differences are significant. We do not necessarily need to understand each other, but we do need to respect each other. We do need to accept our differences and try to attain a degree of empathy for what we do not understand.
Racists are incapable of doing this. Incapable not because of practical inability but because of defiance and unwillingness to open their hearts and minds to anything other than their hatred and ignorance.
You cannot teach people who refuse to learn. You cannot appeal to someone’s sense of fairness and compassion, who has a closed and angry heart. So what do you do with racists and such a negative portrayal of their ability to change? Ignore them…Do not let them and their negativity affect your heart…Do not let their anger transfer to you… Kill them with kindness (though there are exceptions when a punch to the face are ok and even necessary.) Yet, let that be the exceptions. Continue to educate yourselves and on those occasions when someone is merely misinformed and not a committed racist, educate them.
Avowed racists may never be changed. However, people that are uninformed can learn from each other. We just have to stay on a positive course, until a world of compassion and empathy dominates those that rather espouse hate.
Richard Ray
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#racism, #nohate, #oneworld, #ignorance, #empathy
