Thoughts On Racism

Thoughts… I encourage teachers to read this to students… from a student. One of the major topics recently here at MCHS is racism. Certain people in the hallways have taken the time out of their undoubtedly busy schedules to harass their fellow classmates. Sometimes these people are punished. Apparently, this is not enough. Despite actions taken by the administration, the perpetrators feel it is still a good idea to continue with threats and slurs. Whether this has continued because those harassing are mad, or because they feel they have become martyrs, punished for a righteous cause, I personally cannot say. I can, however, say with no lack of certainty that the actions of these bigots are wrong. What can justify saying, “They’re all worthless, or I wish they would all die,” in reference to a fellow man? Not much comes to mind, if anything indeed does. Perhaps I am being thick skulled, and cannot fathom the depths to which these racists have examined the shortcomings of other races, and their characteristics. Let us think logically. What do we have to be angry at the blacks for? Did they enslave us for hundreds of years? That is not in any history book that I’ve ever read… Were we treated as second class citizens? Not in recent memory… or ever for that matter. How about the ever popular quote: “You’re in America, you @*#$ Mexican, speak English!” Oh lets not point out the fact that much of the time, this despicable phrase is uttered by those in remedial English courses. That aside, let’s examine what culture, other than Mexicans, has used English as a second language. The Italians. The French. The Russians. The Chinese. The Japanese. The Turks. The Germans. Far too many to count, as almost every immigrant that ever entered America spoke a different language. Let’s not be ignorant here, we are all immigrants, unless you are 100% Native American. In which case, you are still an immigrant, as your ancestors crossed the land bridge thousands of years ago. You just got here a bit earlier than the others. And why should we speak English? On a personal level, I agree, that immigrants should conform to the laws of the country to which they live in. But I challenge anyone to find the national law that says, “All US citizens must speak English.” It does not exist. So what right or jurisdiction does anyone have to force someone to conform to what they, on a personal level, feel is right? That is, of course, totally ignoring the fact that many of us lack proficiency in the language we advocate. So what has created the continued racism we have today? Perhaps it is an inferiority complex, coupled with manic xenophobia. Those who are racist are scared of outsiders, and severely threatened by them. Perhaps our education has failed, formal and informal. I know, being surrounded by a largely rural community with the same thoughts, dreams and hopes can instill certainty in people, but what we are experiencing is ridiculous. It is this same behavior we use against sheep in herding them to slaughter. It is this behavior that has lead to so many horrible decisions in the past.

But then again, perhaps the racists have it right. Ignorance spawns ignorance, and ignorance is bliss… right? -your concerned classmate