Racial division in communities
Racism is defined simply as a discrimination of people based on their race or their tribe. When most people think of racism what comes to their mind is oppression of white people to the non-whites. It is however of note that racism occurs both ways not just what most people want to think. Division by race is a common occurrence in most communities. It is not uncommon to see a “Latino” or even a pure “Black” neighborhood. Reasons for this range from security in numbers and some say it is a sense of pride for their culture. Racism sets roots in such settings as children may grow up believing that their race is better or their way of life superior. It is evident from the large number of cultic organizations springing up in racially divided communities that the youth inherently believe that they fight for what is right when they come up and against other races. In some cases they are correct but in most they are wrong.
Racial division is cultured by four prime factors the first is a belief that one’s race is far more important than others. The second is belief in separating people based upon recognizable features. The third is an action by members of a race that may be either arbitrary or harmful. The final ingredient in this broth is possession of some form of power by one race over the other. Power may be in the form of finance, land or simply access to certain resource in a community. Most racial groupings start off with a noble idea in mind. An idea as noble or simple as teaching their children culture or their “roots” may be the offset. Along the lines the motive is lost and actions that beget reactions are out of hand. Societies are lost to a slipup and generations are hence misguided.
For this to change society needs to accept the ills brought about by racial division are greater than its benefits. It’s the first step in advocating for change. It is for each individual to rise against what has been the norm and decide to be different. It takes one person to start a movement, one person to do it differently, one person to eradicate the beliefs and to stand for what is right. Individual change is the first step for social change. It is easier to convince people when you already believe in what you stand for.
Political change and legal change are also a way to curb racial division. It could be made a law that people should mingle with others rather than staying secluded. No race should be allowed to occupy a certain area for more than a given percentage. This may pass for dictatorship or even colonization but when the people are taught of the benefits stemming from this they will be more than willing to support it. Legal change and political change sparks a sense of accountability. If a person can be held responsible then they realize the seriousness of the matter and are more likely to follow the set rules.
The root causes of racism and racial division must also be addressed. In some instance individuals claim a change in the economy especially negative change may lead them to group racially. They feel their people are better poised to understand them, say in a situation where they are broke and unable to foot their own bills. This case the various institutions including the government should work at creating employment and also giving aid where employment is lost. Save for economy some people believe that this groupings and divisions are embedded in the psychology of man. It should not be ignored at must be addressed too as a sickness and as a condition like any other. Get people to talk about it and then get them to break away from it as they would a bad habit. It is behavioral therapy and should be treated as such.
In conclusion the person with the greatest responsibility to change is the one who has the greatest power. In this situation the one most likely to change should be the one in racial divides of region, schooling, shopping malls and even religious institution. It is the responsibility of the majority racial grouping in a neighborhood or even in a school to make the others feel comfortable. This will lead to an increase in numbers of the minority and soon they will be at par. Unless they can stop and consider a better tomorrow those that push for division by race only deepen the trenches of unity and widen the gap of understanding. They may feel like they are promoting and progressing their stand in community but their myopic vision is limited to a selection of who they relate to. They miss out on the opportunity to learn new culinary skills, language, dance and even culture by relating amicably with other communities. It is saddening to know that for a long life lived on rotated among his people for fear or for negative beliefs regarding other races. Let’s stamp out racial division.
