Racism, and by extension discrimination, is based on the idea that decisions and actions will be taken with regard to someone’s ethnic lineage. If one makes any judgement based solely on one’s skin color, the distinction becomes even more extreme. For instance, "Italians make good food and Germans make good cars," is racist, it’s even discriminatory, but it’s not a negative and there is fairly ample evidence to support each contention. However, if I say, "Italians don’t know how to make anything that doesn’t break," it’s now discriminatory in a negative way no matter what one says about Ducatis and Fiats.
To take it further, "white men can’t jump, and so they will be banned from the NBA" is an example of extreme racism and discrimination. All the statements preceding that one could be said to be one’s opinion. But, when it comes to barring someone from an activity because of their ethnicity, then it becomes a legal issue.
If a child is barred from attending a particular school, eating in a particular restaurant, or drinking from a particular water fountain, it is racism at it’s worst. If the power stopping her is a private individual, that person can and will be tried, convicted, and spitted for depriving the child of her civil rights. If the power stopping her is the government, then the child will be condemned as being racist herself and standing in the way of decades of civil rights activism.
Say what? Does that make any sense?
Well, it does to some. The Supreme Court overturned forced racial diversity in a brilliant and stunning exhibition of common sense. Of course, the person being denied entry to a school in this case was white and wanted to go to the school near her home. The school board said, "no way, we have enough white students."
The stated goal of the old civil rights movement was to stop the negative discrimination that was stacking the deck against so many people. If that is the case, then when society comes to a point where race isn’t a consideration, everyone should be happy. Right? Obviously not. People are calling this recent decision discriminatory and pushing us back to the days of segregation.
Brown vs. Board of Education, cited by both the consensus and opposing members of the court, dictated that schools could not make decisions on where to put a student based on the student’s skin color. That was a great decision. Sadly, this is not what people took away from that ruling.
Now, "civil rights" activists are horrified by the most recent SCOTUS decision. Why? Why if the idea of racial parity is the ideal would anyone who says they are concerned about civil rights want a policy based on race to stand? The answer is simple and one of the oldest in the history of the world: because they have a power base that needs the status quo to continue.
Many of the most vocal minority rights leaders would be out of work if race stopped being an issue. The end result of what they really want is not an end to discrimination but to replace negative discrimination with positive discrimination, aka preferential treatment.
I’m no fool. Negative racism towards blacks (and it’s "black," not "African-American," the same way I’m "white," not "European-American," and first and above all we are "Americans") still exists in this country. It’s a terrible thing and should be stomped out wherever it is found. However, two wrongs don’t make a right and if we are going to strive for a higher ideal, we need to live it. Race shouldn’t be a factor for anyone and if the law is to recognize that, it must recognize that across the board. In fact, it shouldn’t even have to recognize anything, race simply needs to become a non-issue and it won’t if official policies are based on it.
Want to help the poor? Then help the poor. Want to help AIDS victims? Then help AIDS victims. In reality, there will be problems that are defined by racial lines, but they are not as prolific as we make them out to be and often the division is one created by those special interest groups who gain power and notoriety by doing so. But, in cases which must be addressed as a racial group, do so in the same way any other group would be addressed, be they unwed mothers, the homeless, unemployed military veterans, and other such groups having a difficult time. Don't do it by punishing or making policies which affect other racial groups.
I can’t say this enough. Two wrongs don’t make a right. To continue racism in any form is to hurt society and plays only to those with vested interests. When a black presidential candidate complains about racism, I have to ask myself just how much racism can there be? when many polls show that same black candidate in the lead.
Reject all racismand in any form you find it, unless of course you are shopping for a nice car or looking for a good plate of baked ziti.
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