For my final post about race in America, I want to leave you with this– how to end racism. It may seem impossible, considering there are many race issues in our society today, but it is in fact really simple. The hard part about it, is getting everyone to follow these tips and actually make an effort to put an end to it. Racism is a mindset, and unless people are willing to change how they view others, things will continue to stay the same.
Here are a few tips on how to end racism:
1. Take time to learn more about other people and their backgrounds.
Hate stems from ignorance, because people fear what they do not know. If people took the time to learn about others, they would be less afraid. A person just needs to get to know someone that is different from them, and they will learn that each person is more alike than different. Once people realize that they actually have a lot in common with those with different backgrounds, they will no longer fear, and they will no longer hate.
2. Don’t make assumptions.
Do you assume that African Americans like rap music, or that Asians are good at math? Stereotypes hurt everyone. Even if you don’t mean to do it. Examine what prejudices you hold and make adjustments and learn to look at everyone as an individual, not a label or group. Also, everyone has implicit biases, so you should think about which ones you have, and try to eliminate them.
3. Try to see things from a different perspective.
Attend an organization meeting, religious service or travel to a new region where you are in the minority. For example, if you are Christian, attend a Muslim prayer in a mosque. If you go to a primarily white suburban school, visit an inner city school. This first-hand experience can be enlightening and give you perspective. Once again, this is an attempt to eliminate your ignorance on different people and cultures so that you are more aware of each other. This can help you eliminate any hatred or prejudice you once had towards them.
There are many other ways you can help try to decrease the amount of racism that is prevalent in our society today, but these are just a few that I thought were the easiest for people to do, and are incredibly important. I really hope my blogs gave you another perspective on race in America, and that you will want to try to help and make racism a thing of the past. Thank you for reading!
