Am I a racist?

Am I a racist? 

Some of us might have already pondered over this question at an odd hour. If not, let’s ask this to ourselves today. Do you know what is an easy and quick answer? – Nah, I’m liberal enough to be called a racist, I guess. But is this answer coming from the fact that you do not exhibit some very ‘typically racist’ behaviours towards others openly and shamelessly unlike many others, who, according to you, are the fundamental racists? Well, kudos to you for not being like them! However, think again, more closely and honestly this time!

Essentially, the number of the more open and proud racists might slowly be becoming lesser than it used to be in many regions. But what about the implicit biases we are still holding and passing on from generation to generation? Are they not responsible for leading to the failure of eradication of the evil roots of racism from society? Many of us are not even aware of the existence of these biases within ourselves. Even if we somehow get the slightest hint about it, we ignore it, because it probably seems trivial and harmless; we do not bother to think or discuss more about it. However, without such thoughts or discussions, we cannot fathom the greater impact of this ‘unawareness’ on some other people around us. 

How often do I pick favourites just based on how similar we look or how alike we think or behave?

Do I have a common affinity to attach some fixed and particular ideas to individuals, just based on their physical looks and traits?

Let’s take some time off to reflect on these questions. By the way, can this probably lead to a little overthinking? – No, this is JUST thinking, and introspection to start understanding ourselves, a bit more and a bit better.

Where does racism start? What should we do to counter it?

Racism starts with the sense of the greatest pride of oneself or one’s own community over others at all levels. It starts when this pride goes to such an extent that we do not stop after ignoring or maintaining a distance from the ‘different’ people. We find companions having similar pride like us and begin to degrade the seemingly weaker section, knowingly or teasingly. Racism continues with the stubborn ‘superior vs inferior’ ideas.

It is definitely the case that we do require communities for living and socializing, and communities are built based on a few similarities. But how many similarities and how much of each are we talking about? We are certainly not also totally similar to those we are deliberately staying with, in all aspects and dimensions. But then, are we giving enough thoughts before turning down someone else to be with or to have around us? Are we deselecting her just because she is dissimilar to us in some specific dimensions, which have just traditionally been significant to our predecessors?

Do we really want to be stagnant with our same pool of ‘natural’ or ‘obvious’ thoughts? Or do we want to be progressive enough to let diversity possibly add more extraordinary opportunities and astonishing treasures to it? So many people are waiting to be understood and accepted. Let’s welcome them, collaborate, and mutually lighten up both of our lives, and thus brighten up the society.

If we stay around diverse people, we can perhaps realize our biases more often and thus, can take steps to get rid of them. When we are around diverse individuals, we should provide them with a comfort zone, by trying to be less judgmental and more understanding. Just because someone is different from us in a way or two does not mean that they are any less significant or inferior to us; try to see it from their sides.

Let’s try to understand a person whom hardly anyone is advocating for. We, humans, have a more typical tendency to advocate for ourselves or the ones closest to us and have some explanations for our deeds ready.
So, let’s put ourselves in someone else’s shoes before heedlessly agreeing to the general mass’s comments about that individual. If you still cannot relate to that individual’s situation, simulate analogous conditions for yourself in your mind. In this way, we can probably do some more justice towards justifying others’ circumstances and find more reasons to bond than to repel. Only after an impartial perception and understanding can you decide, if you should empathize and encourage, or go with the trend. Today, let’s choose indulgence over ignorance, alliance over animosity, and harmony over hostility.

Why do I have biases and how to get rid of them? 

Due to a range of privileges certain populations have received throughout, the success rates of their individuals are so much more in number. Consequently, our minds have also agreed to get so deeply trained with the ‘naturals’ or the ‘superiors’ for centuries, that these biases are very tough to get rid of. They are thus still implicitly, if not explicitly, believed in by most of us.

There are, however, numerous and various individuals from the previously unprivileged groups, who have worked so hard afterward to make their way to the top. Many of them are fighting to do the same and subsequently break the ‘norms’. So, if not helping, let’s not demotivate them with some of our poor judgments, baseless allegations, or even stereotypical remarks that might be insensitive and upsetting.

It is difficult but not impossible to come out of the trap of inheriting the implicit bias and thus discontinue the existence of racism in the society. Primarily, we need to start acknowledging that we can ourselves be racists at some point even after considering ourselves to be liberals. It is not the case that we want to be racists. We definitely do not want to be the reason for someone else feeling ‘low’, unloved or unaccepted due to our certain unthoughtful or inconsiderate statements or actions. So, let’s take charge of ourselves! Change begins with acknowledgment and changing yourself, if necessary. Thus, if we somehow realize that we are being racists, let’s not deny it; let’s just acknowledge and try to rectify it.

Therefore, next time, if you are feeling like rejecting someone somewhere just based on some of her physical attributes or life choices as per the age-old, general societal norms, think again! Next time, if you are feeling like ridiculing someone for looking or behaving differently from you and your typical friends and family, think again! Differences are fine unless they are harming anybody. So, let’s think more and be kind and considerate! Let’s start saying, “I try not to be a racist, and I will keep trying, always!”, and stay true to it. 

How to help others be aware and get rid of the bias? 

After some self-awareness, self-clarity, and self-adaptations, we can consider helping others gain the same as well and spread the awareness. In case you want to make people around you truly leave out the implicit racist attitudes you come across, here are some tips that I think might be helpful:

1. Explain, not attack: We cannot ‘change’ someone by attacking her. We can rather logically put forward some pros and cons and calmly make her realize them. Explain how some other individuals are being neglected collectively and are thus suffering due to some of our ‘seemingly small’ misjudgements.
Explain how the ‘small’ and playful mistreatments by a large number of people are encouraging the bias to stay, and thus are not letting racism leave the society.

2. Talk about an individual, not blame a community: Please refrain from calling or labelling a whole group or a community as racist. Do not generalize and rather ‘go specific’, i.e., point on the individual who does or state something racist; otherwise, those people around, who also belong to the alleged community and are not racist as such, might get offended as well. There are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ people in all communities.
A person from any group cannot take responsibility for each and every one belonging to the same group. So, please do not let that other person feel guilty for something she has not done. 

Moreover, for a person, there might be other emotions like ‘innocent’ pride attached to her community due to many other good things she or her people might have done in the past. Thus, labelling a whole community might have the opposite effect of agitating its people. 

Furthermore, be no racist while fighting against the evil. Otherwise, that will rather be a bit of hypocrite behaviour. This is because you are asking people to not be racists but ironically you yourself are being racist from the other side, by generalizing and stereotyping.

3. Point a behaviour, not a person: It is even better that you talk about the racist behaviour and not label a person as a complete racist – people might not even be aware that they are behaving ‘racist’ and hurting sentiments. If we blame them, they will try to defend themselves no matter what, even if they are ‘wrong’. So, they will not even try to understand or learn anything about others’ problems, and ultimately, not adapt themselves for self-correction and betterment. 

To conclude, we must be tolerant, calm, and thoughtful enough before trying to contribute to bringing a change. We can thus perhaps be one step closer to living in a racially equal society!!!

In our bit to speak up against the issues of racial discrimination and harassment, Liberty Experience collaborated with Munich’s antiracism team of Amnesty International to organize an interactive online workshop that creates an open space to speak up against racism. The event was titled: “The Elephant in The Room”.

Click Here to know more about how Liberty Experience has worked to enlighten people on the dangers of structural – and other forms of – racism.