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Matters of Race. Essays
Matters
of Race - Paula C., Shelby Township, college senior
"Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it."
This famous quote is one of the most important reasons for education:
to teach youth about historic tragedies our world has endured, one of
the greatest being racism. Although racism is not as widespread as it
once was, the separation lines that were drawn hundreds of years ago
still prevail in many places across the map. Using education as a tool,
we can prevent violent and cruel events in the past from happening again,
however, we still have a long way to go before we can say that every
man is free and there is "liberty and justice for all."
In many towns, the color of your skin dictates the person you are.
People don't take time to learn about each other's heritage, we discriminate
against one another based on the past. We link Africans with slavery,
being poor with no education. We see Caucasians as cruel, violent, and
racist. Latinos are cheap labor, Asians are too smart. And forget about
people of mixed descent, they will be grouped based on color. However,
in today's society these stereotypes are not accurate in the least.
My community is full of mixed colors and different races. We share
the same house of worship and we interact in the workplace, we share
learning experiences at school, we live next door to each other and
most of all, we share memories and fun times. My friends and I may physically
look different to outsiders, but inside we are the same. I can live
this way because I was not taught to discriminate. I grew up in a world
of mixed colors and races, where my friends and I have equal opportunities
and are treated fairly by people. We can play, work, learn and live
in the same environment without fearing for our safety. We were taught
about the past, and we won't stand to see it repeated.
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