RACISM

For some reason this topic has been on my mind recently, not sure why exactly but it's popped it's ugly head out and instead of beating it down like we all do to ugly things, I've been trying to find it's beauty, or perhaps, it's reality.

NO, I am not saying racism is beautiful, instead I am saying that many things often protrayed to be racist are in fact acts of human compassion which are misinterpreted.

Racism is often defined by society as an act of prejudice, favoritism, hate, dislike, contempt, etc. against a race other than one's own.

If I were to tell a Mexican that I don't have time to fix his bike right now, then tell a white guy mintues later that I will do the same job on the spot, then I am guilty of racism. Or am I?

If life was so clear cut, black and white, good and evil, sweet and sour, Linkin Park and good music, then yes, I would be racist.

But, what many fail to see when judging a person on an act they see as racism, is the inner connections between the people.

It is human nature to help others whom we can relate with. Although for me, being white is not something I find I relate with other people, however being American is. I also relate to other people who share my interests, others who go to my school, people who like the same music, etc.

When at work, am I more willing to work a little harder, or to do something I don't really want to do in order to help a person I relate with? YES. (or a hot girl, a curse of all men)

Is that wrong? I don't think so, everyone is this way. If a common bond is formed between two people, than most good people will be compassionate and help to the best of their abilities this other person who is in need.

How doe this apply to racism? Because things often construed to be racist aren't.

My boss, Yasser is an immigrant to America. He is a great American and I am proud to work for him. Yet sometimes, he will take a job in to be done before others. It is commonly from a hispanic person, and sometimes I end up doing the work despite having a full workload already.

Now, I could construe this to be racist giving preferential treatment to someone because they are hispanic.

But it's so far from racism.

The reason Yasser repeatedly will take in work on the spot from other hispanics is because he is a good person. He understands a strangers plight having been through it himself, and will selflessly do what he can to help a person whom he can relate to.

Many can judge these actions as a form of racism, I judge it as an act of compassion.

The more we can relate to someone else, the more we are willing to help them, it's human nature. It may be because we share the same religion, or we came from the same country, or perhap we shared a school. It doesn't matter. Fact is, most people are good.

So in conclusion, is the world full of racists, are we all racist to some extent, or are we just humans doing the best we know how?