Racism 101: Are you a Racist?

Being “Not racist” is not an absolute. It is a conscious and daily decision. In order to be “Not racist” a person has to first accept that the world itself and most of their opinions that deal in race are in fact, racist. Being “Not racist” is something that has to be part of every single day. There is no “Graduation date” for anti-racism. There will never be a day when a person can say, “I’ve read all the books, seen all the movies and heard all the lectures. I am now not a racist.” There is no ready made “Not a racist” desk set.

When people say things like, “I’ve never had a bad thought about another race,” and believes this statement is proof they are not racist, it serves as the opposite. You would HAVE to be a racist to claim that you’ve never had a bad thought about another race. If you live in America or any other first world country, capitalism dictates that there is a top and a bottom. People love to associate the top and bottom with money. All the while choosing to ignore the very real fact that money is extremely racially entwined.

To live in a first world country and say that you’ve “Never had a bad thought about another race” implies that you, somehow, were never affected in any way shape or form by your parents, your teachers, television, books, movies, advertisements, friends, other family members or society as a whole. I am sure you think that you are an awesome human being but no one, I repeat, no one is capable of not being affected with THIS much propaganda being thrown at them the moment they enter the world.

In turn, if you believe this to be true, you are a person who is incapable of change and being “Non-racist” because as far as you’re concerned, you aren’t the least bit racist to begin with.

The very first step in being “Not racist” is to figure out where your racist thoughts and feelings lay so that you can focus and change them.