We were asked to identify forms of discrimination other than homophobia. This lead to a mini-discussion of the "races" of the world, and then the "ethnicalities within those races." As an example, one person spoke up saying that African people were a race, and people from Kenya were a culture/ethnicity specific to the African race. I was appalled. What was going on here? What was I witnessing? I'll tell you, I was witnessing the entrenched racism of North American society, alive and well.
I've never particularly liked the word: race. What does that denote? If one says there are different "races" of Homo sapiens on this Earth, does that mean they are in competition with one another? It is like saying that one person is smarter than another is because "their race" has moved ahead in The Race; they are from a more advanced "breed" of human. This must sound like utter nonsense, but that is what the word 'race' sounds like to me, which is why I have such distaste for it.
In the late 19th century, the 'Science of Race' was established. This was basically a "scientifically determined" list of all the different cultures in the world, listed in order of intelligence. Of course, following the path of historical bigotry, the Northern Europeans were placed at the top, and South Africans (native to the area) were at the bottom. This heinous list was used as justification for the inhumane suppression of slaves originally from the western coast of Africa. It was also used in defense of discrimination against Asians, South Americans, and any number of non Anglo-Saxon peoples. Therefore, the term 'racism' carries the excess baggage of centuries of outright crimes against humanity (i.e. the enslavement of Western and Central Africans for work in the Americas), not to mention xenophobia.
The words 'black' and 'white' have so many meanings in our culture, the most common being that of skin colour. By my own observations, no one on this PLANET has "black" skin or "white" skin. While these are the easiest terms to use, and they've been in use for decades, they are wrong. Would you call someone with tanned skin a "yellow?" Probably not. Also, the words reinforce the 'us-you' mentality; black is the opposite of white on the colour spectrum (or in the shadows spectrum, if you're going to be precise). I once heard a prominent African American speaker say, "Well, I'll call you European American, then." I wholeheartedly agree with him. I feel that if the need arises to "section" somebody off, or when discussing the important subject of one's past or "roots," the country or continent one's ancestors originated in is always the clearest and least prejudiced way to go.
Another word I don't agree with is 'Indian' when it is applied to the First Nations of North America (or any aboriginal group of the world). When Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean Islands, he thought he had reached an island connected to India, and called the native people living there Indians. This mistake has gone down in history and made its mark in that we STILL use it to this day.
There are many problems with the common vocabulary used by many people here in North America. It is understandable, since they all stem from historical prejudices. Although I can't correct the millions of people, or change the dictionary or do anything, really, I have made a personal change in my own life. I have made up my mind to never use those words if I can help it. Sometimes I have difficulty, and I often think the words in my head, but I am quick to correct myself. I think all humans are on the same level and should be treated thus. I don't want to be part of the suppression of certain groups in society by using any terms that demean anyone. We are all equal, it's about time we started applying this to every facet of our culture.
***These are all opinions, everyone has their right to disagree with me (but that doesn't mean I'll agree with your disagreement ;} )
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