Born into a society such as America we find ourselves grasping at our very first fears when offended. No matter what the offense we take judgement on others so quickly. Now if we do this as adults? Do you think we did it as children as well? Lets take sleeping without a light on? Or how about the darkness under your bed or in a closet as a 6 year old? Our worst fears come to life as the darkness ensues. Whether it be ghosts or a monster only the very worst could possibly happen? As darkness overcomes our bedrooms the pitch black is the worst. We can only wait for the white light to take over our perception once again.
Now do you remember the old movies? The movies with the bad guy wearing a black hat? The good guy wearing the white hat? We have learned from young ages that black takes over us and is a very bad thing. We have learned that the white is the goodness in the world. This has nothing to do with people but our perception of what we see and how we learned it since the first day we were born.
Now fast forward to the worst possible names we use for black and white. Can you think of any? I'm sure you can think of some really bad ones for black? But truthfully how many can you think of for white? Not to many? That is because white is good remember? And black is bad?
Imagine walking down a pitch black alley. Let your eyes adjust. Someone walks toward you. What are your first perceptions of a black person? What are your first perceptions of a white person? Now they walk closer and they are both in black clothing. Now with the black person you cannot see them clearly. Now at the same distance you see the white person bleeding profusely what do you do? Sadly the black person has to get closer for you to see the blood and they fall over dead because you were not willing to run up to them to help. But with the white person you saw it was a teenage girl and she had been beaten and raped. Sadly the same thing happened to the black girl but she died. Was this your fault? Was this a circumstance of you being born to be afraid of the dark? Now if it were light out you may see the white person bleeding sooner but still it would take longer for you to realize the black person was bleeding. But they both still live but because of our perceptions of black and white. Because sun hits and reflects light differently is the birth of racism in America?
Is it the fact that we simply have been taught to be afraid of the night we judge people because of the way the sun reflects off them? Sadly we do it with black and white hats. We do it with night and day. Even some animals that can see only black and white judge as well. It is not that black people are worse than white people. It is a circumstance of being born into the world and judging accordingly.
Imagine walking in a forest and you see 20 feet off a white person in white clothing? Then you see a figure in black and is black? Oh and it is nighttime as well. You have a rifle and you know Grizzly Bears are in the area. Now how do you judge this? This figure comes towards you.........Yep it was a bear and you got the shot off. Your thankful it was not your black friend that wears black all the time? You both just so happen to be out camping.
Now as far as true racism goes. Is it truely racism or is it just fear? Or is it a learned behavior of black and white being good and bad? Look at the paper doll studies? You will see when children are asked which one is good? They point to white. Of course they do white is good, daylight is good, the white hat is good. Ask a black child which one is bad? They point to the black figure. Of course they do black is bad remember? Nighttime is bad, the pitch black closet is bad, the pitch black alleys are bad, the black hat is bad. This paper doll study is just not a very accurate test of racism especially in children that are just learning nighttime is bad and daytime is good. Take a rainbow of colors with a white stripe at the bottom and black stripe on top and you ask good and bad. You will find the same type of perception children will either pick a lighter shade or white for good and darker shades and black for bad.
In conclusion I do not think we have even come close to grasping racism until we get out of the simplistic attitude of judging a person by the color of their skin. Once we are past that point we can learn more about people and not being so afraid of what colors actually do to us as children. Just remember are we starting to be racist when we put that nice white nightlight in our childrens bedroom? You be the judge..............