World of Choice
The color of skin is not a reason for difference, but instead it is a chance to celebrate diversity. I have seen racism in action throughout my life. My friends have been hurt by it...physically, mentally, and emotionally. As a child, prejudice was never an option to me...hating someone that was different than I, simply was wrong. As an individual, I was encouraged to learn about the differences in myself and others, and then to celebrate them. I was shown to discover a desire within myself, to expanded my knowledge, and further to celebrate diversity. I was dared to do more than just know, I was challenged to help stop hate and spread ideas of university and acceptance to a diverse audience. I challenge other individuals to do the same. However, the choice lies within the individual, but the repercussions of such choices are widespread. Racism and racist slurs are words that mean a lot of things to many different people. To some, these words are the description of a way of life; to others, they are repulsive terms that represent closed-mindedness. To me, there is only one race, and that race is human. Yet racism and being racist are descriptions of a reality that can not be denied. People of color live daily with the effect
Having pride in one's heritage is something all individuals should posses. However, when that pride leads to one feeling superiority over another, it has become racism. Having and showing love for one race or heritage does not have to include derogatory actions, conscious or otherwise, towards others. A perfect example are athletes who, no matter how good they are, compliment other competitors on their skills and/or personality because they recognize them as a person with talents, not as black or white. Racism is a social and spiritual disease. It is born of ignorance and fear, both which feed upon each other. That which we are ignorant of becomes a source of fear. Fear itself breeds greater ignorance and the cycle continues. This is a crippling disease that no amount of medical research can cure, no amount of fundraising can prevent--a disease most often transmitted from parent to child, and unchecked in its early stages, can be fatal. The disease is called racism. Its early symptom is the belief that one's racial group is somehow superior to others. In advanced stages, the symptoms of racism are violence, death and destruction. A cure exists, however, people who believe that race is the determining factor for the quality and meaning of human life, prevent it for restoring humanity and its significance. This cure is patience, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, and. It takes time and effort. Society needs to promote and encourage racial harmony, unity and tolerance. 1. Tuttle, Kate: "Television and African Americans", Harvard Square Netcasting LLC, 1999.
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Approximate Word count = 1082
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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