Racism “is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific” to their race to the extent that one race is perceived as more “superior or inferior” than another race or other races.

Racism entails “prejudice, discrimination, antagonism directed against someone of a different race or ethnicity based on the belief that one’s own race or ethnicity is more superior”.

There is no other group that has suffered racism more than people of African descent race historically and in modern times. We have been enslaved, showcased in zoos with animals and colonialized. We have been told for hundreds of years that every part of our bodies is not good enough. Not our skin colour, hair texture, nose shape, body configuration etc. Our way of life, system of government, language, culture, manner of worship, food are not good either.

Even the label “black” is a racist term. Asians and Arabs are called Asians, Chinese, Indians, Arabs, not “yellows” etc. Jews are called Jewish, etc. Why are we not called Africans? Why are we called blacks? Why are white people not called “pinks”? I think it was to distinguish between “purity” of the white race and the the perceived “badness” of “evilness” of blacks.

Have you noticed that anything bad starts with “black”? For example, “blackmail”, “black widow” , the devil being “black”, even certain crimes are “white collar” and the perception and punishment is more lenient and positive. Think about other words associated with “black”.

For hundreds of years, black people are often thought of as less intelligent and are demeaned, prejudiced, stereotyped, looked down upon, enslaved, humiliated, dehumanized, mistreated and discriminated against all over the world and within different societies.

Blacks are seen as ugly, fools, stupid and often not taken seriously.

Blacks tend to suffer indirect impacts of racism including lack of recognition for their contributions, achievements, likely to be paid less, likely to be criminalized, suffer so many illnesses etc.

But is racism our biggest threat? Do we contribute to racism against us? Are we also racist against ourselves? Do we contribute to our own prejudice? Do we perpetuate racism?

My answer is yes!

But first,

I do believe that racism was initiated against blacks through no fault of theirs. It’s part of the human race. Most humans exhibit some form of racist attitudes against outside races or people of different ethnicity. Even I heard micro orgasms do that. They’re friendly towards their own and biased against others that appear different. Black people present as such also. We think of ourselves are better than others. We call Chinese, whites and other groups all kinds of derogatory names. Some blacks perceive Africans as people with a better cultural values and morals.

2. I think economic and political power have contributed immensely to intstitutionalized racism. As such, weaponization and industrial revolution in western societies, conquering and domination helped give whites race and other races lots of advantages to perpetuate their views against blacks and other less advanced societies.

3. Structural and systematic racism have also perpetuated racism through the award of privilege to certain groups especially white race, the marginalization of others through punishment and disadvantage.

4. Knowledge, research and medical advancement have been skewed in favour of some groups and in disfavour of blacks and other less advanced groups or societies.

Despite all these, I think our biggest threats in modern times are not structural and institutional racism against us by outsiders but internalized oppression and racism against ourselves. I understand that 400 hundred years or so of oppression against blacks can’t be erased easily but I think we are our own enemies in so many ways. We oppress ourselves and our own people, we destroy ourselves and our own, we are messed up.

In my next episode I will tell you why.

Stay tuned!

Be good.

Akosua G
Ontario, Canada
January 16, 2020