Ah, life. Life is interesting, and ironic at times. Why just the other day I posted this long rant about racism, and then I was treated to a very interesting episode of Without a Trace over the weekend… After some searching, I’ve discovered that “White Balance” is the title of the episode.
In short, this episode deals with the disappearance of a white girl and a black boy. Both children go missing around the same time, but the cases are dealt with differently. The agent in charge is pressured to put all of his resources into finding the girl, while the boy’s case is left with a single agent. After putting forth a rather uninspired fight, he essentially rolls over and shifts resources to the girls case. Reporters interview the mother of the girl and her picture and details of the case are broadcast to the general public. In the meantime, the mother of the boy is promised interviews, but the reporter is supposedly called to another location and cancels the interview. In the end, both kids are found, one dead and one alive. The show ends, however, without informing the viewer which has survived.
This show made me realize that my earlier rant only dealt with one form of racism, that of verbal racism. I touched slightly on persecution, but didn’t really delve into it. Hey, racism is a pretty tricky topic, so sue me.
Anyway, racism as described in this show does exist, and it sucks. Seriously. It’s similar to the battle between the rich and the poor. The rich tend to get their way, while the poor suffer. In the arena of race, the whites are akin to the rich, and the blacks to the poor. No, I’m not saying one race is better than another, just pointing out the current perception.
This type of racism happens all too often, yet you don’t hear a lot about it. That’s pretty sad because it has a more profound affect than someone shouting “nigger” or some other racist slur. Persecution based on color, religion, or whatever is a big problem, and some people don’t realize they’re doing it. Seriously! How about an example. Ever walk into an area that is predominantly some other race? Feel comfortable? No? Gee, why not? It has to do a lot with the way you’re brought up and what you are exposed to. That’s a tough thing to overcome, and most people can never overcome it.
Hell, I still feel uncomfortable when faced with certain people, purely based on their color, dress, or whatever. I find myself acting in odd ways, such as moving away from them, being more aware of myself and what’s going on, etc. Why? In many of the situations, it has to do with what they call racial profiling. Quite simply, there is a perception, somewhat based in fact, that certain people are more apt to engage in violent or illegal activities. So, I tend to keep an eye on my belongings, keep myself aware of exits, who’s around, etc. It’s a defense mechanism, and it’s mostly automatic. Think about it. Since 9/11, have you been more aware of foreigners, especially Arabs? I’ll bet you have, even without realizing it.
I’m not sure there’s a good way to deal with this form of racism, though. I could go on about how everyone needs to stand up for their rights, and maybe even the rights of others, but not everyone wants to get involved. For instance, my personal opinion is that were I faced with the same situation the agent in charge was in Without a Trace, I would have made a different decision. I’ would like to believe that I would have refused to follow those orders, even at the risk of my job. But, of course, not being in that situation, I’m not sure how I would have responded. I do know that I have stood up for others before, though, and it did cost me my job at one point. I’d do it again, though, because it was the right thing to do.
So, racism… yeah, it sucks. If it’s someone shouting slurs at you, get over it. They’ll stop when they realize it’s not bothering you. If it’s this other form… Well, I’m not sure what I can advise other than to keep fighting. But seriously, use your head. Don’t whine and cry over the little stuff, move on. Choose your battles and make sure they’ll count. No one cares that you weren’t waited on first at the local restaurant, but they might care if you’re being ignored by the police or the hospital. Yes, it sucks, but if you make a big deal of the little stuff, no one will be listening when something big happens. That’s not to say you shouldn’t say something, but let’s not call the 5 o’clock news over it.