Racial Inequality is Eternal…
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more…
Expanding further on my previous thoughts on sexual inequality (and to paraphrase myself), I believe that emphasizing inequality paves the way for continued inequality and discrimination. People say they want to be equal, but constantly disprove it by their own actions, decreasing racial equality by calling themselves Filipino- or African- or Sino-American.
Brent, a friend of mine, recently had a conversation about nationality with a coworker and was asked, “What are you?” He replied, “American.” “No”, she retorted, “I’m Filipino-American. What are you?” He didn’t know how to respond, and said, perplexed, “I’m just American.” Being adopted, I’ve often wondered about my own ancestry, partially to detect potential health problems and to increase the sense of belonging attributed to being part of an “ethnic” group. For the same reasons, I don’t want to know. Knowing or not knowing doesn’t change my ethnic profile, but it could encourage me to utilize the crutch of labeling to better myself: “I’m Italian-American (or Greco-American or Klingon-American) and I feel oppressed. Please grant me my request because of my heritage.” Admittedly, a couple of years ago, I even researched the amount of Cherokee Indian in my wife’s blood in order to ascertain whether our son would be eligible to obtain governmental or educational financial benefits. Fortunately, not. I perceive the labeling to be harmful to today’s society, encouraging (at the harshest extremes) gang violence, social segregation, and worse.
So many people label their own selves, and participate in racially segregated activities such as the celebration of African-American History Month, and the invention of Kwanzaa. In the names of race and ethnicity, shouldn’t we spend our dollars towards a message of equality, rather than supporting only Filipino dentists or shopping exclusively at the local Vietnamese market? In my eyes, self-labeling and self-segregation are both hypocritical when combined with the expressed desire to achieve or maintain equality. You can’t have both. Either you want Affirmative Action or it’s modern equivalent, or you want equality.
Wouldn’t it just be better at the societal level to collectively label ourselves as just American, as Brent did?
By the way, it’s far too late in the evening to begin the planned discussion of gender equality and its countermeasures, such as girl’s night out, the mall, and the Wonderbra. I could spend a lifetime…
Eternal…well logically speaking that is really tough to say since we are on this planet such a relatively short time. Let’s face it, it sure as hëll is looking that way. Personally I think there is one race, the human race, and then we have animals, insects, plants and such. In no particular order mind you. All we need is enough people to want true equality and we can have it. No more filling in your race with a #2 pencil. Until then, well it looks as though we’ll have some of the same if not worse! Good article.