Racism
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With the rise of the written word and formalizing social bonds in the shape of nations, groups began to acquire specific reputations for certain characteristics or simply for general inferiority. What had once been tribal distinctions became immense labels spanning populations of millions. Most notably and globally, by the time of the [[Middle Ages]], those who were light-skinned (today called "Caucasian" or white) generally considered other races, such as the equally advanced Islamic cultures of north africa and the Middle East, to be 'savages'. The age of exploration and empire, from the sixteenth century onwards, proided new opportunities for racial prejudice and exploitation. | With the rise of the written word and formalizing social bonds in the shape of nations, groups began to acquire specific reputations for certain characteristics or simply for general inferiority. What had once been tribal distinctions became immense labels spanning populations of millions. Most notably and globally, by the time of the [[Middle Ages]], those who were light-skinned (today called "Caucasian" or white) generally considered other races, such as the equally advanced Islamic cultures of north africa and the Middle East, to be 'savages'. The age of exploration and empire, from the sixteenth century onwards, proided new opportunities for racial prejudice and exploitation. | ||
| − | During the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, entire pseudosciences grew up around the study of such "superiorities," with [[phrenology]] or other studies of physical appearance purporting to determine with exactness an individual's racial makeup and the traits that would reputedly correspond. The [[England|English]] were held to be phlegmatic, people from [[Africa]] to be stupid, people from Asia to be thieves, and the [[Jews]] were viewed with a mix of hatred and admiration.{{ | + | During the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, entire pseudosciences grew up around the study of such "superiorities," with [[phrenology]] or other studies of physical appearance purporting to determine with exactness an individual's racial makeup and the traits that would reputedly correspond. The [[England|English]] were held to be phlegmatic, people from [[Africa]] to be stupid, people from Asia to be thieves, and the [[Jews]] were viewed with a mix of hatred and admiration.{{more}}<!--when & by whom??--> |
One of the strongest reinforcements of this worldview was that it was quite apparent to everyone that the white people were running the show. For the last few centuries, most people believed that the immensely disproportionate power and wealth of Europeans (and later Americans) was palpable proof that the white race was superior.{{fact}} After all, how could England have carved out an empire that spanned the continents from their tiny island, if their native intelligence or courage were not naturally superior? It seems obvious on the face of it, and it is why this attitude is still present in many people; evil doesn't inspires racism, but rather ignorance. | One of the strongest reinforcements of this worldview was that it was quite apparent to everyone that the white people were running the show. For the last few centuries, most people believed that the immensely disproportionate power and wealth of Europeans (and later Americans) was palpable proof that the white race was superior.{{fact}} After all, how could England have carved out an empire that spanned the continents from their tiny island, if their native intelligence or courage were not naturally superior? It seems obvious on the face of it, and it is why this attitude is still present in many people; evil doesn't inspires racism, but rather ignorance. | ||
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According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Racism is a form of bias, in which a particular "race" or "races" of people are considered to be inferior (or superior) for one reason or another.[1]
Placed in another way, racism is the demented belief that for whatever reason, skin color, physical characteristics, religious (or lack of) affiliation, or one of many traits makes a person superior to another person.
Contents |
History
Racism has existed in all areas and at all times where different races or cultures of humans have encountered each other. It is an unfortunate legacy of ancient days as hunter-gatherers that humans are inclined to judge groups by surface appearances. While this trait presumably was very useful in a day in which clan cohesion and recognition were of paramount importance, as society evolved into agrarian and then urban forms the habit has proven to be a problem.
With the rise of the written word and formalizing social bonds in the shape of nations, groups began to acquire specific reputations for certain characteristics or simply for general inferiority. What had once been tribal distinctions became immense labels spanning populations of millions. Most notably and globally, by the time of the Middle Ages, those who were light-skinned (today called "Caucasian" or white) generally considered other races, such as the equally advanced Islamic cultures of north africa and the Middle East, to be 'savages'. The age of exploration and empire, from the sixteenth century onwards, proided new opportunities for racial prejudice and exploitation.
During the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, entire pseudosciences grew up around the study of such "superiorities," with phrenology or other studies of physical appearance purporting to determine with exactness an individual's racial makeup and the traits that would reputedly correspond. The English were held to be phlegmatic, people from Africa to be stupid, people from Asia to be thieves, and the Jews were viewed with a mix of hatred and admiration.[more detail please]
One of the strongest reinforcements of this worldview was that it was quite apparent to everyone that the white people were running the show. For the last few centuries, most people believed that the immensely disproportionate power and wealth of Europeans (and later Americans) was palpable proof that the white race was superior.[citation needed] After all, how could England have carved out an empire that spanned the continents from their tiny island, if their native intelligence or courage were not naturally superior? It seems obvious on the face of it, and it is why this attitude is still present in many people; evil doesn't inspires racism, but rather ignorance.
A recent anthropologist, however, has suggested an alternate theory based on geography. The Mediterranean area and Europe constitute one of the few horizontally-constant areas of ecological stability. The same sort of crops that can be sown in Rome could be sown in London, with relatively little climate variation that would make such transfers difficult. This enabled the best crops such as wheat to be transferred among huge populations in a short time, along with parallel advances in technology (such as the metal plow). This is in contrast to areas such as Africa and the Americas, which have a fraction of comparably similar terrain. A crop which grows well in New York is not likely to grow well in Florida or Texas.
This rapid spread of agricultural information combined with immensely superior "packages": the available native species suitable for domestication. The Mediterranean area has a much higher number of such plant and animal species that were well-suited for use by man. And in short order, this enabled those in the area to produce much more food per capita. In turn, this enabled the construction of cities of enormous size and concentrations of individuals, whose fecundity yielded many more inventors to further advance technology and develop strong resistance to virulent diseases.[2][3]
In the end, this meant that the white peoples of Europe possessed more food and infinitely better technology and that they carried diseases that wiped out the legions that opposed them. Any belief in natural superiority is entirely unfounded.
Major Historical Examples
The "White Man's Burden" and the European Colonial Empires
Traditionally, the patriarchal assumption that the Empire was "doing good things for the darkies" does not hold up very well to reason. Luckily, their colonies pretty much all finally regained independence, and are doing just fine on their own, thank you.[4]
Slavery and "Civil Rights" in the United States
We cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.
The Third Reich
During the twelve year reign of the National Socialists in Germany, especially Jews but also Roma and Slavs were considered a sub-human race fit for extermination, while the concept of the Aryan race was manufactured whole-cloth from nothing. Racism provided the Nazis, simultaneously, a justification for world conquest (lebensraum for the master race) as well as a class of millions of dispossessed people to receive the blame every national ill and policy failure.
South Africa Under Apartheid
A white, colonially-descended minority ruled over a brown majority, until recent times. 'Nuff said.
Racism in Religion
Christianity
Overall, Christianity generally promotes tolerance. Numerous quotes in the Bible speak to the equality of all human "races". Christianity has historically found itself harnessed by racists, and although usually they represent small sects of the population (e.g., the Ku Klux Klan), at times Christian leaders have promoted large scale racism, such as slavery in the American South, which was fully aided and abetted by the religious institutions there.
Galatians 3:28 - "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
In the Book of Mormon, great stock is placed in skin color. The godly Nephites are a "fair and wholesome" people, while the disobedient Lamanites are given dark skin as a curse for their oppression of the Nephites. Later in the book, some of the Lamanites repent, and their skin miraculously becomes fair and wholesome again. As recently as 1978, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints refused to give African-Americans the keys to the Aaronite Priesthood.
Buddhism
A Buddhist came upon a race. He walked the other way, in order to be sure to avoid winning.
Judaism
Although the Jewish or Hebrew "race" has regarded itself as "special", or "chosen", their general outlook is one of high tolerance for other peoples (at least since the Pentateuch was written). Some people do consider conditions in modern day Israel to be an example of anti-Arab racism, but the point is open to debate, and even if agreed upon, the causes arguably lie outside Judaism itself and are more political than religious.
Leviticus 19:33-34 - " 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."
Islam
Apparently, Muslims do not care what "race" you are, as long as you accept Allah as the one and only God, and Mohammed as His prophet, or are one of the People of the Book. In the absence of such acceptance, the more fundamentalist sects do not regard you as worth allowing to live, whatever your "race".
Hinduism
Hinduism is such a large, diverse collection of beliefs and practices that it is hard to generalize. However, the only time that race and Hinduism seem to intersect is in the idea of conversion. Many traditional Hindus feel that non-Indians should not be able to convert to Hinduism; this can be seen as discrimination and racism.
Neopaganism
While neopaganism attempts really hard to be a vast fluffy-bunny religion, and thus also open and accepting of all, there can be a great deal of racism in certain circles. On the less malignant side, there are some reconstructionists who feel that people should only follow their "ancestral gods" and look down on those who seek to worship the gods of "other peoples." On the truly horrible side, many neo-Nazis use Norse neopaganism as a religious cover for their horrible racism. (The rest of the neopagan movement tries very hard to ostracize and shun these people.)
Race is not in our genes
Race is a category people use to identify themselves and others. In biology, race refers to those who share a genetic heritage. Most biologists today believe that it is a meaningless concept. As one scientist noted, "Human racial differentiation is, indeed, only skin deep. Any use of racial categories must take its justification from some other source than biology. The remarkable feature of human evolution and history has been the very small degree of divergence between geographical population as compared with the genetic variation among individuals."[5]
Also see
Footnotes
- ↑ http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/racism
- ↑ Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel. New York: Norton, 1997.
- ↑ Semple, Ellen. Influences of Geographic Environment: On the Basis of Ratzel's System of Anthropo-Geography. London: Greenbie, 1997.
- ↑ Well, most of them anyway. Zimbabwe is still a mess, after all.
- ↑ Not in our Genes, Richard Lewontin