Merriam-Webster defines racism as "a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race" and "behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief: racial discrimination or prejudice". Anti-black racism, or anti-blackness, is a form of racism that affects people who are, or who are perceived to be, of African descent. Anti-blackness permeates society, a painful legacy of slavery that continues to devastate lives to this day. A racist believes they are superior to someone else due to their race and acts on this belief.
Anti-black racism is a key feature of white supremacy and can be based on conscious and unconscious biases. An unconscious bias is social stereotypes we form about groups from outside our awareness. Due to the negative depiction of Black people across media forms, being the norm for decades, many people who would not consider themselves to be racist can hold these unconscious anti-black biases. It can be difficult for people to accept these biases, leading to confrontation and stagnation of the racial equality progress. Racism can be on an individual basis, directing a racial slur at someone, discriminating against someone due to their race (for example, denying a service), or making insensitive comments. Alternatively, it could be on a systematic basis: the erasure of the historical contributions of African American people, underfunding education, police brutality, and lack of opportunity. Systematic racism is especially difficult to combat, with many continuing to deny even the existence of structural equalities and systems founded in white supremacy.
Racism has a devastating impact on victims. While individual racism incidents can be humiliating, scary, and even deadly, they are also a stinging reminder for Black people everywhere of the more extensive structural racism they continue to face. A lack of consequences for individual instances of racism is a small aspect of the impact of a justice system disproportionately weighted against African Americans. A police force has been shown repeatedly to disproportionately pursue Black people, with numerous instances of unjustifiable use of force, sometimes deadly. In those instances where crimes are committed, the court system can also seem weighted against the victims, with weak sentences and far too often no one held to account. Individual experiences of anti-black racism reinforce the fact that some white people still believe in white supremacy and see them as lesser. It reminds them of the crimes perpetrated against their ancestors. Mass incarceration and forced labor are often viewed as slavery in another form. Systematic racism has also sought to stifle Black culture or profit from it to the detriment of the creators. Racism, often stemming from fear, ignorance, and hatred, stoked by want and jealousy and fueled by hateful views, is a disease.
It prevents us from moving forward, pitting portions of society against each other, making many suffer for the benefit of a few, and causing extreme pain to African Americans and their families. A society which is truly just, which values all human life and provides equal opportunity for all, ensuring the brightest minds can reach their full potential for the benefit of all. Representation, meaningful representation is crucial in achieving this, ensuring the rights of all are represented, and structural inequalities can be addressed. Racism must no longer be tolerated, with accurate teaching of American history and reparations employed to progress the work towards a fairer society further. Education is a crucial tool in dismantling racist systems and steering people away from embracing racist beliefs. In order to effectively combat racism, we must listen to the experiences of the people who have experienced it, tackle the inequalities they face across society, and teach firmly that racism is wrong.
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