Racism is one of the most insidious factors in our lives. It’s ingrained in America’s collective unconscious. The bigotry and hatred taught to us and handed down over the ages doesn’t go away simply because we want it to. Like it or not, we are still a prejudiced nation.
First it was the Indians. Then the Chinese who helped build our railroads. After that it was the Irish, the Germans, and Japanese Americans who were our citizens during WWII. That was followed by Puerto Ricans, blacks, and Hispanics. Today it’s Muslims. Yes, there is prejudice and hate in all corners of the world, but America is supposed to be different. We’re the place where people of all color, race, and religious beliefs are welcomed with open arms.
Despite Obama’s election, or perhaps because of it, the level of hatred and intolerance in the U.S. has reached an all-time high. It’s brought racists out of the woodwork. A 2011 Associated Press poll found that 51 percent of Americans now express explicit anti-black hatred. The survey also found that 52 percent of non-Hispanic whites expressed anti-Hispanic attitudes.
These people see the world in stark shades of black and white and refuse to accept that we live in a multiracial society. Much of their hatred stems from resentment. They are convinced that words like “diverse” and “multicultural” are simply code words for anti-white, anti-male, anti-western ideology, and that a conspiracy is afoot to eliminate the entire white race. They also believe in a “hierarchy of color” and consider other races inferior.
This is how their minds work — or more accurately don’t work.
This level of bigotry can’t go on. We live in a country of many different cultures, ethnicities, and mixed races. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report, in the last decade the number of multiracial Americans grew faster than those who self-identify as a single race, with the largest gains coming in the once racially segregated South. It’s time to either accept diversity or close ourselves off in our own little worlds and let prejudice and cultural intolerance win the day.
America’s white majority is slipping away with increasing speed, affecting issues from immigration to the future of our economy. The Census Bureau noted that the United States is moving toward a “minority majority” population. By 2043 whites are expected to make up less than half of the total U.S. population.
The new American “us” is no longer black, white, Asian, or Hispanic. It’s all of these and more.
Multiracial couples are changing the political landscape and actually forcing our leaders to do something about the treatment of nonwhites. The main question that nationwide immigration centers on is how immigrants should be characterized. Are they a burden to taxpayers with their needs? Or do they bring with them the energy and skills to power the economy and help our country grow?
It’s wise to keep in mind that America was built on the hard-working backs of immigrants.
There is great value in diversity. It allows us to break down barriers, eradicate prejudice, and enrich our lives. Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, arguing for racial justice and equality. In many ways we have moved forward and embraced Dr. King’s dream. Mass migration has made us more culturally diverse than ever. But we still have a long way to go. Obama did not run as the “first black president,” but America made him that in order to say racism is over. Sadly, it’s not. When Ann Coulter writes a book saying racism doesn’t exist, you know it’s rampant.
One demographic fact is clear: As white America ages, we will have to rely more and more heavily on hardworking, tax-paying nonwhites to build a prosperous economy and fund programs like Social Security and Medicare. Ironic, isn’t it? Those who are prejudiced or mixed race intolerant might want to take a minute and wrap their minds around that little nugget of information.
Mutual respect is what we must aim for. We’re all in this boat together. Let’s start treating our crew members with equal respect. We want Americans to celebrate their own cultures, background, and religions. Those who oppose diversity and pretend that suspicion and intolerance is the way to a better society are swimming against a rip tide. Hopefully someday, in the far distant future, we will just be “Americans.” Or, better yet, “citizens of the world.”
Tim Martin resides in McKinleyville.
