Racism
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word”. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Racism is defined as the process by which systems and policies, actions and attitudes create inequitable opportunities and outcomes for people based on race.
Racism occurs when this prejudice is accompanied by the power to discriminate against, oppress or limit the rights of certain others.
Like all words in our language, the word racism has a very definite and powerful meaning. When it is misused or used to explain everything that people do not like or agree with, it actually becomes meaningless.
I believe that there is racism in this country, just as there is in probably every country in the world. There are those who hate others for whatever reason and lump them in with all or many others of their race. That certainly goes against what Dr. Martin Luther King preached and what I firmly believe:
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
That is why when I think a particular person is dumb, wrong or evil, it is not because that person is of a particular race or creed.
It is because that is who that person is. So if I am called a racist because I call that person out or speak against him or her, that does not make me a racist. And to be called such is wrong and distorts what a racist really is.
To brush off the criticism of another because of their ethnicity or religion is to excuse them for what in essence may be racism itself. To say they are justified in saying or doing what they say or do is to actually encourage the behavior we are supposedly against.
Recently I commented on a piece about how Donald Trump was lauded for his work with minorities prior to getting into the political arena.
No less than Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Oprah Winfrey to name a few praised him and gave him kudos and awards.
You may not like Trump for various things, his policies, how he conducts his businesses, his language or whatever. That does not make him a racist and that term should not be used about him. It is wrong and is nonsense and should be dismissed as such.
But as soon as he opposed or ran against their views on certain things, he was branded a racist, even as he worked to help minority groups with enterprise zones, grants for black colleges and universities and reductions in incarcerations for previous crimes. Hardly the sign of racism.
I was told by some that racism is an institution in the United States.
There may some be in certain pockets, but all in all this country is one of the most welcoming and accepting in the world. Name another country with so many ethnicities. And while some suffer in poverty, many others and extremely successful. In a truly racist society that would not be possible.
“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.” — Thurgood Marshall
It is time for us to call out those who use racism as a weapon to divide us. In some ways they may be the racists themselves and are distracting us from the truth. And in today’s world we need all the truth we can manage.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter H. Christian was a founding partner and president of espi, a business consulting firm in Northeastern PA. Previously he was an Executive at Crayola Corporation. He has worked with 300+ clients in business development, profit improvement, operations, IS selection and implementation, and Project Management. He has 40+ years of experience in strategic and facility planning, CI, lean, and supply chain. He has helped companies to realize millions of dollars in cost reductions and profit improvements adding and retaining thousands of jobs. He has authored the Amazon bestselling business books, “What About the Vermin Problem?” and “Influences and Influencers” (4 out of 4 star review on Online Bookclub) and is published in a variety of professional magazines. He is most appreciative of Dr. Rodney Ridley and Donald Schalk of the O’Pake Institute, Alvernia University for their support in allowing him to teach this important course
