Who Am I and Why Do I Know Racism Will Always Be Part Of America

The first thing I'd like to say is, I wish with all my heart, we as Americans could defeat racism. However, the more I study racism, the more I feel its root are embedded deeper into our psyche than Mom's Apple Pie. In this piece I'm going to spell out what racism is, from a sociological perspective. Well, at least how I view it from a sociological perspective. Until America can grasp what racism truly is, racism will stay in existence. Until perpetrators of racism own up to exploiting groups of people via racism, it will continue to tear America apart. Here's why I feel I'm qualified to talk about racism. I tell you this not to brag, because I truly have nothing to brag about. I'm a nobody to most people in this country. So, I tell you this to let you know that talking about racism goes deeper than my right to my feelings and opinions. I have made it my life's mission to study racism. I've read a number of books, read many research studies. I've designed and taught college level courses on disassembling racism and human communication. I've conducted many seminars and given many lectures on disassembling racism. I have lived in one of the whitest states in this country, Idaho, for almost 40 years. For the record, below is Idaho's racial breakdown: Race Population % of Total Total Population 1,567,582 100 White 1,396,487 89 Hispanic or Latino 175,901 11 Some Other Race 79,523 5 Two or More Races 38,935 2 American Indian 21,441 1 Asian 19,069 1 Black or African American 9,810 Below 1% Three or more races 2,362 Below 1% Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander 2,317 Below 1% Native Hawaiian 637 Below 1% Alaska Native tribes 403 Below 1% (source: suburbanstats.org 2015-2016) So, I ask you, what better place to learn, identify, fight and teach about racism? I also did my doctorial dissertation entitled "Teacher Communication with Students from Diverse Backgrounds", on diversity in education and how to deal with it. I should have titled it "Racism in Education". However, I didn't think that title would fly with my committee. It mainly talks about White teachers communication with students from diverse background. I have written and published a number of articles on race and racism, including racism in religion and education. Again, talking about racism runs deeper in my life than my rights to my feelings and to my opinions. And even that doesn't mean I'm always right. However, coming from a solid knowledge base, will get us closer to a solution to racism in America, than having to listen to the feelings of people who haven't taken the time to study the situation. The understanding and disassembling of racism in America cannot be left to the personal feelings of its citizens; no more than cure for lung cancer can be discovered by the local barber. The barber may have an opinion and feelings about cancer. The barber may know someone who has suffered through cancer. But, opinions and feelings aside, the barber cannot cure the cancer. It takes a doctor who is educated and has studied and has some kind of expertise in chemistry, biology and possibly anatomy. What I'm saying is, people most certainly have the right to their opinions and feelings about racism, but that's all they are unless they have gathered knowledge. Too many times this country wants to talk to famous celebrities and politicians about this country's racism problem, as if they know more than their feelings and opinions. Most of the time people who really understand America's racism are preaching truth to an small audiences, who have no power to produce change. What is racism? Here's a working definition or racism, according to the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, an organization which travels the world undoing racism. Their formula says, Racism = race prejudice + power. Basically I think The People's Institute is saying is, without power there isn't racism. Hatred could very well manifest itself in some other form of belittling people, but if a group has no power it cannot control another group of people. If the group of people wanting the control uses skin color as their criteria for deciding who they will inflict its power on, then it's racism. So, I basically agree with the People's Institute. They taught me a lot on my journey to fighting racism. However, I have developed another way of viewing racism. I call it "The Anderson Racism Hypothesis". The Anderson Racism Hypothesis The Anderson Racism Hypothesis states: When a nation’s more economically and politically powerful entitled race or culture assigns and attaches negative feelings, un-true history, while deleting the use of sound reasoning based on scientific knowledge, historical fact and meaningful communication to the politically and economically powerless people within its society, racism will occur and remain constant. Truth, through scientific knowledge, historical facts and the relinquishing of negative feelings must replace, the dominate culture's negative feelings and un-true history. The dominate culture must begin to use sound reasoning based on scientific knowledge, historical fact and meaningful communication, or racism will never cease to exist. As I look at the history of racism in the United States, I am convinced my hypothesis on racism can be displayed as a scientific, social racism formula. The formula for racism is: NF= negative feelings; UH= un-true history; EC&PP=economic and political power and entitlement; is greater than KF= knowledge & facts; MCOM=Meaningful communication; R =racism will occur. If (NF+UH)P directed negatively towards a particular racial group > (KF +MCOM) Racism will occur. If ((NF+UH)(EC&PPE)>(KF+MCOM))=R Formula explained: Negative feelings and negative emotions times power Feelings and emotions about people from a particular race, without the benefit of knowledge and facts produces racism. Therefore, as long as people from different racial groups do not engage in meaningful, knowledgeable and factual communication about race and racism, racism will continue to exist. If a country’s negative feelings and negative history, about people from a particular race or culture, is falsely produced by that country’s more economically and politically powerful race or culture, is greater than sound reasoning, based on scientific knowledge, historical fact and meaningful communication, racism will occur and remain constant. If negative feelings and negative emotions, about people from a particular race or group, by those from a more economically and politically powerful entitled race or group is greater than sound reasoning, based on knowledge, fact and meaningful communication, racism will occur and remain constant. Eliminate any part of the (greater than) aspect of this formula and racism as we know it, cannot function and will eventually cease to exist. We Need To Get Rid Of the Melting Pot Theory Until such time when those with power are willing to give it up, America needs to rid itself of the "Melting Pot" mentality. It sounds good at first glance, but if looked at closely, the melting pot theory of America asks people to give-up who they are, so we all can become the same. From my perspective this mindset plays into the definition of racism. We have the dominate group of people telling everyone else that to be good Americans you must shed yourself of who you are and become like us. That was fine in the old "I wanna be like Mike" commercials, but in reality, a group of people shouldn't have to melt themselves down, in order to live peacefully, in this country. There's a big difference between living by the laws and customs of this country and having to give up our identity as a human being. A healthier perspective for everyone, is what I call the "Big Salad" mentality. There's nothing healthier than a big salad. In a big salad the tomato, is allowed to contribute to the salad and make it better, while staying a tomato. The same goes for the lettuce, cucumber, red, pepper, black olives, brown mushrooms, yellow pepper and so on. Every item (group of people) added to the big salad (America) makes the big salad (America) better, without (groups of people) having to change themselves into someone else. If Americans could do this one small adjustment in its thinking, and begin to see America as a "Big Salad" rather than a "Melting Pot", we could put a big dent in the fight against racism. So, you as the reader must honestly fill in the blanks. Who has the power in this country? Is racism taught to our young? Would you be willing to look within yourself to treat EVERYONE equal? Do you really believe that those who live in poverty really like living in poverty? What have you done to bridge the racial gap? What is more important to the betterment of mankind, truth or your right to your uninformed opinion? Those are some pretty difficult questions to answer. Any one, any group or any cause trying to sell you their way of thinking, doesn't want you to truthfully answer those questions. These are the people who want racism to continue. And sadly, they are winning. Even sadder, we all will die in the process.