9 Reasons to Reexamine Your Views on So-Called Racism
1) IT’S NOT REAL
Racism exists entirely in our minds, no matter how much we want it to be real. This isn’t a history lesson, but a few tidbits to chew on might be helpful. Most of us know that dark skin pigmentation is prevalent in places like Central Africa where there is high UV radiation from sunlight. Light skin pigmentation is prevalent in Nordic countries where there is low UV radiation. (Sigh…must I continue?) It has always been about UV radiation, folic acid, and Vitamin D. Too much UV radiation can mess up cell production. Dark skin protects. Light skin evolved as humans migrated out of Africa to low UV areas where dark skin would block too much radiation, thus compromising the body’s ability to absorb Vitamin D from the sun.
Both the dark and light people are the SAME people! Not some imaginary different “races”. The physical differences/mutations are not proof of the existence of various races in the world. Racial differentiation occurred late in history most notably when two power hungry dudes (Joseph Arthur Gobineau, and Houston Stewart Chamberlain) attributed cultural and psychological values to race – thereby proposing theories of racial superiority. Yet, we continue generation after generation to bite into this nonsense that we are “racially” different knowing full well what purpose this invention intended to serve in the first place. Every reputable anthropologist today outright rejects the silliness of “race”.
2) IGNORANCE AND STUPIDITY AREN’T THE SAME THING
Whenever we don’t know any better regarding any particular subject matter and we choose to act, or refuse to act, based upon that insufficiency of information, it can best be described as ignorance – not as an insult or cause for censure, but as a technical definition. But, whenever we know better, and have had opportunities to research and critically assess irrefutable information presented to us, yet we continue to act within the realm of supposed ignorance… that’s just plain stupid.
3) SLAVERY IS NOT EVIDENCE OF RACISM
Virtually every culture around the world has at one time or another enslaved other human beings. In nearly every instance, originally, the slaveowners and the slaves shared similar physical attributes/superficialities, i.e. they were of the same “race”. Slavery, at its roots has always been about commerce. “Race” has been incidental.
4) IT’S A ZERO-SUM PROPOSITION
If we look objectively at so-called racism (the American version), we will recognize that no matter which side is presenting their passion, someone always ends up losing…something (Financially, educationally, physically, etc.). Why is this? I proffer that this has always been the case and will always be the case unless and until we collectively sit down and seek to truly understand each other and figure out why we have accepted a factually nonexistent and inherently harmful ideal to consistently inform our otherwise innocuous and harmonious existing ideas about humanity. We can cross the finish line together, if that’s what we really want.
5) HUMANITY IS HETEROGENEOUS
Can’t argue against this, right? Right! But we sure don’t mind going full speed ahead on historical and linguistic distortions. We’ve allowed those two clowns from earlier (Gobineau and Chamberlain) to convince us of #1 race is a real thing, and thus #2 theories of racial superiority should be accepted as fact instead of the obvious fiction that they offer.
6) RACISM IS A MISNOMER, A PHANTASM
If “race” isn’t really a thing, then by default neither is racism. Prejudice, however, is most definitely a thing. We can’t expect to win a battle against a shadow, but when we know what casts the shadow, we can expect positive progress.
7) RACISM IS A VENEER
Racism can’t stand alone. There is always, always, always something at the core of why we feel the way that we do about anything and everything. Racism is a multilayered veneer covering the very real issues which have permeated the zeitgeist and which can only be undone through honest discussions, genuine understanding, and maybe a few generations of epigenetics. Let’s talk about it.
8) RACISM IS SOCIAL VENTRILOQUISM
Who benefits the most from insisting upon feeding the divisions caused and expanded by so-called racism? They are the powerful executives of governmental and private institutions who cannot bear to have scrutiny turned in their direction for fear of the chickens coming home to roost. If they are the ventriloquists, what does that make the rest of us?
9) RACISM IS NEITHER REASONABLE, NOR LOGICAL
What? Were you expecting more? Nope – that’s all.
bf thames 2025
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