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The hypocrisy of racism

by Jason Sorrell

Created on: January 23, 2009   Last Updated: September 11, 2010

I would like to begin this article by stating clearly that I am opposed to any racially inspired activity. I feel that a mature intellect should be able to rise above his her her racially motivated inclinations and make decisions with a minimal amount of bias. I truly feel that all individuals should be judged based on their own merits.

That said, it is not my intention to write a popular article. Indeed, I intend to be bluntly honest about this topic and to give voice to views which, while I feel we are all aware of them, are shunned by most who discuss the topic. Even if this article offends you, I hope it will make you consider your own motivations and convictions.

Racism exists. It is not going away. It is hardwired into our psyche. People make judgement choices constantly; the more familiar something is then the more likely we are to accept and trust it. It is a survival instinct that thankfully has been a part of our evolutionary process. Another term for this process is "tribalization", people tend to congregate, commune, and trade more fairly with people who are like them. This is human nature and it is not going to disappear anytime soon. All cultures, ethnic groups, "races", are guilty of this behavior to one degree or another, often to an extent most would not like to admit. This process even extends to geography; people trust people from "the neighborhood" more than they trust an outsider. Biologically, this is a sensible solution to many potential problems.

Where the conflict arises is when we, as a society, have established a set of rules and behavior paradigms which cross all sub-groups within that society, yet we as an individual organism fail to choose intellectual imperative or our biological one. Regardless of "race", ethnicity, culture, or geography, a civilized society exists when a certain homogenization of behaviors and values exists throughout. A person traveling from the East Coast of the US to the West Coast can expect that many of the values and laws familiar to them continue to exist. A Muslim is still expected to adhere to the same general standards as a Christian, a Caucasian ideally is held to the same laws as a Hispanic. When we allow our biological bias to influence our intellectual decision making without rational cause, we commit "racism". This, too, exists in all cultures, all ethnic groups. Being white does not make one immune from the pains of racism.

We, as a society, need to come to terms with racism. The concept of making

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