Not so great expectations

Sometimes I wonder if humans are inherently racist. I understand it is the nature of almost every living creature to try and make sense of the surrounding world; one way in which we achieve this is through classification and comparison.

The moment a particular thing can be identified as a particular thing, it can be grouped into categories with things of that exact or similar nature. In most, if not all, cases one thing is what it is due to what it is not. Take gender for example. A male is a male and a female a female for what each one has that the other does not. Without females there could be no males because we achieve our status as one or the other through the comparative nature applied. As children growing up, we begin to understand that we are either boy or girl when we realize there are things about us that are not the same as others. Although I believe it is spearheaded by ignorance and sometimes arrogance, it is through this comparative nature the ability to discriminate exists. In many minds, things belonging to a specific group should only be placed or associated with things also of that group. This form of discrimination can become racism.

I’ve never experienced extreme racism although I’ve had small instances crop up where someone will refer to me as a nigger or – my favourite – a ‘Jungle Bunny’ but I laugh it off because I find racism pitiful and ridiculous. The funniest thing is, there are instances of racism we don’t seem to class as racist. People speak the word and, due to world history, primarily think of the ‘white versus black’ type of racism but in my experience black people are far more racist than white people. It only occurred to me a few years but I have frequently experienced racism from black people throughout my life because, in their eyes, I am not ‘black enough’.

I remember the first time I heard that. It thoroughly confused the life out of me. What do you mean I’m not black enough? Should my skin be darker? My nose more pronounced? Are my lips not full enough? Nope. None of that. The thing preventing me from achieving the certification I needed to qualify as black was that I am “too well spoken”. Yes, that’s right. I “speak like a white person”. The first time I heard this I thought…wait, what?

So… because I pronounce the letters, who have so valiantly chosen to stand side by side in union to form these wonderful things called words and say them, as they should be. I’m somehow less black than you are? Here’s a guarantee: when other people look at us, they see a black person. Regardless. Case closed.

Basically, it translates to this low level self-image seemingly shared by a disappointingly high number of black people; an image which, if you do not conform to your ‘blackness’ becomes questionable. It’s all about expectation. When you encounter a person that you can visually identify as belonging to a particular race or culture your mind determines how they ‘should’ sound before they’ve uttered a word. When expectation fails to coincide with reality, people become confused and their brains experience a fit of ‘Ew, what is that? Get it away from me. That’s not right! Y u no sound like I expect?!’ I remember the first time I encountered a Chinese Jamaican. My mind nearly imploded. The classification process causes this expectation. We come to understand and subsequently expect – based on interactions and stereotyping – people will act, sound and behave a particular way. If a person is anything other than that which we expect, our minds seem to have trouble dealing with them contradicting our ignorant expectations.

Think about every instance you have heard the words ‘white boy’ or ‘white girl’ spoken; I bet many of those are related to the aforementioned white person doing or possessing something “black”. ‘Ooooh white girl can daaance! Yooo, white boy can rap!’ C’mon son. I get that these are things primarily associated with black people, due to the fact that they originate with people of colour and are areas dominated by people of colour but just because you primarily experience a certain thing from a certain group, it does not mean that nobody else can do it. So let me break down a few things for you. Not all black people can dance and more white people than you think can. Not all black people can rap and a lot more white people than you expect, can. Not every person in a hoodie will mug you. Oh and while we’re doing this, it must be said that not all black men have huge dicks and not all black women have big asses.

The way a person speaks and acts should be reflective of them and only them. Therefore, do not expect a person to sound and behave like everyone who looks similar to them and don’t be so surprised when they can do things that your mind is only able to handle the idea of one type of person doing. White people can rap. Hell, Eminem is one of the greatest rappers of all-time but it is still such a shock when a white person is good at rapping.

The majority of this rant was inspired by this video:  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=144411112425747

I hope the link works because the guy is absolutely brilliant and it annoyed me that the video was entitled ‘white boy killing it’ because his colour should not be a factor. Whether we realize it or not, this is still a form of racism.

I cannot say we’ll ever be free of racism as I’m sure there’ll always be some form of discrimination. However, I hope we get to a point where we can be more accepting. People should not feel like they cannot do something or have to be a certain way because they look a certain way.

 Jack.