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Racism

What a time to be alive (and I'm not joking)

By Véronique MaltaisPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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(Picture found on Google Images)

“Racism: prejudice, discrimination, and/or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.”

My take on this definition: How can someone say their race is superior, when we’re all coming from the same exact race… Human. Race. When you look up on the internet “what is the scientific explanation behind the different pigmentation of the skin?”, it says that the primary factor is the “breakdown of folate in reaction to ultraviolet radiation.” It means that people with darker skin tones reflect better the sun, so they are less damaged and are less prone to skin cancers. And if you keep reading (and if you went to school), you can see that the whole human race, during the evolution, had dark skin tones. I don’t know about you, but after learning this, I kind of wish I had black skin! (I burn very easily in the sun since my skin is white and I’m a blond/ginger.)

My take on what is going on: We are all aware (I hope) of the recent events happening in America and around the world. The loss of George Floyd (may he rest peacefully, now that the 4 officers who murdered him are sentenced) was the moment when people said "enough is enough." I am devasted by what happened to him but am so happy his last moments were recorded; the world saw. The world finally saw what the black community was being upset about for the past 400 years. America got exposed. To Floyd's family and to all these other people who couldn’t prove that the deaths of their loved ones were unjustified, they can finally cry and scream that they were right all along. We hear you. We are fighting for you and your rights. I never want to speak for someone else, but when the people you’re trying to communicate with are turning their backs* on you only because of the pigmentation of your skin, then I think it’s more than my right to stand up for them and with them.

The only thing that scares/worries me about the protests, is that the black community reaches its breaking point and starts to murder too. I would totally understand if it came to that point, and I would have the same reasoning if it was another group of people. I’m just scared they won’t be the bigger man. What I mean by this expression is; if they start to fire back, it will absolutely give these pigs the right to kill them on the spot. I hope they’ll continue to scream in the streets and film everything. Every video is criminal evidence. Wear a body cam if you need to. Show the world every behavior that has to stop.

We should be a team. That’s what a community is supposed to be. Racism is taught to people when they are young. Break the cycle. Open your mind. Nobody is better because of their hair or eye color, so why should someone’s skin color matter? Let's keep fighting, all together.

Until everyone can go jogging in their neighborhood without being scared.

Until being pulled over, whether you're in your car or walking down the street, by a cop is no longer a threat to your life.

Until it's no longer a necessity to teach your children how to interact with a cop so you don't get hurt or killed.

What a time to be alive. We are writing history.

*By “turning their backs”, I mean “throwing flash bangs, tear gas and rubber bullets to the protesters’ faces.” I also mean “ignoring what is going on for a few days and then threatening that when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

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About the Creator

Véronique Maltais

Keep an open mind. Be provocative. When we unite, impossible doesn't exist.

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