It’s simple. Or at least it should be. Let me lay it out for you. Humans have two ears, two eyes, one mouth, and two hands. All of this is extremely important. Well, you know that already, it’s how you live. But there’s something more than the basic element of surviving that these body parts give you. It’s the concept of thriving. The only way to thrive is to have others. That’s why we have countries, towns, communities, the internet, and more to communicate and support each other. “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” a quote by the famous president Lincoln. If humanity hadn’t come together humanity would collapse. There would be no humans.

Now, let’s connect this to America. In opposition to the term ‘Melting Pot’, many people are now using the term ‘salad bowl’. This means that there are many cultures that celebrate individuality, but are also united to similar goals and celebrating America. If you think about it, everyone except for the Native Americans are immigrants from other cultures and are very different. So why do Americans single out certain ethnicities, races, genders, etc.? Why are there problems such as inequality and racism?

There seems to be 4 main reasons why there is racism. Almost everything you do and think has been impacted in some way by others. Example: One person is eating chips they saw from a commercial, another person starts to want the same chips. If your friends and family have racist attitudes then there’s a good chance you will too. This is how racism spreads and keeps having impact over generations and generations. Another reason is that people tend to associate with only their group, this limits the knowledge and compassion between groups. Third, people tend to assume traits of a person because of where they come from. They assume that certain people from a certain place act poorly, wear poor clothes, and are dumb. This assumption could be entirely the opposite, but you’d never know until you met the person. Assumptions are natural, but don’t let them control your relationships and thoughts. Lastly, we are quick to blame others for our faults. Another natural thing that humans tend to do. Especially with the internet world, racist comments and claims can spread more rapidly and cause momentum against a certain group of people. Racism is never right and there is no excuse. Avoid it at all costs and never join in. Help victims of racism and tell a trusted adult.

Let’s start back at the beginning with the line ‘humans have two ears, two eyes, one mouth, and two hands’. Humans have two ears to hear different perspectives and listen to others. Talk to other groups and learn about their group. Humans have two eyes to watch others and learn about other cultures and groups. You can use the news, books, articles, TV, and more. Humans have one mouth, which they should be careful of. You may think something is a joke but someone else may be hurt by the words. Try to only say uplifting words. What’s the use of saying nasty words? They don’t help the person, yourself, and society. Humans have two hands to one, help themselves to reach their goals, two, help others reach their goals. You need all of these parts of the body for effective communication, understanding, and to thrive. Use them well and don’t let humanity collapse!

Resources to check out!

Why are people racist? (Info and Help) https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/whyarepeopleracist.pdf