'The Difference Between Prejudice and Racism'

Today, I feel very blessed to have a large group of white friends, who share many of the same views as I do, on this subject. And without their support, I hasten to say that my efforts to educate myself and others, about racism, and the need to eradicate it all together, would be pretty impossible.

This is also true of the many friends that I have been blessed with, who are black of African descent, who are of Asian descent, and friends of all other racial groups. I feel immense gratitude to God, that I have such a wonderful mixture of friends, who are equally determined to be free from racism, and to see it completely removed from our society. There may be some differences of opinion, on the best way to go about this end, but my friends and I all generally concur that the racism existing in our world today, is an unnecessary evil, that needs to be eradicated as quickly and efficiently as possible. We believe in the power of Love as a tool to achieve this end.

Recently, I had a long discussion with one such white friend of mine, whom I hold in very high esteem. This is largely because, he is a rare wise soul who has been through the mill in life, and suffered many obstacles, yet has managed to overcome them and come out shining with his integrity as a being, intact. He today, has a tremendous level of understanding and compassion regarding human misery. I respect his views on life immensely because he lives what he believes.

The friend in question told me, that it may surprise me to know that, as a white person, he had suffered racism as a child, in school. Apparently he had been picked on and bullied, by some Asian kids at his school, for being white, and in the minority. Most of his school mates were non-whites. These boys had decided to vent their anger and frustration, about the racism they and their family had experienced in society, upon my white friend, even though he personally, had done them no such wrong. I thought this point was worth consideration - The fact that racism, is not simply a 'white only' issue, but concerns the entire human race. Really, none of us whatever race we are, can claim to be completely immune from the effects of racism. I aim through this blog to demonstrate that we have all been adversely affected, whether directly or indirectly, by racism. I was therefore, able to console my friend regarding his experience, as indeed sometimes, in battles, innocent people get caught up in the cross fire, and unwittingly receive a bullet wound. This is why it is so important not to blindly pigeon hole people, based on their outward appearances or skin colour. You could be doing yourself and the rest of us a disservice and be attacking an angel, or at least an ally. We need to be conscious of our actions on others, at all times. And to be aware that any kind of prejudice, whether of colour, race, religion, creed, gender etc, is immoral. Having said that, there is however a difference between having a prejudice, and racism. What is the difference you may ask? Well, here is how the Webster dictionary defines prejudice:-

Prejudice: Definition
'preconceived judgment or opinion (2) an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristic.'

Notice, that we all have some prejudices towards, or against certain kinds of people. There are prejudices for instance in favor of, or against rich people, or poor people, lawyers, police officers, fat people, thin people, extroverts, introverts, conservatives or liberals, smokers, nonsmokers, motor-cyclists, taxi drivers, hippies, long haired men, or people with dread locks; or women in mini skirts, etc...etc.. the list goes on. Many of those prejudices however, are not institutionalized, in the way that racism is. I mean to say that many of the individual prejudices that we hold, though unhelpful at best and harmful at worst, have not been deliberately woven, into the very fabric of our society, so that the institutions, such as our legal system, health system, education system, housing system, financial and economic system, are built upon the prejudice, and actually helping to prop it up, in the way that racism, has been systematically woven into the fabric of our society. Do you see the difference?

Racism is more intricate and more premeditated, because it is part of the essential way that the system runs. Institutionalized racism has a subliminal or subconscious under-current. A systematic, and repetitive way of projecting itself into our lives, by the very nature of the system we live by and live in. Please read that again. This is powerful stuff. we know how powerful the sub-conscious mind is.

We have witnessed this kind of manifestation very clearly in the old apartheid systems of S. Africa, and Zimbabwe. We have also witnessed and experienced the effects of the old system of British colonialism, some of the consequences of that are still evident in the problems that many African countries still face today. We have witnessed the results of the racial segregation that was socially engineered in the Deep South of America, where it was legalized. Many of us are aware of these facts of history, since these were the very things that people like Dr. Martin Luther King, President J. Kennedy, and President Nelson Mandela stood up against, and laid their lives down, to change.

But even though such apartheid systems thankfully, have now been made illegal, there is still a prevailing level of racism that is still evident, and lingering around mostly subconsciously, in our current systems of today. Racism is still very much alive guys, only in more subtle forms and variations.

Let's take a closer look at the definition of Institutional Racism:-

Institutional Racism: Definition
'(Also structural racism and systemic racism) is any form of racism occurring specifically within institutions such as public government bodies, private business corporations, and universities (public and private).
Institutional racism is one of three forms of racism: (i) Personally-mediated, (ii) internalized, and (iii) institutional.
The term institutional racism was coined by Stokely Carmichael, the black nationalist, pan-africanist and "honorary prime minister" of the Black Panther Party, who, in the late 1960s, defined institutional racism as “the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin”.1

Furthermore, Institutional racism: is the differential access to the goods, services, and opportunities of society. When the differential access becomes integral to institutions, it becomes common practice, making it difficult to rectify. Eventually, this racism dominates public bodies, private corporations, and public and private universities, and is reinforced by the actions of conformists and newcomers. Another difficulty in reducing institutionalized racism is that there is no sole, true identifiable perpetrator. When racism is built into the institution, it appears as the collective action of the population.

The statements in bold, make it clear for us to see the difference between our normal every day prejudices, the ones we act on out of ignorance; and racism.
I am pointing out this difference, not to undermine the very real suffering that people like my dear friend, have experienced at the hands of ignorant bullies acting out their prejudices on others; but so as to fully acknowledge, the level and depth at which racism does exist, and how it undermines us all. I am also pointing out the difference, so that we do face up to, the amount of work that actually needs to be done, to eradicate racism completely, from within our individual selves, and also our society's collective consciousness. For us to heal from racism completely, we need to be fully aware of the extent to which it impacts our lives, and in particular, the lives of those who are at the receiving end, of the brunt of it on a daily basis.

I have direct and personal experience, of the effects of; on the one hand - bullying activities by individuals on account of their personal prejudices; and on the other hand - racism that is institutional and systemised. Though neither of them have been pleasant experiences, my experiences of the latter, were by far the more debilitating.

I would love to hear other people's views and experiences about this. Please add your own insights in the 'comments section' of this blog. You can even do so anonymously if you wish.

For additional resources and assistance, you may want to view my other blogs and websites by clicking here:-
Holy Spirit Services - online by Rev.Bola

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Article by Rev.Bola A. (copyright:7Dec'09 -ARR)

'Racism...what's that?'

Especially for those who might still be in some denial about this subject, I will start at the beginning.

Racism is a belief or ideology that all members of each racial group possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, but especially to distinguish that race as being either superior or inferior to another racial group or racial groups.

Merriam Webster's dictionary defines racism as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capabilities (when in fact it is the Spirit that is the main determinant) and that certain racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular racial group. It is also the prejudice based on such a belief. Macquarie dictionary defines racism as: "the belief that human races have distinctive characteristics which determine their respective values, usually involving the false idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule or dominate others. The concept that discrimination can be based on "race" presupposes the existence of "race" itself. However, even the United States government's, Human Genome project, has announced that the most complete mapping of human DNA to date, indicates that there is no distinct genetic basis to racial types

Racism is the erroneously perpetuated belief, that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person's social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics, rather than their innate spirit. Racial separatism is the belief, most of the time based on racism, that different races should remain segregated and apart from one another.

Racism is destructive. It dis-empowers people by devaluing their identity. It destroys community cohesion and creates fake divisions in society. It is the opposite of the democratic principle of the equal rights of all people to be treated fairly. An understanding of the nature of racism is essential in order to recognize and counter it successfully. Racism is a global phenomenon which is influenced by a range of historical, social, political and economic factors. It takes different forms in different contexts and as a result has been defined in many different ways. For example In Australia, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1998) states that Racism is an ideology that gives expression to myths about other than caucasian racial and ethnic groups, that devalues and renders inferior those groups, and is perpetuated by deeply rooted historical, social, cultural and power inequalities in society. Racism is the result of a complex interplay of individual attitudes, social values and institutional practices, motivated by the intent to deceive and exploit.

Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of "... the notion of ascribing moral, social or political significance to a man's genetic lineage -- the notion that a man's intellectual and character traits are produced and transmitted by his internal body chemistry. "...which means, in practice, that a man is to be judged, not by his own character and actions, but by the characters and actions of a collective of ancestors. "Racism claims that the content of a man's mind (not his cognitive apparatus) is inherited; that a man's convictions, values and character are determined before he is born, by physical and material rather than Spiritual forces beyond his control. " This is the caveman's version of the doctrine of biologically inherited knowledge -- which has been thoroughly refuted by philosophy and science even, not to talk of other educational disciplines. Racism is a doctrine of, by and for brutes. "It is a barnyard or stock-farm version of collectivism, appropriate to a mentality that differentiates between various breeds of animals, but not between animals and men".

Racism is repeatedly treating someone differently and especially unfairly, simply because they belong to a different race or culture. People can also experience prejudice because of their religion or nationality. It is illegal to treat people differently or unfairly because of their race and no one has the right to make you feel bad or abuse you. Racism is the cancer of our society. Racism is old and racism is a disease.

It is the intentional or unintentional use of power to isolate, separate and exploit others. Racism is more than just a personal attitude; it is the institutionalized form of the attitude". Racism is subtle but still exists beneath the surface, it is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

Did you know for instance, that racism is rife in Britain's schools and has surfaced several times? It takes two distinct forms: racist teachers and racist kids. Last year, government-funded research by the university of Warwick caused a stir by seeming to prove, conclusively, that children of African heritage are the victims of ‘institutionalized racism' and, more specifically, ‘teacher racism' It amazes me that this news could come as a surprise to anyone who has been residing in the UK for more than 6 months. You would have had to be living under a stone somewhere not to be aware of this, but 'denial' like 'cognitive dissonance', is a powerful mental defense mechanism.

So where do you stand on the subject of racism? Are your actions for it, against it, or are you just sitting on the fence?


by Rev.Bola A
(copyright: 21Oct09 -ARR)

'Great Quotes To Inspire'

*My Black Is Beautiful*

'From the colour of my skin,
to the texture of my hair,
to the length of my strands,
to the breadth of my smile

To the stride of my gait,
to the span of my arms,
to the depth of my bosom,
to the curve of my hips,
to the glow of my skin...

My Black is Beautiful.

It cannot be denied.
It will not be contained.
And only I will define it.
For when I look in my mirror,
my very soul cries out,

My Black is Beautiful.

And so today,
speak it out loud,
unabashedly,
I declare it anew.

My Black is Beautiful.

Whether celebrated,
imitated, exploited or denigrated.
Whether natural from inside
or skilfully applied.

My Black is Beautiful.

To my daughters,
my sisters, my nieces,
my cousins, my colleagues
and my friends,
I speak for us all when I say again,

My Black Is Beautiful'

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'You have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you talk'

For more inspirational poetry and words go here: Poetry Planet by Rev.Bola

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'Recovery From Racism For Humans'

by Rev.Bola

This blog has been a long time coming. I have been preparing for it, by doing a great deal of research and personal study on the subject, so as to come up with actual examples and practical solutions that would benefit a broad spectrum of people. I wanted to make this blog purposeful and inspirational enough to encourage others as well as myself, to take positive and constructive action to eliminate racism from the world, and to do it without inciting people to reckless and undue violence and abuse.

Racism is indeed a very sensitive matter for many of us. The solution to it cannot be undermined further with patronizing idealism, denial, hypocrisy, generalizations, ambiguity, or any of the other subtle ways of avoiding the issue. When we talk of people of color, we are discussing the vast majority of the human population. This matter clearly affects all humans; whether you are a perpetrator, a victim, or an idle stander-by, racism concerns us all. Fortunately I am not the first person to raise this issue for discussion, nor will I be the last. I have many role models I can emulate, including stellar well known ones, as President Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Rev.Martin Luther King and Ghandi to name a few.

I am a black woman of African heritage, and as far as I know, I do not have any other racial mixes in my genetic make-up, other than African. In addition, I have spent the greater part of my life living in the United kingdom, and most of my cultural influences are western, particularly British and American. I have a predominantly British/American education. Never-the-less, I still have a lot of African cultural influences directing my personality and my innate sense of identity. Am I esteemed by my heritage? Very much so. I love who and what I am. Usually, when people meet me in person, they are often in no doubt, that both my African and my western British influences are evident, and that both blend well together in me, and in a manner that I can be happy with and quite proud of. I have dual nationalities, and two passports, both of which I would never give up, for anything in the world. I believe I have earned my right to be both British and African; not because I am nationalistic, but rather because I am phenomenally grateful, for every one of the cultural influences that have shaped my life and made me who I am today. Phenomenally grateful, I repeat.

Racism influenced my life, even before I was born. It has continued to weave its ugly passage through my life, in one form or another, from my day of birth, and right through to this current day. All of my life, I have had to live with it, recognize it, get around it, deflect it, avoid it, learn from it, discuss it, ignore it, run away from it, stand up to it, ponder over it, or deal with this unwanted nemesis in my life called racism. One way or another, willingly or unwillingly, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, racism has been a major culprit in my life demanding my attention.

I am in no denial about this subject at all. Racism has affected my self esteem, my physical health, my mental health, my emotional health. It has affected my relationships with others, my family of origin, my ability to be married and raise a family of my own, my friends, my social life, my career, my work, my hobbies and pastimes, my finances, my buying decisions. It has affected where I live, where I go, whom I can support, whom I can receive support from, how I socialize, how I view the world around me, and every aspect of my freedom and liberty as an individual and a group or community member. It has affected my choice of Faith and manner of worship, and my religious practice. There is not a single area of my life that racism has not affected (except of course my spirituality, which is something I will be addressing later on). Henceforth, I have decided that, Racism as an issue, does require blogging about, and some further discussion on my part, now and long after I am gone from this earth.

I would like to pose a couple of important questions.
Firstly, what exactly is racism? and secondly, whom or what does racism serve? ( as to say, what use is it to anyone, and whom or what stands to gain anything from it?)

I believe that asking ourselves these two very important questions, can assist us greatly, in deciding whether racism is something we want to continue having, as part of our game of life, and if not, what we can do to reduce it and completely remove it.

As you consider the above two questions, would you say that they are religious or spiritual questions, political questions, or scientific questions? Would you say these questions were Artistic questions, Social questions, Economic questions, Biological questions, Paranormal questions, Medical questions, or Ethical questions? Are they intelligent questions, or stupid questions? Are they humanistic questions, or universal questions, or would you say that they are a bit of all of the above or absolutely nothing to do with any of the above? How would you label these two questions, and how would you go about answering them?

Personally, I would love to hear and share your views and comments about this. please send them in, and keep them coming.
In this blog I will also be attempting to present the answers I have found, to these questions, whatever knowledge and awareness I have gained, and also some practical solutions. Stay tuned!

Blessings and Love
Rev.Bola A
(copyright: 17.10.09 -ARR)