The Myth of Race

For a long time now, maybe even my whole life, I've had a very hard time intellectualizing the term race. Frankly I just don't believe in it and I don't think the term should be used in relation to people. I had this conversation with a couple of my friends and found that they feel the same way.

So I'm sending out this message into the abyss so if you happen upon my blog do me a favor and think about it in a heartfelt way.

I just did a Google search for the definition of race and here is some of what I found:

The term race distinguishes one population of an animal species from another of the same species. The most widely used human racial categories are based on visible traits especially skin color, facial features and hair texture, genes and self identification. Conceptions of race, as well as specific racial groupings vary by culture and over time, and are often controversial for scientific reasons as well as their impact on social identity and identity politics. Some scientists regard race as a social construct.

Charles Darwin in his famous book "On the Origin of the Species" made it very clear that it is an arbitrary number of categories used to divide up the human species. Some authorities will claim two races, some three, some four, and so on. In addition, Darwin points out the problem of degrees or gradations between the arbitrary number of categories used.

Since the 1940s, some evolutionary scientists have rejected the view of race according to which any number of finite lists of essential characteristics could be used to determine a like number of races. For example, the convention of categorizing the human population based on human skin colors has been used, but hair colors, eye colors, nose sizes, lip sizes, and heights have not. Many social scientists think common race definitions, or any race definitions pertaining to humans, lack taxonomic rigour and validity. They argue that race definitions are imprecise, arbitrary, derived from custom, have many exceptions, have many gradations, and that the numbers of races observed vary according to the culture examined. They further maintain that "race" as such is best understood as a social construct, and they prefer to conceptualize and analyze human genotype and phenotype variation in terms of populations instead.

What I got from the above is that race in fact isn't based on biological differences as much as it is based on social and cultural labels that are self imposed and/or imposed by the dominant or ruling groups.

We as humans certainly have differences- that is fact. If we choose to concentrate on those differences instead of our similarities then why have we chosen the way we look and more specifically our skin color to be the primary determinant? It troubles me that even Black people hold tight to the concept of race. I would think this group who has suffered so much discrimination based on the concept of race would want to reject it and dispel the myth of race instead of lending support of it's use.

I often wonder how much longer we will continue to separate ourselves by skin color. When I see the children of "interracial" relationships I like to think the concept of race will eventual become obsolete by shear force of nature.

What would that be like?

The circle finally complete- beginning with one man and one woman procreating all the children of the world ---if you believe in Adam & Eve then why wouldn't you believe in the true brotherhood of man. Through time and circumstance the descendants of Adam & Eve were separated geographically and grew apart and separate taking on distinct languages and physical characteristics that suited their immediate environment. Those differences have been manipulated and abused instead of celebrated. Maybe one day we'll blend again and reunite as one people.

People want to reunite so badly that they are manipulating their own appearance. I see it as a wanting to be the same- wanting to be accepted-- wanting to be in a position where the doors are open to them equally. Their perceived obstacle- their appearance being the problem. It begins on one side of the spectrum with women bleaching their hair to the more extreme of bleaching of the skin and getting nose jobs. I've even heard in news reports to my dismay about a popular plastic surgery procedure for Asian women that changes the shape of their eyes to what they perceive as a more attractive Anglo shape. Isn't this all just a form of self loathing? Don't get me wrong I've bleached my hair-- I've also colored it blue, green, purple and red. That is not the type of thing I am talking about here.

So I invite you to really think about it and think about the type of world you want to live in. If we all decided to do something together it would change the world. Do you believe that's true?

I believe!

I believe that if we all decided on Tuesday everyone would turn off all their lights. The world would be lit by the sun and moonlight and the stars from the heavens above and wouldn't that be lovely? Wouldn't it be the most beautiful site there was? Not only because of the shear natural beauty of the heavens, but because we would feel in unison with one another- an accomplishment all in itself. Even if some rebel were to go ahead and turn on his lights it would be dwarfed by the enormity of a beautiful shadow.

So consider the above and if you want please join me in my non-belief in race. John Lennon's lyrics for his song "Imagine" speaks volumes"You may say I'm a dreamer.....but I'm not the only one......I hope someday you'll join us and the world will be as one"