Opinions

We're all a little racist; the challenge is to see beyond that

While reading E.J.R. David's piece in Sunday's opinion section (Dec. 14) I was, at first, indignant at his assertion that "colorblindness" is not the ideal to which our society should be striving. Reading on, I saw that while professor David's definition of the word differed from my own, and he had valid points regarding the effect of people ignoring -- or pretending to ignore -- our perceptions regarding people around us. Upon reflection I realized that I, like most of us, am not colorblind.

The very idea of colorblindness as it pertains to relationships between people is an impossible fantasy. Consciously or not we all perceive differences and inevitably make assumptions and judgments accordingly. In fact, the ability to make judgments about others, based on sensory cues, is so innate that virtually no one lacks the tendency. Whether you subscribe to the evolutionary model of human development or you believe that we were just "made this way," it seems obvious that there is some survival value in being able to judge, and quickly, whether another creature is friend or foe. I would argue that someone who lacks this ability would be diagnosed as having a personality disorder or developmentally disabled. Thus we are all naturally and normally "racist," i.e., interested in and keenly observant of the differences between us. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. understood this and never advocated colorblindness. I think Dr. David says as much in his article defining racism as "when we regard one color as superior, better, more acceptable ... than other colors."

From the beginning of recorded history, however, humans have been rather uncomfortable, at best, with people who were "other" than our own family, tribe or clan. The history of slavery and warfare, shared by virtually every ethnicity, culture and society, ubiquitous in every country and continent even today, is the brutal record of one group deeming itself superior to, and asserting control over another (slavery), or attempting to do so (warfare).

What then is the ideal attitude, or mindset, for which we naturally "racist" humans should be striving? Dr. David asks this question in a couple of ways in his essay but only hints at the answer in his last sentence: "Indeed, we don't need to all be the same for us to have respect and love for each other." I think this is a misstatement. We need to recognize that we are all the same regardless of how we appear. This fundamental truth is codified in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident ... all men are created equal ... endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights." That sentence is the foundational insight that resulted in the greatest nation the world has ever known. Ignoring this fundamental truth we have, as individuals and as a people, succumbed to all the uglier tendencies of those before us. Nevertheless, we have the key.

We are all "people of color." To have pride in our own racial, ethnic and cultural heritage is normal and healthy. We must also recognize that such pride can tend to divide, not unite us. We can celebrate diversity but we must revere unity. Our only hope is to someday be "One People, under God, with liberty and justice for all."

Warren Metzger is a lifelong Alaskan and a commercial pilot. He lives in Anchorage.

The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com

Warren Metzger

Warren Metzger is a lifelong Alaskan and commercial pilot. He lives in Anchorage.

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