Anyone who has been a victim of racism has endured one of the ugliest and most despicable of all human experiences. To be hated, disliked, or discriminated against purely because of one’s skin color, and not one’s character, leaves one demoralized – even if only temporarily. One is in good standing to feel resentment at the perpetrator of racial bigotry. And it gets worse if that perpetrator wields some power or authority and can make decisions that affects one’s feeling of well-being or security, or deprives one of an opportunity not denied others of a different race.
One must be careful, though, as difficult and arduous as it might be, given the magnitude of the racism, to not react by assuming that ALL members of the bigot’s race feel identically as he or she does. And one must not consequently, in turn, harbor hate and prejudice against the racist’s own race because of his or her actions.
In doing so, one falls victim to the same generalizations, the same ugliness, and the same mentality that characterize those who discriminate against others or harm or deny them legal or other rights because of their race.
To be sure, there have been times in human history, and it even occurs today in some parts of the world, where racism was or is institutionalized. When (as in the days of “recent” world history) during slavery or the Holocaust or apartheid, entire groups were victimized by large racial/ethnic majorities, it was understandable for victims to react with fear or anger against those races whose members hurt them.
Throughout history, it has been an ugly characteristic of human nature to feel prejudice against others for their race or ethnicity, religion or creed, class or caste, or some other similar distinction. And when the discrimination is part and fabric of everyday life, of the legal apparatus, or of custom, such institutionalization seems to leave little or no alternative for victims but to react with hate at those groups whose own hatred deprive others of their own rightful place.
Barring such a status quo, for those who live in places where prejudice in not universal or legalized or institutionalized, it is essential not to harbor hate against all members of any race because of the acts of specific individuals. And even in those circumstances, one must note that even large majorities do not speak on behalf of ALL within their group.
If one were to do hate others or to discriminate against them based entirely on their race, one would be applying the same unsound, unjust, erroneous, irrational and ugly rationale applied by the one whose bigotry has caused one angst or pain.
