Since this is coming from a 16 year old white girl with naturally light hair and blue eyes, I feel as if I'm going to get plenty of opinions here about how my "white priveledge" is clouding my judgment on this topic. However, despite the color of my skin, we all live in the very same world. Sure things aren't always ideal for certain people, but that doesn't instantly mean that you need to pull the race card whether you be black, white, yellow, or even a fucking bright blue hephalump. Yes, I've seen at least one person from EVERY race use the race card, so don't assume that this is pointed at you.
So let's address my rehtorical question there, why is race so damn important? Well there's a simple answer. In most cases, it actually isn't. At all. People are people and the world is coming to understand that, and it has been for awhile. (A pretty short while, but still awhile.) More and more people are coming to see people as what they truly are, people, not a color. You do get your racist groups every now and then who, for some odd reason, feel as if one color is superior to the rest. I'm not exactly sure why someone would believe that besides to make themselves feel better about their own color, but I guarantee you that isn't everyone of that specific color. I've met people who liked lumping whites in with the KKK, and that sort of sucked for me as I was actually dating someone of color at the time while rumors about me being racist flew around. Why oh why do people believe race is so important?
Yes, there will be a time every now and again where you're denied something due to your race. This is sadly a thing that does happen. However, you can't blame every bad that happens to you on your race. I can't claim that the Asian boss of a job I applied for didn't hire me because I was white. That sounds completely ridiculous, and it sounds completely ridiculous from any race.
I've also seen people asking why girls don't date (enter race) guys and vice versa. That's also extremely ridiculous. I sincerely apologize that I did not pick out a random black man in a crowd and think "Oh man, I'm gunna date THAT stranger!" I also didn't think," Oh hey, let's just date this white guy because he is white and I am white, WHITE SUPREMACY BITCHES!" No. None of that happened. But yet again, why does skin color matter here?
There is another issue I've seen that is actually a major pet peeve of mine. STOP. USING. RACE. TO. JUSTIFY. EVERYTHING. I was in class and this guy (who was black) began disrupting. He was yelling, goofing off, and arguing with the teacher about doing his work. When she asked if he wanted to be sent to the office he said," You can't do that, I'm black. We're supposed to act like this, I can't fucking help it!" I thought he was being a smart ass at first, but it turned out that he was completely serious. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?! This isn't aimed at people of color, this is just and example of the first time I had ever seen this sort of thing being said out loud. I honestly hate it when people say shit like that.
Last, you need to stop using race as an insult. "You white bitch!" Uh, I'm just a bitch thank you, no matter the color. "Cracker!" Uh, I am not a food thank you, nor am I a slave owner (cracker was originally begun as a phrase for white slave owners who cracked the whips). I also cringe at the word "nigger". I've only heard the term used once and it was by my mother's incredibly disgusting, incredibly racist(though he denies that), and incredibly idiotic husband. When I say I cringe, I mean that I have an actual physical reaction of disgust to that word. I really hate it. Any racial slur ticks me off to an extreme no matter who is being made fun of. Yes, stereotyping counts as an insult.
Race is a thing, there is no doubt about that at all. Each race does have defining characteristics, but they don't always fit the stereotypes. Racial discrimination is, unfortunately, a thing that does happen, of course. But the question is not whether race is a thing or not, the question is why is race so damn important?
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Good take - Yes everybody is basically the same but I don't know why people actively seek out differences to cause splits - Gender/race/faith etc - There are people who can't accept we are this great homogenous mass made up of individuals - I don't mind being positive, constructively individual but when they go down a negative, destructive path my brain screams WHY? but I can never find a satisfactory answer to my question.
Great point and it is unfortunately an ongoing issue. Race should not be important at all, just like gender you are born how you are, nothing in your control so who cares what color you are?
Because life is a race.