By Maria Bello
We are often told that racism doesn’t exist any more. But is it true, is it really not around anymore? According to an anti-racism website from humanrights.gov.au, about 7,920,000 people experience racism around the world every 0.83 seconds. Here are 3 stories of people who have experienced racism in the past and some who still experience it today.
Racism is the discrimination on people of color. This is a problem in the world because racism has been around for many years and has never actually came to an end. This issue impacts many people of color and it harms them physically and emotionally. It doesn't only hurt people of color, it also impacts all of us as human beings. I believe that we need to stop racism and have love towards one another.
Jason Perez, a friend of mine who has experienced discrimination back in middle school, when he faced racism for the first time, is a person of color. Kids from middle school stared at him weirdly. He saw that nobody wanted to hang out with him just because he had a different color of skin compared to the other kids. They used to call him names such as the N-word and "Black guy." One day, a student yelled at him, saying “hey you black guy! I bet you that nobody can see you in the dark.”
As days passed by, he started to feel less than everyone because everybody had friends and he would just sit alone in a bench; watching the rest of the kids have fun and have a very happy life.
This made him hate the color of his skin, and he thought to himself, “Why me? Why do I have to be different?"
This affected him greatly, but he didn't tell anyone, as he kept it to himself and everyday that passed by he felt worse and worse. At one point he wanted to kill himself. He was tired of being the different one and not having anyone to talk to. All he needed was someone to listen to him, and someone to tell him “What's wrong? Are you ok?”
Racism is the discrimination on people of color. This is a problem in the world because racism has been around for many years and has never actually came to an end. This issue impacts many people of color and it harms them physically and emotionally. It doesn't only hurt people of color, it also impacts all of us as human beings. I believe that we need to stop racism and have love towards one another.
Jason Perez, a friend of mine who has experienced discrimination back in middle school, when he faced racism for the first time, is a person of color. Kids from middle school stared at him weirdly. He saw that nobody wanted to hang out with him just because he had a different color of skin compared to the other kids. They used to call him names such as the N-word and "Black guy." One day, a student yelled at him, saying “hey you black guy! I bet you that nobody can see you in the dark.”
As days passed by, he started to feel less than everyone because everybody had friends and he would just sit alone in a bench; watching the rest of the kids have fun and have a very happy life.
This made him hate the color of his skin, and he thought to himself, “Why me? Why do I have to be different?"
This affected him greatly, but he didn't tell anyone, as he kept it to himself and everyday that passed by he felt worse and worse. At one point he wanted to kill himself. He was tired of being the different one and not having anyone to talk to. All he needed was someone to listen to him, and someone to tell him “What's wrong? Are you ok?”
In December 21, 2016, Asma Jama also experienced racism, but in a violent way. She was at a restaurant in Minnesota called Applebee's. Asma and her family were seated at the restaurant. Her family and her were speaking Swahili, a language the adults often use when children are around so the kids do not know what the adults are saying. As the group walked past Burchard-Risch's table, she said, "In America, we speak English." Jama said that she ignored the comments, but the situation escalated quickly. She then said that Burchard-Risch yelled at her to go back to her country.
She said that Burchard-Risch started yelling at her face. She then said that she stood toe to toe with her, but Asma said that she wasn't yelling at her. Asma said that she was talking to her calmly. That is when Burchard-Risch took a beer mug and threw it at Jama's face. Jama needed stitches on her face and lip.
She said that this incident changed her life, but she says that she forgives Burchard-Risch for what she did. Asma said, "I forgive her. You have to forgive to move on with life. If you hold onto hatred it is going to destroy me more than it destroys her.”
She said that Burchard-Risch started yelling at her face. She then said that she stood toe to toe with her, but Asma said that she wasn't yelling at her. Asma said that she was talking to her calmly. That is when Burchard-Risch took a beer mug and threw it at Jama's face. Jama needed stitches on her face and lip.
She said that this incident changed her life, but she says that she forgives Burchard-Risch for what she did. Asma said, "I forgive her. You have to forgive to move on with life. If you hold onto hatred it is going to destroy me more than it destroys her.”
Emmett Louis Till was a 14-year-old African who experienced racism back in 1955. He was visiting relatives near Money, in the Mississippi Delta region. He spoke to 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant, the white married proprietor of a small grocery store.
Emmett Till was accused of flirting with or whistling at a white woman. Bryant and his half-brother, J. W. Milam, went to Till's great-uncle's house, took Till away, and beat and shot him in the head. They sunk his body in the Tallahatchie River. Three days later, policemen discovered his body and was returned to Chicago where his mother insisted on a public funeral service with an open casket. The two men were declared innocent for their actions towards Emmett Till.
This shows how racism has been around for decades. These are 3 different experiences that people went through involving racism. I have experiences with racism that affected me to this day. Some ways we can end racism is by protesting against white supremacy or uniting with each other. Maybe one day we will no longer have discrimination on people of color.
Emmett Till was accused of flirting with or whistling at a white woman. Bryant and his half-brother, J. W. Milam, went to Till's great-uncle's house, took Till away, and beat and shot him in the head. They sunk his body in the Tallahatchie River. Three days later, policemen discovered his body and was returned to Chicago where his mother insisted on a public funeral service with an open casket. The two men were declared innocent for their actions towards Emmett Till.
This shows how racism has been around for decades. These are 3 different experiences that people went through involving racism. I have experiences with racism that affected me to this day. Some ways we can end racism is by protesting against white supremacy or uniting with each other. Maybe one day we will no longer have discrimination on people of color.