My Thoughts about Race

My Thoughts about Race

When a child is born, and during the first years of his life, he has no knowledge about the world but this changes as the child is growing. As the child develops, he gains information, knowledge, and skills from his home, and the environment. He understands that there are many different kinds of people, and that each of them is unique in different ways. One visible difference among people is in their physical features, and this is seen in different races. I do not usually mention my race or other people’s ethnicities. I do not judge people based on their appearance and looks. I have developed these attitudes from my upbringing. My parents have emphasized that people should treat others the same way they would like to be treated. The society does not tolerate treating others in a bad or inhuman way. It stresses the need to respect all people despite their differences.

My home country is Saudi Arabia, and people there have similar culture and traditions. Most of the people in my country are Arabs. In the surrounding countries of Africa and Asia, and in between the continents, the people are Arabs. Therefore, although we share the same language, there are people of different skin colors and texture. In my country, there are people from different countries such as Europe, India, Philippines, and the US among others, who work and live there. I am therefore exposed to people of different races, ethnicities and nationalities. Because of this, I have not thought of treating people based on their race, gender, religion, or ethnicity. I was brought up knowing that I should treat people with respect and kindness, regardless of who they are.

When I was a child, I did not know that people discriminate others because of their race or color. I guess I did not understand that people are different in that manner. My family always taught me good values and principles, and they taught me to nice to everybody in the world. My father told me something, which has remained in my mind all these years. He told me that, “Good manners are going to make you a happy and successful person.” I have always practiced this, and I will never forget my father’s words.

The first time, I realized what racism was happened when I was in elementary school. I remember coming home one day, and I saw my mother crying as she was watching the television. I was worried and concerned because I had never seen her crying. I went to her and asked her what was wrong. She started telling me the story of Kunta Kinte, a character from the American TV miniseries, Roots. It was the first time in my life that I learnt of slavery, and I understood the issue of racism. The movie was about a group of people who had bee taken away from Africa, and shipped to America. The people who had shipped them wanted to sell them as slaves. The people suffered a lot because they were forced to work like machines, and they were segregated.

The movie made a huge impact in my life as a child, because I had no idea what racism was back then. I was disturbed, because I did not know that there were people who treated other human beings like that. As I grew up, I learnt that there are many instances, where people discriminate others because of their race. Racism was also present during the civil wars and the world wars. Racism reached its highest levels, and it became more prevalent when the Europeans arrived in America. There were high levels of injustice and segregation. The Europeans treated the Native Americans badly and made them suffer. They stole their lands and property, and killed some of them. They also abused and killed some of the Africans who were there. The difference between the two groups was that Africans were slaves, and the natives were not. However, the two groups were abused and killed because of their race.

Arabs have strong customs and traditions, which discourage such practices. Most Arabs follow and practice these traditions. Hospitality is one of the most important things in Arabic traditions, and most of them entertain strangers. For instance, if a guest visits a home, or if he or she needed help when traveling, an Arab has to cater for that individual and his family, even if he does not know her or him. Most of them prepare dinner for the person, and they make sure that the person is okay. If the person needs to stay for the night, one has to make sure that he or she provides a place for the person to sleep and rest. To the Arabs, it does not matter the person’s ethnicity, race or color. This is the best thing I like about our traditions because it has helped many people.

I hated racism since the first time I knew about it because of the cruel acts against people. I am thankful that I grew up in a family and society that respects others, and do not treat people based on their color, race or gender. I realize that cases and instances of racism have decreased, and people are not treated the same way they were treated a few years back. Although I did not have a clear understanding on the meaning of racism, I have come to understand this meaning clearly by watching movies, such as Roots, and by reading novels. I have seen actual stories concerning racism on the news, and this has made me realize the full meaning of racism. Development and availability of technology, especially the internet, has made the world smaller because I am able to get information and news from different places around the world. People have started to communicate more with each other, and they have started learning about other cultures. This has enabled people from different races to become friends, and some of them have even gotten married.

Although I am not a racist, it is not easy to tell my story without speaking of my race. Racial identity is part of my personality. The first thing that comes to mind when people ask me to describe myself is that I am an Arab. This does not mean that I am a racist; it only means that I am proud of my heritage, and I am proud to be who I am. My heritage determines the choices I make in life. As an Arab, I might do some things, which a person from a different race might not understand. For instance, I find that most people from America are not as welcoming to strangers as I am. They do not seem interested in taking care of people they do not know. Although they are polite to strangers, they do not make a lot of effort in ensuring that they are okay, and that they have everything that they need. I know a lot about my ethnic heritage, because I grew up in my country of origin. I know the customs and the traditions of the people. I know what irritates them as a people, and I know what makes them happy. This makes me satisfied because I am able to understand the people. Some people might not understand why Arabs behave the way they do. However, because I know my customs and traditions, I understand the people more.

My parents made sure that I embraced the Arab traditions and the modern ways when I was growing up. One difference I have realized with most people is that once they have become adults, they do not practice the lessons they learnt when they were children. My parents made sure that they practiced what they taught us. There are many people, mostly from developing countries, who come to Saudi Arabia to look for work. I remember that at one time, we had a person from Africa who came to work for us. She was different because she was from a different race and color. She was not an Arab, and she did not understand Arabic. However, my parents did not treat her any different. They had a lot of patience with her, and they waited for her to learn how things are done in the house. In the end, she told us how happy she was that she had come to live with us. I saw how my mother treated her and I was happy. I learnt that even as I grow up, I should learn to treat other people the same way. My father always reminded us children to behave well at all times, and he too behaved well. I knew that I have good parents, who did not pretend, and that I too should not pretend when I become older.

My parents taught me to like my ethnicity, and feel good and proud about whom I am. They taught me that everybody in this world, had something good in them, and I should try to find that good thing. They taught me not to focus on the things that make people bad, for example their bad habits, but to look more on the good and wonderful things about them. I have always tried to practice this, especially if I meet someone I do not know, and then that person does something bad. Most people in my country are Muslims, and I therefore consider my religion as part of my heritage. My religion determines how I behave towards other people. I do not judge other people badly because they are Muslims. This would be the same as treating a person badly because he or she does not share the same values as I do, and this does not seem right.

My mother explained the issue of race to me after watching the movie. I cannot say I understand everything that she told me then, but I understood more as I grew older. My mother told me how some people think they are better than others are because of their color. Back then, the only difference I saw in people was that some were black, and others were like me. I thought that I was the same race as a white person, but I learnt that this was not the case. Apparently, there were different classes of the white race. I learnt that white Americans are not the same as white people from Asia. My mother explained that some white people think they are better than black people from Africa are. She explained that this belief made the white people to treat black people badly, because they do not see them as their equal.

It is often surprising how people do not understand other people’s cultures. They are often surprised when I share some of my elements about my culture. One of the things that people find different about my culture is the element of friendship. Friendship is very important to the Arabs. Once an Arab considers you a friend, he or she will treat you like part of the family. One thing I have realized about many of the western cultures is that people value their privacy, and one cannot just visit someone without calling. This is different in the Arabian culture, since friends can drop in at any time. however, it is different in business because one has to make an appointment. Arabian people love their friends, and they encourage them to visit at any time of the day. They go to great lengths to ensure that their friends are comfortable and they have all they need.

My ideas about race have changed greatly changed over the years, as I have become more exposed to the issue. I have learnt that no matter how much I try, it is hard for some people to treat others as equals, even though they have the same qualifications. I have also learnt that some races are more discriminated than others are. This is after seeing how the black people are treated by people from different races. Many people in countries that do not have a high population of black people treat them badly. In some cases, they try to hide their discrimination, but a person can see that it is there in the society. Many black people in countries such as America, which is rich, are very poor, compared to the white people there. They do not have enough jobs, and they do not earn a lot of money. This has made me realize that many people are racists even in countries that are democratic. Over the years, I have to come to realize that racism is a major problem for some people. People who are racists need to learn that everyone in this world should be treated with respect.

Apart from the movies I have watched which showed how people from different cultures are treated badly, I have also seen some movies and television shows which show how people are determined to show others that they can achieve many things in life. Some of the programs show how the black people in America have succeeded in many things such as sports and music, and in some cases, they have done more than those who discriminate towards them. Native Americans are good at keeping and maintaining their traditions, and this has helped them over the years. This is a good thing for the white Americans who are racists to see. Sports events such as the Olympics are a good way for people from different races to see that they are all the same. They show that people are only different because of the effort and hard work they put into what they are doing. The same thing also applies in the music scene and other forms of entertainment. The main thing that has made my race visible to me is my looks and my religion. Many people know that I am an Arab because of my physical features. Many people also assume that all Arabs are Muslims, although in some cases this is not true. As I was growing up, many of my friends were Arab since this is the main race where I come from. However, this has changed, as I have met people from different places. I have not been discriminated because of my race. Many people from different races are only curious, and they want to learn more about my culture.

One of the influences in my life is my religion, as it has enabled me know how to live well with others, and respect other people. One verse from the holy Quran sums up my thoughts about this topic. The verse states, “O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.” (Quran, 49:13)

 

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