english,
Last August 11-12 2017, a rally called “Unite the Right” took place in Charlottesville, Virginia. The rallyists were protesting against the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in a park that was once also named after him. Unite the Right brought together groups such as the alt-right, Neo-Nazis, and the Ku Klux Klan.
Neo-Nazis are those who despise Jews and other minorities and support Hitler’s and the Nazi’s regime. Similar to these groups is the Ku Klux Klan, a group that discriminates and attacks Black Americans and minorities. In the rally, the protesters were chanting “blood and soil” which was an expression used in the Nazi propaganda. The expression states that people who are of German descent (blood) and who work in agriculture (soil) play an important part in the society. The saying honors the farmers of Germany and their contribution to the agriculture in the country. Despite distinct differences, all of these groups have one thing in common and that is their belief in white supremacy.
White supremacy is a belief that the white race, a term commonly used for white Americans and Europeans, is the superior race. Its ideology’s roots date as early as the 1800s as a response by White Southerners to the emerging abolitionist movement. This movement was an effort to end slavery, and followed the saying “all men are created equal.” As time passed, different branches such as religious ideologies have been formed. Neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, “traditional” white supremacists, Christian Identity adherents, white supremacist Norse Pagans, and white supremacist prison gangs, to name a few. Some white supremacists even try to reframe their belief as a “civil rights for whites” movement claiming that other races, referred to as “people of color”, were the ones who discriminate and that they are the true victims, when it has been the other way around for decades.
One of the main causes of white supremacy is the fear of the white elite of losing their power over others. In the 17th century in America, the aristocratic white people held the power but were outnumbered by the non-white. Yet there was one thing that threatened them. It was the possibility of the ordinary white people and the slaves uniting and turning against them. In order to prevent discontent among the non-elite white, the elite gave them certain privileges that would give them the illusion of equality. These privileges included being allowed to join militias and owning lands and guns. From then on, people were classified by their skin color as their privileges were distributed that way. This is where the “whiteness” concept began.
Today, with US President Donald Trump in the oval office, many white supremacist movements have been fueled because he himself has shown through words and actions that he is also a racist white supremacist. In fact, since he was elected, there has been a rise in hate crimes throughout the country. The usual victims of hate crimes are Muslims, immigrants, and black people. With the recent happenings in Charlottesville, the Unite the Right rallyists resorted to violence, with a rallyist running over counter-rallyists with his car, resulting in dozens injured and the death of Heather Heyer.
If white supremacists keep thinking that violence is the only way to resolve a problem then there’s something seriously wrong with their thinking. Everyone has different opinions on a lot of different things but instead of harming each other, the best way to handle it is to peacefully discuss with one another. There might be a need for a lot of convincing but violence will never be the answer. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
The world has come a long way since slavery and society today has truly improved in terms of racial equality but there’s still work to be done. Whatever the skin color or religion, no race is above the other. Even though we may look differently from each other and speak different languages, we are are all still human. Each one of us has a weapon that can fight against this spreading of hate and it is the acceptance of one another. Let us not judge each other based on what the naked eye can see but on what’s inside our hearts. In the end, racism is everybody’s burden, not just the white man’s. // by Paola Pagulayan, Layla Wadi
Opinion: White Supremacy is Everyone's Burden
Last August 11-12 2017, a rally called “Unite the Right” took place in Charlottesville, Virginia. The rallyists were protesting against the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in a park that was once also named after him. Unite the Right brought together groups such as the alt-right, Neo-Nazis, and the Ku Klux Klan.
Neo-Nazis are those who despise Jews and other minorities and support Hitler’s and the Nazi’s regime. Similar to these groups is the Ku Klux Klan, a group that discriminates and attacks Black Americans and minorities. In the rally, the protesters were chanting “blood and soil” which was an expression used in the Nazi propaganda. The expression states that people who are of German descent (blood) and who work in agriculture (soil) play an important part in the society. The saying honors the farmers of Germany and their contribution to the agriculture in the country. Despite distinct differences, all of these groups have one thing in common and that is their belief in white supremacy.
White supremacy is a belief that the white race, a term commonly used for white Americans and Europeans, is the superior race. Its ideology’s roots date as early as the 1800s as a response by White Southerners to the emerging abolitionist movement. This movement was an effort to end slavery, and followed the saying “all men are created equal.” As time passed, different branches such as religious ideologies have been formed. Neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, “traditional” white supremacists, Christian Identity adherents, white supremacist Norse Pagans, and white supremacist prison gangs, to name a few. Some white supremacists even try to reframe their belief as a “civil rights for whites” movement claiming that other races, referred to as “people of color”, were the ones who discriminate and that they are the true victims, when it has been the other way around for decades.
One of the main causes of white supremacy is the fear of the white elite of losing their power over others. In the 17th century in America, the aristocratic white people held the power but were outnumbered by the non-white. Yet there was one thing that threatened them. It was the possibility of the ordinary white people and the slaves uniting and turning against them. In order to prevent discontent among the non-elite white, the elite gave them certain privileges that would give them the illusion of equality. These privileges included being allowed to join militias and owning lands and guns. From then on, people were classified by their skin color as their privileges were distributed that way. This is where the “whiteness” concept began.
Today, with US President Donald Trump in the oval office, many white supremacist movements have been fueled because he himself has shown through words and actions that he is also a racist white supremacist. In fact, since he was elected, there has been a rise in hate crimes throughout the country. The usual victims of hate crimes are Muslims, immigrants, and black people. With the recent happenings in Charlottesville, the Unite the Right rallyists resorted to violence, with a rallyist running over counter-rallyists with his car, resulting in dozens injured and the death of Heather Heyer.
If white supremacists keep thinking that violence is the only way to resolve a problem then there’s something seriously wrong with their thinking. Everyone has different opinions on a lot of different things but instead of harming each other, the best way to handle it is to peacefully discuss with one another. There might be a need for a lot of convincing but violence will never be the answer. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
The world has come a long way since slavery and society today has truly improved in terms of racial equality but there’s still work to be done. Whatever the skin color or religion, no race is above the other. Even though we may look differently from each other and speak different languages, we are are all still human. Each one of us has a weapon that can fight against this spreading of hate and it is the acceptance of one another. Let us not judge each other based on what the naked eye can see but on what’s inside our hearts. In the end, racism is everybody’s burden, not just the white man’s. // by Paola Pagulayan, Layla Wadi
0 comments: