Equality in Race | Teen Ink

Equality in Race

September 9, 2010
By Discreetnessity BRONZE, Des Plaines, Illinois
Discreetnessity BRONZE, Des Plaines, Illinois
3 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies"
- Aristotle


I’m a 16 year old female with an above average GPA. I have always been told that I have to respect those who don’t look like me, those who aren’t white, but I’ve always wondered why weren’t they raised to respect people who don’t look like them? Not to say that they need to respect me because I’m white, I deserve respect because I’m human-the same reason that any minorities (African-American, Mexican or any other person who isn’t white) deserves respect.


Anyone could say that minorities deserve more respect now because their ancestors were treated wrong but why is that my fault? Why should I know that when I go to apply for colleges that I have a worse chance of getting a scholarship because of the color of my skin. Shouldn’t these be something based not off our looks, but our intelligence?


Many times colleges will accept more non-white people to make the number of minorities in the college higher to make them look more diverse, but does that honestly matter? We are a country that says we aren’t racist and that we are equal and fair to everyone yet we are honestly denying people who are white! Just because our ancestors messed up we’re being forced to pay their debt. We are being forced to get on our knees, apologize and beg for forgiveness from people who probably don’t even know if their ancestors were enslaved or not.


If we are truly to say we are a country of equality, we can’t count out those of us who are white. Equality means that we don’t look at skin. On standardized tests why does it matter what color my skin is? Are you going to bump my score up if I say that I’m Mexican? Or what if I put “other”? Will you come and find me and make sure I’m not some sort of alien, but maybe being an alien would be better than being white.



Undoubtedly anyone reading this will think that I’m being racist. I know I’ll hear, “their ancestors suffered and they are minorities! They deserve to be treated as such.” But tell me then, how is it that I can’t go to a store without knowing how to ask where the bathroom is in Spanish?


One day our country will be truly equal. It’ll be a place that doesn’t see the color of anyone’s skin. Everyone will have an equal chance at all things they can dream of. There won’t be scholarships based off skin. When that day comes, I’ll be the first one out in the streets celebrating.

The author's comments:
Reverse Racism is an ugly thing :(

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This article has 1 comment.


Tobias BRONZE said...
on Sep. 30 2010 at 6:33 am
Tobias BRONZE, Tulsa, Oklahoma
3 articles 1 photo 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I decide who offends me."- Klaus Kinski

I agree. And I personally think it streches to more than just things like scholoarships. I've seen more people act rasict towards my white dad that my black mother. I'm glad you realised this too. And your right about how people use the past as a excuse, it's horrible and just plain wrog what happened back then, but no one from that time who is responsible for it is alive, it was thier conflict not ours.