These choices are not limited to inanimate objects. We make the same decisions day in and day out about other people. For example, have you ever met anyone you didn't like? Or, have you met someone that you like too much? These are likely examples of your preferences at work (the precise reasons for your likes and dislikes will leave for another subject, but for now, we will assume you did not like or you did like the person for issues other than race, etc.). 

We often mistake prejudice for personal choice or preference. A person may enjoy, for example, to spend time partaking in the vegetable dishes of a given culture but not in the entire culture or even want to associate with anyone in the culture. For example, a person from Honolulu may venture to Borneo and find a restaurant that serves vegetarian dishes created by a local head hunting tribesman. That same person that enjoys that cuisine may also be sickened by the thought of associating with a person from that head hunting culture or tribe on the basis that that tribe values killing humans and consuming their flesh. This is known as culture clash---a value system of two distinct cultures in conflict with each other's basic value systems. It is also preference or conscious choice if one decides they do not want to associate with such a person.

Racism would be exampled if you simply walked into the restaurant, saw the person (whose tribe you could not obviously identify from their clothing) and immediately "hated" the person and began treating them badly for no other reason other than their skin color (or manner of speech, etc.--you prejudged them before you knew them and acted ill toward them). 

As you can see, it can be difficult to figure out when true racism is on hand, or culture-clash, or preference/choice---they can all easily be mistaken for one another to an outside observer. 

Ignorant people often cry racism even when racism is not at play, simply because racism tends to grab people's attention---some societies and their people have been conditioned to be very sensitive to allegations of racism, which is why the so called "race card," is often played when someone cannot properly articulate their position or wants to invoke a negative feeling toward their opponent (often a political opponent).

False or fair allegations aside, sometimes we get to know the alien culture intimately, and while we may even embrace many of its aspects, we may also seek to avoid other aspects---food being a great but simplistic example---some cultures prefer spicy foods (i.e. Thais) while others prefer blander diets (i.e. English).

Racism As A Tool For Oppression

Throughout world history, racism as a tool for oppression has long been applied. The Europeans routinely use racism to prejudice society against certain classes of people it considered undesirable or that it sought to take economic advantage of (white society was not unique to this practice, but they are the most infamous for it in our current age). 

Whites used to typically "devalue" all alien cultures for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was to exploit them (typically their labor). The devaluation process was so harsh that it often raised immediate prejudices in other whites who had never even come in contact with the alien cultures---they simply hated them because other whites hated them and the reasons seemed hardly important---the tribal application of "safety in numbers" and a "sense of belonging" common to most-all cultures is a also natural part of white cultures. It is an aspect which often enhances societal racism.

In a predatory world, where any one group may hold sway over another for the purposes of exploitation of the weaker group, prejudice and racism have long relished in human history as a controlling tool. the idea is to devalue the person, make them to feel as though the have less worth, there thereby devalue everything else they do or say, etc. In that sense, racism has saved capitalist untold fortunes by eliminating the need to pay those prejudiced much money.

Yet with all the advances in the US against predatory practices, racism it is still very much with us; many sociologist and anthropologist believe it can never fully be eliminated from society anymore than human nature can be eliminated from humans. Recognizing the roots or racism is the first step toward overcoming racism.

Civil Rights: Stopping Government Racism AKA

Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson has made the point that racism is the highest degree of prejudice in that one race (typically Whites) can use its natural fears of other races (typically Blacks) to hinder them through inherent social, political, and governmental power structures. An example would be a white banker denying a loan to a black person strictly based on race and a banking and government system that allows the bank and white banker to continually operate in this prejudicial fashion. In other words, racism is actually prejudice taken to its highest level in the form of governmental or commercial injustice and inequality---all humans are not treated equally---an act and system  supported by the state either through direct participation, or through indirect indifference.

Government racism is commonly known as discrimination and should not be confused with "culture clash," which is between individuals. Discrimination is concerned with the pervasive attitude and residue of the predominate culture, often through subtle means, oppressing the other culture through the pathway of underlying prejudice and its ruling governmental or social systems---institutionalized racism is oppression through prejudice and its institutionalized support structures. 

In the words of the Reverend Al Sharpton (CNN 12-15-06), "I don't care if you don't want to sit with me, but don't deny me a bank loan because I'm Black." 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned a world where all humans would be considered equal simply on the basis of being human beings---that people should be judged individually and that the state should embrace and legislate such treatment as best it might to ensure equality for all, regardless race. Although he fought for Black Civil Rights, Dr. King was actually a true humanitarian, fighting to eliminate world racism by leading with example in America with his strong public education and awareness building efforts.

How Do We Eliminate Racism?

As most scholars, academics, social scientist, anthropologists, and even Civil Rights leaders acquiesce, racism will never be eliminated from the planet, however, we can take steps to reduce it to a negligible effect in our societies, governments, institutions, and personal lives. 

The key is rather simple---we must all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or culture, seek to educate ourselves and others about our cultures and alien cultures and people and simply learn that there is little to fear from one another (at least most of the time as a norm). Only through the pathway of open-mindedness and learning will we make the unfamiliar thus familiar and ensure "fear of the unknown" has no place to grow irrational prejudices. 

We know from many university studies that racism and prejudice greatly evaporates the more educated a person becomes academically. Ergo, let's educate the world and rid ourselves of racism accordingly--it's a long road, but a worthy path.

The Future

As humanity grows and learns, the pathways to better government and society will be more open. The healing toward a society that promotes fairness and justice for all in all lands, on an equal basis, can be achieved through constant and sustain effort over the millennia by humans who constantly place themselves in the shoes of others and strive to eliminate racism and discrimination from society.

Tolerance: A Toll For Change

Although most cultures and people are like-minded in morals and other attributes, many are not. What is key for aiding tolerance to thrive in our societies is for humans to exercise a simple bridging tool in their daily lives---focus on the commonalities, not the differences. 

Under this technique, while the head hunter of Borneo may be offended by the Hawaiian's culture and visa versa, by finding common ground, both can communicate and through communication comes learning, respect, and appreciation for the other's position---the two cultures may remain diametrically opposed enemies, but if they are communicating enemies, there will be mutual respect and with mutual respect, wars might be avoided. And who knows, one side may soon see the wisdom of the other's point of view and embrace it, but only communications will allow this process to flourish.

Sub-Cultures

Of course, some cultures and subgroups will have things that society and other cultures just cannot and will not tolerate. For example, few people want to be associated with polygamist groups while others certainly do not want to associate with "hate-based" or racist groups or gangs. These can be examples of distinct sub cultural groups, which co-exists within large cultures (albeit apart form them usually). 

Therefore, tolerance has its limits and should never be go so far as to tolerate that which should never be tolerated. Some social norms cannot be crossed ever and will always remain taboo, such as cannibalism.

However, thankfully, groups that cannot be tolerated are rare in comparison to society as a whole so great efforts to overcome prejudice and racism can easily be made.

The very next time you meet someone of a different skin color or culture or language try something different rather than avoiding them by indulging your fear---say 'hello." Ask them a question or two... communicate... learn... laugh with them... and be excited to learn how differently the world can be viewed through the eyes of others. You don't have to agree with everything or even most things, but there is nothing wrong with improving your understanding and wisdom and in turn, reducing your natural born instinct for fear-based prejudice, which often leads to racism.

"Prejudice is part of the human condition, the dark ignorant fear of human nature, racism is the outward extension and manifestation of that fear---kill ignorance with enlightenment and racism falls on its own." ----Xelan Bonn