How to End RACISM

On March 21, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) joins the global community in observing the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. We recognize the importance of challenging racial injustice in our fight to end domestic violence.

Here are eight ways that you can fight racism in your community:

1. Learn to recognize and understand your own privilege.

My Comment:  I was born to educated middle class parents and had privilege over everyone who was below me on the economic ladder which included both whites, blacks, Hispanics, Mexicans, and Asians.  I went to High School in Cairo, Egypt because I was the son of a Diplomat and only associated with other children of Diplomats. I experience no racism until I attended college in the USA.

2. Examine your own biases and consider where they may have originated.

My Comment:  I am biased against people who are lazy, ignorant, do not want to learn, do not want to improve, and who physically do not take care of themselves.  This bias came from my INTJ personality.

3. Validate the experiences and feelings of people of color.

My Comment:  I can validate those experiences and feelings all day long but it will not change who I am or what I believe or put me in a position where I better understand how they feel.  I have been fighting two different kinds of cancers for over 12 years and the only way to validate my experiences is to have experienced cancer yourself...  no one knows how I feel and I don't know how blacks feel because I have not experienced their PAIN.

4. Challenge the “colorblind” ideology.

My comment:  this is where I disagree with the suggestion.  When I was going to high school in Cairo, Egypt, I did not see color nor did I see nationality nor did I see political ideology.  The Valedictorian of our Senior Class was a Hungarian Communist.  If I was not colorblind, I would not have survived nor would I have had any friends.

5. Call out racist “jokes” or statements.

My Comment:  this suggestion will not work because I have tried it and these people simply look around until they find people who do not care what kind of jokes they recite.

6. Find out how your company or school works to expand opportunities for people of color.

My Comment:  I was in education all my 45 years of working either as an administrator, a teacher, or a consultant and there was never any problem trying to expand the opportunities for people of color as long as they were qualified, had the right credentials, and in some cases were talented at teaching.  I am not going to put a teacher in the classroom who is not a good teacher (or does not respond to training) just because of  their color.

7. Be thoughtful with your finances.

My Comment:  My money was earned by hard work and I am careful as to my charitable contributions.  My financial gifts go to Animal Rescue Centers, My Church, and Cancer Organization and I will NEVER CARE if these organizations are racist or not because this is how I want my money to be donated.

8. Adopt an intersectional approach in all aspects of your life.

My Comment:  I am not really sure if I understand this one or not because I have lived under oppression all my life.  My parents were very controlling and verbally abusive.  My teachers were very controlling in College and lowered my grades simply because of the way I was dressed.  The military was very controlling and oppressive.  ALL MY EMPLOYERS were very controlling and oppressive and everything had to be done their way even if it violated my integrity which is why I changed employment every 4.5 years.  Knowing this still does not change how I feel about racism and racists.