Why are People Racist?

Sunday Morning Sermon - Jun 1 2014

It’s a question that people ask all the time. If we’re all part of the human race, why are people racist? After all, there are no biological differences between people. No race is superior or inferior to another. We’re all the same.

There are many reasons why people can have racist attitudes.

Our attitudes are shaped from birth, some even say conception. When family members or the community or friends express racist opinions, it is quite common that we will also take on those views as valid. The problem is that, unless we do something about it, they can stay with us for a lifetime.

We often put labels on people. He dresses like this so he must be into this music. She goes to that school so she must be rich. We can also stereotype people from different racial backgrounds as “lazy”, “brainy”, “aggro”… Sinhala peope are referred to as "Modayas", Muthu keeps on chanting "Ass licker" for the Thamby's, Tamils are refferd to as "Nammada Aals", Lansees and Malays are tainted with a "wine women and song" lifestyle etc. you get the idea? The way to beat the stereotypes? Don’t judge a whole group. Get to know people from different racial backgrounds and find out how much you have in common.

When you spend time here in the desert you meet all kinds of flavors of human beings from every possible corner of our planet. Analysing them and their attitudes and behavior is a nightmare, sometimes.

The ever loud and brash Egyptians, the selfish Paki's, the nasty Palestinians, etc etc. Yet, there are still some decent people within these communities. Surely, we must have met some of them at some point of time?

Another ploy of the racist is to try and pass the buck to another national for his own shortcomings. very commonly seen across the board, berween white and black, north and south, east and west.

It is time to shed these nasty feathers and see each other as one race belonging to this planet.

Amen!

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