Reverse Racism VS. Racial Prejudice

“Racism is a moral catastrophe, most graphically seen in the prison industrial complex and targeted police surveillance in black and brown ghettos rendered invisible in public discourse.” – Cornel West

Since the late 20^th century, our generations have been circulated with the question of whether reverse racism exists or not. This topic has been argued and discussed with multiple sources, and unfortunately, the results of these debates have deemed clear that the mentality of our nation has been deeply fragmented. According to debate.org, 56% of today’s generation believe that reverse racism is indeed a phenomenon. Whereas, only 44% believe that the concept of reverse racism in itself is a denture to our society. So, are the majority of these results correct? Or are we dealing with a major confusion between the definitions of racism and racial prejudice? To us anti-racists, reverse racism is an impossible concept. Firstly, starting off with the meaning of the words Racism, and Prejudice.

Racism, by definition, “is the belief that all members of a specific race are inferior or subordinate to another race and/or races”. For one to be a victim of racism, this would mean that they would have had to face the difficulty of being told that their race is less important, then another person’s race. As white people are granted privilege and supremacy, it is literally impossible for a “reverse” system of racism to exist. Racism is a system of disadvantages based on race; as us Blacks/People Of Color do not benefit from the system, we cannot be racist towards the white population.

Due to their privilege, Caucasians will never have to face the same injustice, and experiences that the Blacks/People Of Color do. From taking a look at our History, it is clear to see that Caucasians will never be able to compare their difficulties to the oppression, tyranny, and persecution that Blacks/People of Color have dealt with on the same scale. Sure, we have the Irish Slave Trade, but on no level was it the same as the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The Irish were more indentured servants, than slaves. In no way, shape, or form, am I saying that what happened to the Irish was okay. However, the Irish servants were able to be released after serving a certain period of time, and the results of their slavery isn’t still negatively-affecting their nation to this day, making them a minority, or granting them any less privilege than other white nations. As one of the participants, Lena, in my “Dear White People,” thread on twitter stated – “having white privilege does not mean that you do not face struggles, it just means that your struggles are not a result of your whiteness.”

Moving on to one of the most important factors of this article – Racial Prejudice. The word Prejudice, is defined as “an unfavorable feeling, opinion, or attitude, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group.” Now the infamous “reverse racism”, is what people are so-commonly mistaking for what it actually is, Racial Prejudice.

If more people would read thoroughly the literal definitions of words, they would understand that it just is not possible. It is however, more than possible for Blacks and People of Color to be prejudiced toward the white population. 

Now, after all the centuries of torture and injustice that Blacks/People of Color have faced, wouldn’t it be only natural for them to be angry? Our anger is not racism. We have every right to be angry after everything the Caucasians have put us and our ancestors through. So if a young black man is protesting against our disadvantage, and happens to call a white person a “cracker” in the process, you don’t get to say that he is being racist. Because honestly, he’s not. This man is angry, and rightfully so. As it is a prejudiced term to call a white person, it is only natural to feel offended or hurt by the term. But don’t ever get in your head that it is being racist, that term will never carry the nearly the same institutional oppression behind it. Understand that it is not in our (Blacks/People of Color) priorities – to sugarcoat our struggles just so that Caucasians can feel comfortable when discussing the troubles we face.

With all of that being said, I hope to have enlightened some of our generation on the difference of racial prejudice, and a “reverse racism” that ceases to exist.

xo,

Hayat Khairah.