R.E.A.L. Talk,
High Tech Middle Media Arts,
7th Grade Trailblazer

It has always confused me when people call others “white”, or “black”, because no one’s skin is “black”, or “white”. Besides, no one names their kids the color of their skin, so why do we call them that? In the past I have made myself feel guilty because someone once told me that I was Hitler’s version of “pure” and “perfect, ”blonde hair, blue eyes. I also feel responsible, and feel that I have to be racist because throughout most of history, I would be what was thought of as the “superior race”. When I was in 4th grade someone told me that I was racist because me and all my friends were “white”. I thought that meant that I had to be friends with other “races” just to prove that I was not racist even if I had nothing in common with them and didn’t get along with them. I have now learned that I should be friends with people because they are what I look for in a friend and “race” has nothing to do with friendship.

Race doesn’t exist, but racism does

Race is NOT real, yet it could mean life or death for someone. According to Vox, an American news website, “There isn’t a race chromosome our DNA that people can point to it simply doesn’t exist, this of course does not mean that the concept of race isn’t hugely important in our lives”. Although race is not scientifically and biologically real it can affect someone’s life greatly. Evidence from the American Anthropological Association says that “Physical variations in the human species have no meaning except the social ones humans put on them”. Therefore if humans hadn’t made these categories there would be no race or racism. “During the 19th century people used “race” to justify the retention of slavery”. This means that race was created so that certain people could have power over others and get free labor. Proving that racism created race because of the human hunger for power and categories. Although race does not biologically exist, unfortunately since we made these “racial categories,” racism does. So let’s end this social construct that we created for power, because we are one race… The human race!