Racism is a monster carrying an enormous amount of hate with it. When one encounters it, there seems to be no end to it. The hate just spreads like a wildfire. Often, the victims need kind-hearted people who have to try to make ignorant people understand the consequences of their heinous actions. 

Racism cannot be associated with only one place or person. The problem mainly lies in the mentality of people and how they perceive things around them.

Understanding the term and its instances 

A good case in point would be the brutal death of George Floyd, that took place in the USA which completely shocked the entire world. Another instance is the brutal killing of Breona Taylor. Names just keep piling on and no proper solution has come out of it. In today’s world, popular culture is giving a different interpretation to the terms: “racism” and “ethnic groups.” Here are a few instances of how racism affects life to a larger extent such as – 

• -Conflict between freedom of choice and values creates a kind of a deficit in democracy.
• -There are socio-cultural risks prevalent in this, with regards to having unequal chances in the sectors of education, labour markets, health sectors and many more. 
• -The current pandemic is also creating trauma amongst people around the globe. People of colour have been marginalised by those in power and have experienced bigotry and overt racism, and hence this needs to be taken very seriously. 

Racism across borders

Racist behaviour often results in racial discrimination, with its obvious negative consequences, ranging from simple neglect, or the avoidance of those believed to be “different and/or inferior,” to more explicit forms of harassment, exploitation, or exclusion. Despite a community being tormented because of this heinous hate and discrimination, there are still places around the world where this kind of crime still prevails and governments in these countries have taken no step at all to bring forward any kind of solution.

Racism amongst communities

Prof. John A. Rich from the Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University says: “We know that race is a social construction. We know that race does not bear any reality in terms of biology, that it is just a phenotypic manifestation.” Furthermore, he also mentions that racism is serving to be a probable cause for poverty, disadvantage, or disparity. The most radical, violent, and intractable of major present-day conflicts are cultural antagonisms, having as their common features the emergence of the ‘other’ as a threat, an enemy, being perceived as different or alien. In popular culture, they are perceived by negative connotations. For example – belittling dark skin tone people around the world on the basis of their skin complexion. 

It is important to initiate a reform that will help people to understand that this mentality of racism is hurting all of us, and that it requires a solid solution. Think about this: you must be feeling that this virus should end. But will it end on its own? It is for people to decide. It is important that even international organisations pay more attention towards it. Only then can there be support towards monitoring and research in this area, solutions aimed at combating racism and protecting the rights of national minorities. It’s also important that the media plays an important role by airing relevant content required for the viewers to understand.

Let us all stand together against this virus and put an end to it!

Janani Srinivas

Janani  is a novice writer who holds a food and life blog by the name of “Binge Eating With Moshoy.” She writes poems, conducts live sessions on Instagram, records podcasts on Anchor, and has written content for a few companies. She is a keen researcher, news buff and curious bee. You may find her either liking posts or writing situational and relatable posts or applying for jobs at all sorts of places because besides academics, she wishes to gain full time practical work experience while networking with diverse people. Janani also enjoys a good Netflix binge and sometimes can be found sitting at coffee shops reading a book.