User:MOHAMUD HIROW

NOW THAT RACISM AND RACIAL PREJUDICE ARE BECOMING A GLOBAL ISSUE; HERE IS WHY I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE BEAUTY OF THIS WORLD LIES IN THE DIVERSITY OF ITS PEOPLE.

Racism is a matter of growing concern among the nations of the world. Far from being a social ill restricted to one or two countries, the moral disease of racism spans communities, countries and continents. Racism is a complex issue. At the core of any working definition of racism is the unspoken ingredient of fear. People around the world all belong to the same human race; they share the same tendencies to fear, domination and subjugation. Hence, inevitably, racism is a world-wide issue;Over the years, peoples and nations exhibiting higher degrees of civilization have been deemed racially superior.

Mankind has been unable to embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of the various ethnic groups. Instead, fear has taken control. Xenophobia, defined as an intense fear and dislike of foreign people or simply racial intolerance; is a disease reaching epidemic proportions.

Traditionally, ethno-national conflicts had to do with struggles over resources and land possession. Often these conflicts were tied to religious intolerance, a notable conflict being the Turkish Islamic vs the Hungarian Catholics. More recently, globalization has added to this situation; trade and commerce between the nations aided by modern-day technology has increased the interaction of foreign peoples with one another. Anti-immigration has become part of the political debate in countries world-wide especially in Europe; the outcome of many elections has hinged upon this question.

Racism world-wide is manifested in every continent. Most recently; human-right violations is at it's peak as we see police brutalities. More Black-Americans are losing their lives in the process. This is still a decision engineered by racist acts for the so-called minorities living in United States of America. In Europe, extreme racist groups have gained more and more acceptability in countries like France, Germany and Austria. In Australia, the Aborigines have lost much of their land and have been the victim of extreme prejudice. Not only has Apartheid legalized separation been practiced in Australia, it has been a well-publicized condition in South Africa.

Many African countries have endured long-term civil wars, some beginning shortly after that nation’s freedom from former colonial countries. In Asia, Cambodians harbor extreme prejudices against the Vietnamese and Chinese students have been forbidden access to higher education in Malaysia. In the Middle East, antagonism between the Israelis and the Palestinians continues to exist.

The truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth; but i believe that our unity in racial and ethnic diversity has been a strength not a weakness. To zero in, Unity in diversity is Unity without uniformity and diversity without defragmentation. It’s a paradigm shift and global agenda which denotes unity based on our different level of ethnicities, societal stereotypes and a mere tolerance of physical, cultural, linguistic, social, religious, political, ideological and psychological differences. It’s the bond as well as a complex platform that unifies people from ethnically diverse backgrounds in terms of physical appearance, dialects and cultures in to globalized human interactions.

Shifting perceptions of Africa, we often ask ourselves “Who are these Africans? How have they constructed their own ideas about identity and belonging?” May be the rest is history but as an Afro-optimist; archeological findings indicate that the history of mankind in Africa is older than that in any other continent. Our predominant concern is to practice tolerance, tighten the fabric that holds us together in our never ending quest to exist peacefully, appreciate each other’s way of life and sociocultural identity. Remember; to produce a melodious music, you must play the white of the Piano and the black of the grand Piano to enjoy symphony, harmony and joy.

In today’s global village, it’s through the favour of nature that the society beholds both friend and foe, Male chauvinist and Feminist, Optimist and Pessimist, introverts and extroverts, young and old, misanthropist and philanthropist; leave alone a philalethist and a liar. We therefore need to acknowledge the nobility of our distinct cultures, traditions and socio-economic backgrounds. Let us imagine how boring it would have been if all the animals in the National zoo were Thompson’s Gazelles, if all the fish in the National aquarium were goldfish and everyone in this world looked like everyone else; we should praise our creator for giving us diversity in different ways and means.

Sincere ignorance or conscientious stupidity has been detrimental in the life prospects of our children as well as the long-term prosperity within our grasp. Ignorance of each other’s way of life has been a common cause of suspicion and mistrust throughout the history of mankind. More often than not, our differences drifted us in to war. Today, with the simultaneity and constant interactions among distant and distinct traditions; the promotion of cultural understanding has become an ingredient for the peaceful coexistence among nations.

In the present day, despite our mutual differences in political, tribal and ideological lines, dialogue and reconciliation among cultures and civilizations has indeed become an existential issue for the international community. There is no future for mankind unless tolerance and understanding between cultures and nations becomes the rule rather than the exception. Let us embrace and respect the human personality and believe that all people are one.

In our era of global interconnectedness, the assertion of cultural identity can be envisioned on the basis of mutual respect and the acceptance of diversity. Neither is it a mirage nor a stubborn illusion that the precedented gender bias, monolingualism, racial and cultural prejudice which often drifted the society to the rock bottom of depravity has become a thing of the past. Leave alone the unilateral mindset from the small minded people that has essentially failed in the framework of globalization, a culture can only realize itself and reach a state of maturity if it’s able to embrace the other cultures in a comprehensive and interactive sense.

The strength of the people and nation depends on their level and degree of interaction with other communities in a complex and multidimensional manner; the capacity to see oneself through the eyes of the other. Without such interaction, a community will lack the skills it needs to compete, remain victorious and successful in today’s fast changing global environment.

In order to be credible and sustainable in this global community, we need to embrace our differences and deal with it in a more realistic manner. Our intercultural dialogue must be redefined in a more comprehensive and integrative sense in the field of education, politics, diplomacy, sports and more importantly in tourism. The threat of cultural wars and conflicts due to civilizational exceptionalism must be ended once and for all. The unity of mankind can only be preserved and peace can only be maintained through the recognition of diversity of the human race in terms of economic, social and cultural cooperation.

Remember, if we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building such a society. Let us not lose faith in humanity because humanity is an ocean that encircles the world, if a few drops of the ocean are dirty; the ocean doesn’t become dirty.