Race Power of an Illusion

Race: An Illusion

The concept of race has no place in today's globalizing world. In fact, it is a damaging illusion. Not only does the idea of race allow false beliefs to develop, but it allows the concept of "them against us" to develop. In such a reality, race becomes a pride-producing rallying point around which blatant discrimination, injustice, and atrocities spring.

The idea of race as a meaningful concept is no longer useful in today's globalizing world. Increasingly the physical boarders that once separated groups possessing distinct racial characteristics -- characteristics thought, perhaps to represent evolutionary changes allowing environmental survival, are no longer static. Indeed, the fairest Irishwoman can be found living in the deepest depths of the Sahara, while the darkest Ghanaian can be found shivering in the bitter Wisconsin winter. Race no longer divides geographically. However, the illusion of race as a significant division based on other characteristics is a false illusion that lingers.

Today, when one discusses "race" one is usually most often referring to ethnic groups, defined by distinct cultural traits and social beliefs. For example, for the South African White minority, the term "Black" represents their Black South African neighbors, while for the Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, the term "Jew" means their Israeli occupiers. Although both groups use the racial term for the groups next to them, they are hardly referring to the Jews of Brooklyn or the African-Americans of the Southern United States.

The problem with this is that, by focusing on the political problems of one's region in terms of "intrinsic" characteristics of race, one begins to view problems between groups as "natural," or a product of some fundamental incompatibility between "them and us." It sets the stage for conflict, discrimination and injustice.

Take, for example, the situation in Sudan and Mauritania. Today, the situation in Sudan is atrocious. Although there are several factors leading to the division between the north and south of the country, the predominantly Arab-Islamic north is at war with the non-Muslim south. Although many on the ground would characterize the conflict as "ethnic," or "race-related," the actual fact remains that religious differences are more to blame. Again, ethnicity and race are merely an illusion, masking the real source of conflict.

The situation in Mauritania is similar in nature. Although, on the surface, discrimination and conflict between the predominant Arab-Berber population and government and the minority Black population is due more to religious conflict and beliefs than race. Again, there is little difference in the color or other racial characteristics between large numbers of both groups. The real issue is non-racial. However striking these cases are, one of the best examples of the illusion of race, and the problems that illusion causes is found within Israeli society.

According to many, the idea of the Jewish people is of a uniform racial group. Indeed, one has but to look to the terrible atrocities committed by the Nazi regime in Germany to see how predominant this view is. However, the visitor to Israel will be struck by the tremendous racial diversity among its Jewish criticisms. From the black Ethiopian Jews, to the white "Ashkenazi" or European Jews, to the Arab or "Sephardic" communities, "Jewish" in Israel can mean many things. However, in spite of this reality, there remains significant divisions and inequality between the groups. In fact, there is an obvious "hierarchy" both politically and socially in which the European Israelis enjoy significant benefits -- higher employment, governmental representation, social status, and economic prosperity, that other groups do not. But is the problem really racial?

Of course, many would argue, within the European community that the race is a factor in the inequality of the other groups -- famously asserting that the Sephardim are "lazy" for example, or that Ethiopian Jews are "uncouth" or "barbaric." However, upon closer examination one notes that these views are not based on physical characteristics, but the cultural and societal beliefs attributed to these groups. For example, Sephardim communities generally are more accepting of outward displays of emotion, and a lasses-faire attitude regarding work and social obligations, while Ethiopian Jews necessarily display some of the cultural traits of the non-Jewish Ethiopian community. None of these issues are racial, nor an intrinsic characteristic of race.

So, too, Jewish Israeli attitudes regarding "Arab" Palestinians is typically one in which the racial "other" represented by the Arab is one of barbaric cruelty, or a hot-bloodedness that runs through their veins as a racial characteristic. However, of course considering the fact that Jews and Arabs are technically from the same "Semitic" race, their differences can hardly be racial in nature. Instead, they are from political, cultural, religious, and economic differences -- none intrinsic racial characteristics.

A further example of how issues of race are illusionary in nature is the positive experience many experience on the annual Muslim pilgrimage known as the Hajj. In this event, as famously related by the late Malcolm X, although there are millions of attendees representing every color on earth, the concept of racial division fades under the unifying cloak of religion.

Whereas an Arab Sudanese slave trader might lord over his booty in war torn southern Sudan, during the Hajj he will pray next to, or even behind, his blackest-Black Muslim brother. Further, even issues of culture take a back seat as the unifying universal practices of Islamic worship allow every participant to fit into a mass of humanity of every color.

Within this practice, one is able to glimpse the true nature of race as an illusion. Not only does race fail to factor in the ability of all present to understand, accept, and even love one another, but it points to the universal truth that there are no racial differences that make incompatibility and conflict a necessary or natural fact of life. Race is not a factor in the ability or inability of people to get along. Instead, it is other factors that contribute to conflicts erroneously attributed to race.