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               [ Mind Warp  -  Volume #2, Issue #5, File #032 ]
                         [ "Race" by Slartibartfast ]
            
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                                    Race
                              [Slartibartfast]

        Ok, thats it. This is a serious article brought on by the numerous
surveys, polls and whatnot that are going on here at UMCP all the time. I just
finished taking a survey given by one of my TA's and realized something was
really wrong. The survey was basically political interest stuff, what policies
are important, which political group, etc. Then there was one question asking
if in my opinion, my representative covers the issues despite what race he/she 
is. This is where I had a problem. I answered yes....
        Race is only a visual perception of color and other physical traits. 
Any of you taking a physics class about light may learn that color isn't even
so much a hard science, but rather a psychological evaluation. We recognize
people based on their physical distinctions (for the most part). The term
"race" is an inappropriate separation of particular physical distinctions, 
mostly having to do with the lightness or darkness of ones skin. There is no 
need for this distinction to be accentuated by racism or anything like that. 
In fact, racism is purely mental, we (people) all belong to one race, the
human race, which scientifically is grouped under one name, homo sapiens 
sapiens. 
        So why do we make such a big deal about the difference between our 
skin color and not say our eye color? A lot of it is history. That is also 
the answer, it is HISTORY! There shouldn't be any more problems. Perceptions
have changed, so now if we get rid of the word "race" as a distinction between
white, black, asian, or hispanic, then the world would be a much better place.
Besides, if you are a citizen of this country, then you are AMERICAN, not 
African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, or European American, 
just AMERICAN. You are therefore protected by and must abide by the same 
rights as all American citizens. I know this doesn't always work, but thats 
another topic entirely.
        So next time you hear someone whining about race, just go up to 'em, 
look 'em straight in the eye, and say, "Its not the color of our skins thats 
important, its the color of our hearts." Whether you subscribe to evolution, 
or God's creation of all things, we all came from the same place, and we're
all the same inside.

                              Slartibartfast

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