What is “racismâ€, anyways?
Race, we are all the human race. I think what people mean to say is “place of origin.†Also, we gotta change up the terminology— a more useful word to use is “morphology“, which is, how one physiologically looks in the face, certain facial features, skin tone, etc.
For example, if your heritage, your past ancestors lived in sub-Saharan Africa for many generations, certainly your skin will have a darker pigment, as a way to fend off the scorching sun. However, if your family originated from Northern Sweden, let us say Umea, certainly you will have a lot more fair skin, as a way of absorbing maximal UV radiation during the winter time, often when there is only 30 minutes of sunlight a day.
Where do you live?
I don’t have too much experience living in the south, or even the Midwest. I grew up mostly in California the Bay Area, growing up most of my childhood youth in Alameda California, right next to Oakland. Going to Castro Valley high school, going to UCLA as an undergraduate, and spending some years nomading around the world.
In America, when people talk “racismâ€, what do they mean to say?
Class
For example, is there a difference between being a young Caucasian “trailer trash†kid (let’s say an Eminem) or being an African-American kid from the projects? Maybe not.
And for example, currently I am in Southern California, Orange County, and there is a massive homeless issue here. A lot of these homeless people are actually Caucasian. For the most part people look at them as subhuman.
Also, let us consider Kim Kardashian. Is Kim Kardashian “white“? I don’t think people even think about it, they just think of her as Kim Kardashian. All American.
Or, do people consider Beyoncé as being “black“? No. She is just Beyoncé.
Race is the red herring
I think in America, ultimately what people want is power. I think true power comes from politics, the military, money, real estate, etc.
Certainly we have implicit biases for different people in America. We will judge and stereotype and have a bias towards people based on the way they walk, dress, what car they drive, what their face looks like, their skin pigment, their sex, etc. But ultimately, I think racism in America is overblown. The bigger issue is about class, socioeconomic status etc.