Are you a racist?

Genetic factors play a part in everything.  I have been tested after my blood clot and I have a factor that makes clotting more likely.  It happens to be more prevalent in Caucasians in the U.S. and Europe.  That's just fact, from empirical evidence.

The only ones who are unbiased by life experiences are newborns.  But I don't try to make assumptions based on skin color.  One, especially in the U.S. we have so many different ancestries that two white people or two black people could be WAY different.  Two, there are always outliers.  Like your sports example, I'm thinking of some of the pro volleyball players - a lot of white guys with big vertical.

And finally, in that sports example, there are people genetically blessed who don't work to achieve their potential.  And there are some who train all-in and make up for other shortcomings.  I can't tell at a glance which category someone falls into.

This brings up another thing which is that cultural forces are often as big of an influence as genetic.  Many african americans were taught at a young age to stay away from the water because it's dangerous.  And that's just been passed down generation to generation, with no one learning to swim.  It's a tough pattern to break.  Another guy in my company at the Naval Academy was from Missouri, black, never learned to swim.  I worked with him day after day to get him to where he could pass the required tests.  But that fear was so ingrained... very hard to break.

I think humans, like every other animal, has a predisposition to stay with it's own kind, and stay clear of others who are different.  No, we're not pack animals or herd animals, but we are certainly tribal from our very beginning.  Probably the only thing that separates us from a herd or pack mentality is our advanced brain.....which causes some of us to question why we don't like those different from us.....and makes some of us cry racism at every slight, perceived or real. Then there are others who feel guilty over their feelings.  I don't like some cultures, and I like others immensely......I guess I'm a racist in the eyes of some. I never feel guilty.

I try to get along with everybody and treat everybody fairly.  That's enough for me....and, as far as I'm concerned, should be enough for anybody.  I enjoy the fact that we're all different and have different ideas and thoughts on the same subjects.  But it still doesn't make me like things, or people, or cultures, that I don't like. 

I like avocados, I hate guacamole. I like athletes, I hate soccer.

Get it?

See, I think you CAN make certain assumptions about individuals based on race, religion, ethnicity, etc......and interestingly, I think that race is the most fallible, and it gets all the press.

I can absolutely make certain assumptions about Catholics, Irishmen, Southern Baptists, Bosnians, British (I don't like their humor, their food, their monarchy, none of it) and on and on.  I remember when I was in grade school we had to read "The Ugly American".....my memory is not great on it but I know the lessons involved the way we, as Americans, were perceived around the world. I didn't care then and I don't care now.

There are definitely certain neighborhoods I can make assumptions about, and because of that I can make certain assumptions about SOME people in those neighborhoods.  And no, I'm not just talking about crime ridden neighborhoods....although, again, that gets all the press, and as soon as I say it people assume they know what I'm talking about. OK.

But making assumptions based on the color of a person's skin, and let's face it, that's what we are talking about here, is full of problems, and will make you look like an idiot more times than not.

So yeah, I suppose I'm prejudice.  There are some things in this life I like more than others, and some things I just downright don't like at all.  What aggravates me is if someone I don't like happens to be a certain color (in my case, since I'm white, it's usually black or brown people) then I am simply seen as prejudice against that color, a racist.....that's not the case. I just don't like some people.

I think, without question, there is commonality in our shared humanity, no matter our race, religion, ethnicity, etc.....so we should look for that.  The differences, hopefully, are not going away....that's what makes life interesting.