2003-06-22 - 6:51 p.m.

I have come to the realization that we all have certain prejudices impressed upon us by this white supremacist society. Even I, who strive everyday to be an anti-racist, have to admit that I bring to the table certain ideas of how a person will act based upon the ethnic community they belong to. I think the important thing is to REALIZE that these impressions ARE NOT REALITY, but are rather images enforced by a society controlled by white supremacy. I cannot help having certain thoughts, however, I can control what I do with those thoughts.

When I find myself thinking something that is prejudicial, whether negative or positive, I stop to question myself as to WHY I am having such thoughts. I stop and remind myself that each human being is an individual, and while members of different ethnic groups may have certain customs, those customs are not better or worse than customs of other ethnicities. Those customs do not define every member of the group, nor do they define the group as a whole.

Sometimes I think that I am everything I fight against because I have these impressions occasionally, but I realize that to HAVE these thoughts is not racist, but to NOT DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE THEM is. If I have certain ideas about a person based upon their ethnicity, I force myself to re-examine WHY my thoughts have gone in that direction, and think of ways that I can counter the thought process.

My ideas and thoughts are constantly evolving, which is a definite positive. If I did not keep an open mind, I would still be beholden to prejudicial assumptions learned as a child. A person who does find these prejudices within himself should not punish himself for being a bigot, but should rather examine the assumption and word to counter it in their physche.

I have struggled with this for the past few days. My friends are constantly making comments about "white people do this....", implying that Black people (which they are) do the opposite. However, these are statements that have been impressed upon them by a white supremacist capitalist patriarchy, and for me to believe them would be wrong. I have to examine each statement for myself and realize why the person believes this way. I cannot take these statements (although made by Black people) as truth. I must realize where these beliefs are coming from and try to counter them.

It is very hard to overcome conditioning. If you are shown a racist assumption every day on TV and hear it every day from the people around you, it is easy to fall into believing such an assumption. The challenge is to study and learn more so that you can change your own assumptions rather than assimilating into the views of the world around you. I don't know if what I said made any sense. I hope it did, becuase the point is important to me.