Why is a fiction a big deal then?

People, thinking the geographical differences in traits due to evolution were fundamental, began treating the geographical differences in traits as if they made people fundamentally different. In doing so, people were then able to justify inequalities based on these bad ideas. Our physical differences took meaning after that. With certain values placed upon our traits, people began to take them seriously when these values affected them negatively or positively.

It's very easy to dwell with inequality when inequality doesn't affect you, and it doesn't affect anyone you relate with. For example, it's quite simple to look over the poverty of a homeless person when you are not homeless. We come up with so many excuses why we can't part with our spare change. These excuses include: "They'll misspend it on drugs, "they should get a job," or (my favorite) "I once tried to do something nice for one of them and they turned my kindness down; so I said never again..." I suspect the people who use such excuses would not make them if they simultaneously had to taste the bitterness of homelessness, nor does it seem likely that people would make them against someone they loved. We we don't relate with something, it is easy to condemn it.

There's nothing wrong with condemning things, but one must first be certain that what they are condemning deserves it. This certainty cannot come from one's opinion, it must be based on some objective standard. For example, anyone is within their right to condemn rape. The reason they are is that objectively people own themselves, and no one has the right to make use of someone Else's property (in the case of rape, body) without permission. No one with a sound mind should be able to relate with rape. Thus, it is easy and good for those with a sound mind to condemn it. However, what about those without a sound mind? When they commit rape they may feel as though they could not help it. They may condemn the unfairness of the act, but not their doing the act. They can relate with not having a sound mind, and thus may be able to empathize with other's like them. Those with sound minds, however, cannot relate and condemn the entirety of rape. So, even if people do have a predisposition to rape we with sound minds do not let them off the hook (unless they are clearly insane). This would be a type of inequality.

So what about racial inequality? Races are a social construct, we make them up. However, even though races are incorporeal because we treat as if they are real and give them qualities, they can have effects on the real world.

One of these effects we've seen here in the United States. Not too long ago people where not allowed to enter into certain establishments, sit in certain areas of buses, or even look at someone with white skin because their skin was dark; or darker than the white-skinned people. Hopefully, the majority of us now see just how silly that all was, and how ignorant. I mean "ignorant" in the sense of not understanding or knowing. There were wonderful and inspiring people such as the Martin Luther King Jr. who fought for the rights of people, and against discrimination based on appearances. I admire Dr. King. The way he fought for people's rights against discrimination, I hope to fight to make people understand that such discrimination never had any real basis.

People look at "blacks" (understood as a construct) and see criminals, idiots, violent buffoons, etc. How amazingly far from the truth that is! Just because a person has dark skin does not entail anything about their character or ability. Here are some inspiring and positive dark-skinned people: Neil deGrasse Tyson (astrophysicist/ Director of the Hayden Planetarium), Bill Cosby (comedian/ activist), Oprah Winfrey, Mohammed Ali, Nelson Mandela, Tyra Banks, Will Smith, and more.

People have placed meaning to having brown skin, thus they treat brown skin people a certain way. We all have heard it among other "colors" as well. "Whites" aren't as athletic as "blacks," but are more educated than them. Asian people can't drive, but are really good at mathematics (even more so than whites), Indians speak like "boopady boopady," Arabs speak "Allah ka mushk ka muka," and the stereotypes go on. To each stereotype there is a kernel of truth, but people are not that simple.

Yet, we treat people as if they are that simple. I've actually seen women clutch their purses as I walked by. They try to do it subtly, but I see it. On the election of President Obama, I heard people saying "my president is black!" I thought that was very telling. Back in high school one of my classmates told another, "I thought Asian were supposed to be good at math." I could come up with a long list of examples like these, but I think you get the point.

Some people fit the stereotypes, but why? Is it because they're "black," "white," "Asian," or "Hispanic?" No! It because they have certain physical characteristics that society places certain values and meanings upon that these people buy into. Do you get it? We oppress each other! We try to shove each other into meaningless boxes. "You're white!" "You're black!" "You're Hispanic!" "You're Asian." Really people we all are just human. We are not these categories that we place each other in.

My brown skin or yours, or your white skin does not bestow upon us anything. Society does, but I believe that I am a big enough person to decided what I am. So I'll say it, "I am not black." I am me and all the interweaving impressions that make me who I am. I am not a color, nor are you!" You are also not black or white or anything else!

When we treat people as if they are, we give them reason to act upon the stereotypes. We do this especially when we justify inequalities based on it. "Blacks can't rise out of poverty because they're stupid!" "Whites will never again dominate in Football or Basketball, because blacks are better athletes." It's all silly.

You are a member of a proud species that is now taking its first feeble steps onto the cosmological stage. When we denote yourself as a color, you demote yourself to something less. I will no longer. If we can come to understand that race does not exist, then maybe will stop forcing people to adopt a "races" values. After that, maybe we'll be closer to some peace.