Racism is one of those problems that people sometimes act like we should have moved past by now. We have seen changes in laws, workplaces, schools, and society, but that does not mean racism has disappeared. People are still judged, insulted, excluded, or treated unfairly because of the colour of their skin or where they come from.
What makes racism especially bad is that it reduces a person to something they had no choice in. Nobody chooses their skin colour, ethnicity, or background before they are born. Yet some people use these differences as an excuse to believe they are better than others. That way of thinking can affect someone’s education, employment, relationships, safety, and even how they see themselves.
Racism is not only about obvious insults or hatred. It can also appear in quieter ways. Someone may be treated differently during a job interview, followed around a store because of their appearance, mocked because of their accent, or judged before anyone has taken the time to know them. These experiences can build up and cause real damage.
At the same time, fighting racism does not mean pretending that every person from a particular background thinks or behaves the same way. People are individuals. We should be able to recognize cultural differences without turning those differences into stereotypes or reasons for discrimination.
I believe the simplest way to look at it is this: people deserve to be judged by their character and actions, not by the group they were born into. We will probably never eliminate every form of prejudice, but we can choose not to encourage it. Calling out racism, treating people fairly, and refusing to spread hateful stereotypes may seem like small things, but they matter.
Racism is bad because it creates unnecessary division and denies people the basic respect they deserve. We should be doing better than that.
