Why Do People Still Choose To See Race?

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“I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” -Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

It happened when my family and I were shopping at unsaid name-brand store at a mall on a beautiful sunny day. We had an okay shopping experience and when we arrived at the checkout counter, the lady politely asked us, “How was your experience?” We smiled and told her it was great when in all actuality the girl helping us had a little bit of an attitude. Oh well, we thought, we’re going to buy our stuff and get out of here.

“Did someone help you today?” We nodded and said yes. “Who?” We started to describe the girl. She was tiny, dressed in all black and had orange-blonde hair. There wasn’t anything really significant that set her apart from the cashier checking us out except size, hair, oh… and color. After a few moments of furling eyebrows and trying to figure out who we were talking about, the girl leans forward, put her hand on my sister’s hand and says “YOU COULD’VE TOLD ME SHE WAS WHITE!” Laughing hysterically. I didn’t find it very funny and my sister didn’t either.

I’ve always grown up thinking we are all equal and still to this day can’t figure out why people still see black and white. I can recall a few times I would be telling a story and someone would specifically ask me the “color” of the person I was referring to. What exactly does that matter? Every time you think we have come so far as a society you have tiny little setbacks that will prove to divide everyone because it all leads to a bigger issue that will not soon be forgotten.

We are better than this. Are you nice to people? Do you have a good heart? That’s all I’m concerned about and I feel like throwing color into the description of someone is totally unnecessary and uncalled for. It’s an issue that I know we all wish would be resolved with no end in sight and both parties are guilty of it.

We are all living in this world with the same goals and desires and we all bleed the same color. I can only hope that one day everyone will accept that for what it is and not see the world in black and white because the world is full of beautiful colors and if people don’t open their eyes, they will miss it. Put your hand on your chest. Do you feel your heartbeat? It beats the same as mine and everyone else’s no matter what color you are. That’s the thing about color… our hearts all function the same.