In this article, racism is a worldwide problem. . . And it gets so bad online, for adults and kids alike, why is it easier to be racist online? Online Racism Statistics Anti-Asian Racism Avoid Unintentionally Using Racist Language Shut Down Online Racism Find Help Where to Find More Information Conclusion 1 Whether you run an online business, browse the web, or participate in an online community, you have It is possible to encounter some form of racism. That’s not to say everyone is a racist – although that argument is valid*

The problem is, racists tend to be very loud these days, especially on the internet. Arguably writing this article will shut them up. That's fine, but it's also impossible. Maybe one day, I hope that day comes soon as all of humanity will learn to stop making assumptions about people who look different than us.

Until then, many of us have a lot to learn, especially those who benefit from structural racism. That’s the point of this article, right here. We want to learn (and in turn help you learn) how to minimize online racism within your network or sphere of influence.

*Many current anti-racist theories do say that all beneficiaries of structural racism are, by definition, racist unless they actively participate in the dismantling of those structures. No one will be liberated until the structures that enforce racism cease to exist? But that’s a big, long topic for another day.

Here’s what you can expect now. Let's set some ground rules. First, we’re here to learn 4 main things: How to avoid being unintentionally racist online. How to shut down racism posted on your website, forum, Facebook group, etc. How to help shut down wherever you see racism happening (on platforms you don’t own, control, or influence). Where to find more information about systemic racism and what else you can do.

Yes, this is going to be a long article and I can't possibly hope to cover everything. We cover online racism specifically because, first of all, we have to narrow the scope of the discussion or this article will never end. Secondly, as an author, I know the most about online content.

Interreligious conflict and nationalist xenophobia often overlap with racism, but we can only solve the world's problems one at a time. (Kidding, kidding!)

Next, and this is very important: This post is for people who sincerely believe that your race does not make you any less than any other People are better or worse. If that's not you, there is some recommended reading at the end of this article that will help you understand all the causes of the problem.

Finally, we need to talk about the definition of racism that we will use in this article. You see, there are two big definitions now, especially in Western culture: one is "racism," which is what I call the "old definition," if you mistreat others because of the immutable characteristics of their race, even Say bad things about them, then you're a racist. By this definition, anyone can be a racist, regardless of their position in life or social status. This is a definition I agree with, but it must be acknowledged that while the views and actions of minorities are certainly racist, they are more likely to be victims of racist power structures. This is a modern understanding of the nature of racism. To be a racist, in addition to everything in the first definition, you need to have some form of power over others. This is described in terms of power dynamics, dominant groups, racial hierarchies, majorities and minorities.

According to this definition of racism, minority populations cannot be racist and at worst "prejudicial". As you may have guessed, this is not a definition I personally identify with. The above warning still applies. Now, here’s the deal: Institutional racism is absolutely real.

In countries around the world, even those that claim to be eradicating racism, there are laws and policies explicitly designed to deny the rights of minorities.

For example: As of January 2020, Virginia still has dozens of Jim Crow-era laws in place. As of March 2021, several states have simultaneously passed implementing legislation to repeal these old racist laws while actively introducing new ones!

These old laws include the Racial Integrity Act (intended to prevent interracial marriages), another that stated "No child shall be required to attend an integrated school?", and another that provided for the use of separate untracked schools for whites and blacks. tram.

All policies were then officially outlawed, but their effects remain: from modern lynchings (in the form of police brutality and "vigilante justice") and mass incarceration, to redlining (a practices that make it harder for people of color to obtain home and business loans), income inequality, and more. However, I draw the line at the idea that people from a minority group cannot be racist, especially if the minority group has considerable power or privilege over the majority group. I can tell you some stories about veterans, missionaries, and elites that I grew up with in Mexico. They may be minorities, but they display overtly racist tendencies—often because of their overwhelming structural privilege.

Simply put, for the purposes of this article, racism = actions (and spoken/written words) taken to harm others based on racial prejudice. Periods have no ifs, ands, or buts.

That is the definition of this article because racism is not an equal opportunity sport. Anyone can be terrible. Anyone can hold racially biased views, and the internet makes it easier to spread them, power structures or not. They chose a racist country, they chose all the issues of racism. With this pleasant thought in mind, let's move on. Racism is a worldwide problem

The first step in dealing with racism is to first acknowledge it. If you primarily consume Western media, you might be forgiven for thinking it's white versus black, but it's much more than that. Racism is a global reality and it is absurd to only focus on racism in Western developed countries.

While the focus of this article is on the structures of online racism and white supremacy, historical context is crucial. Racism didn’t appear out of nowhere when television or the internet were invented. To understand how we got here, we need to look back through history and consider the legacies of imperialism, slavery, oppression and mass murder that have shaped the modern world. Europe and North America let's say the quiet parts out loud. As comedian Nish Kumar says, this part is about "whiiitepeeoooppllle!" (You have to sing it.)

North American country was built on hundreds of years of genocide and slavery Basically, these genocides and slavery wiped out 10 million people (maybe even 10 million) on both sides of the Atlantic. At the same time, the wealth, stability, and prestige of Western Europe would not exist if the European powers had not so successfully and violently conquered nearly the entire globe. Until the 1970s, some European countries violently suppressed independence movements in their overseas colonies while promoting human rights, democracy and basic etiquette at home.

9-10 million Africans were kidnapped and taken to the Americas. This does not include the 10 million who died in Africa under European rule, nor the 2 million who died in the Middle Passage between Africa and the Americas, who were simply dumped into the ocean.

At the same time, more than 9 million Native Americans and Canadians were murdered, and the survivors were driven from their homes and forced to live on barren reservations. As a result, descendants of both groups have been suffering ever since. Race was essentially invented to justify the violence and depravity of the slave trade and the countless genocides committed by European settlers around the world. God has given "white people" a superior position in civilization, they are at the top.

Everyone else is almost universally considered subhuman—basically animals, indistinguishable from cattle or wild animals. So, this is how white people treated anyone perceived as African and indigenous people, such as cattle being traded and game being slaughtered (usually for fun). At the same time, every society in Europe includes minorities that are marginalized, oppressed and persecuted on racial or ethnic grounds. For example, the word "slave" is of Slavic origin and reflects the treatment of Slavs in Eastern Europe over centuries. Please don’t get me started on how Jews were treated in Europe – long before the Nazis sought the Final Solution.

You will also often read about the plight of the Irish under British rule, usually expressed as "the Irish were slaves too" Yes, the Irish people did experience hundreds of years of violence under British rule , genocide, forced labor and starvation. But be careful not to equate it with the experiences of Native Americans or the transatlantic slave trade. Each system cannot be compared or used to alleviate the suffering caused by the other.

The deprivation experienced by the Irish was extreme, but when you compare it to the violence and trauma endured by Native Americans, Africans, and African Americans over the centuries, it's not as bad as you might think Helpful.

If you want some modern examples, just ask Roma communities across Europe. and Basque and Catalan separatist groups