Does the U.S. have a unique racial problem?

It appears, with attention to our media, we do. We don’t hear about overt, frequent incidents of racial bias elsewhere. When I visited In South Africa I noticed how submerged it was, yet it was obvious there was still prejudice there. But we didn’t hear it blasting from every media outlet.

It exists here. No doubt. Within every human there are perceived ideas about people different from ourselves. And, as with any societal expression the cause is a combination of biology, history, exposure, beliefs, and preconceptions.

1)      Without awareness, or in fear, our higher rational part of our brain is hijacked and the primitive reptilian brain takes over, causing rapid, sometimes incorrect decisions about a situation. We see this whether someone is a trained police officer or a lone woman walking down the street. Feeling threatened, we go into survival mode: freeze, attack, run, or find help as fast as possible. For millions of years we’ve been programed to go into fear mode. Women, being normally smaller and weaker, are especially vulnerable to feeling panicky when a powerful man seems threatening. Its not something we seem to be able to talk about, but the fear a woman feels being followed by a large man when she is alone is an ancient, biological response. Not something easily controlled.

2)       In the U.S. we are all exposed now from a very young age to images of threatening men in certain dress and look in movies, music videos, and series. We are then biologically and psychologically conditioned to see them in real life as a threat. I’m only guessing, but the two black men who came in the Starbucks, both wearing sweats, facial hair and one with cornrows, may have triggered fear in the manager, solely because of stereotypical images.

3)      When great attention is paid to one incident, even if it is a rare incident, it becomes larger than life, and the media goes on high alert for like events. It gives the impression that it is overwhelmingly common. For example, child abduction has been on the decrease for many years but if you ask the parent of a young child they have the impression it is a increasing threat. Most likely 499 public  interactions out of 500 don’t end up with a racially biased action, but our perception is so heightened it feels like it has permeated the country.

4)      I remember when Juan Williams was fired from Public Broadcasting for admitting he would feel fear if he were in an airport and saw men with Islamic dress after 911. That was a missed opportunity to talk about this.

When we can’t speak about our fears we can’t rise above them. The only way to solve this problem is by raising our consciousness so that we aren’t so easily triggered into fear by situations that aren’t dangerous. Only raising awareness can we hold onto our higher rational, logical mind, preventing the negative and primitive kneejerk reaction.

Firing the young female manager who called the police for instance, isn’t a positive learning experience for anyone. Not addressing her reaction psychologically doesn’t solve the larger picture.