racism thrives on ignorance. it thrives on the stereotypical comments and constructs we form in our heads when interacting with someone who differs from us. these mostly subconscious preconceived notions are disadvantages many americans are plagued with today. they are believed and acted upon not always with a negative mindset, but mostly because the majority of people don’t know any better. david theo goldberg strongly advocated this theory. He believed, much like what I am proposing, that racism is irrational. Irrational behavior can be eradicated through the process of learning through education. goldberg believed that if we educated the public, this ignorant behavior would cease to exist. When discussing education, I am not proposing that primary schools stress the importance of historical events such as the emancipation proclamation or the 13th amendment. this is education of the mind. what I am proposing is education of the soul. this type of education entails not just educating the youth about multi-racial history, but on society’s paradigms and what it means to be someone of color living in today’s america. this education relies on a more personal and progressive curriculum. This includes the integration of the sometimes-sad truth without just relying on cookie-cutter facts. children who are fortunate to enjoy “white privilege” need to learn about what it is like on the other side of the spectrum. It is with this type of education that the youth will become more susceptible to understanding and eventually accepting people of difference races.
