Dear Editor:

Definitions of racism are more than perceived color divides highlighted in newspapers. A definition covering a broader span of racism is: “Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics.”

Historically a famous racist society was “white against white”. It was led by a Jewish son of a Jewish mother – Adolph Hitler - against all of the Jews in his country and those in neighboring countries he tried to conquer. Racism has a component of self-hatred. No child in the world is born with hatred or prejudice.

The Genome project traced our ancestry back to one mother – some call her Eve. Her origin was Africa. As the mother of us all, we are all related irrespective of our color or religion. The color of our skin is based on one ingredient — melanin. The color you see is based on melanin’s ability to adapt to the impact of UV rays from the sun.

Societal norms established through laws and customs define what is acceptable. Wealth accumulation is seen as good and bad, depending on how it is used. Those who are not wealthy but belong to a society that judges based on religion will most likely make loud noises about their beliefs — ISIS. Those who are not tall on society’s success ladder may shout ugly names against a color of skin — KKK. When the laws do not protect all of the people in a country — South Africa (1948-1991) — all of the people suffer.

When we smile at someone and enjoy their presence in our lives we are rewarded with a returned smile and sense of joy and peace. When we presume someone is inferior to us, we do not smile, but call them bad names or hit them, or, beat them, but we do not get the same sense of peaceful joy. The only exception to this observed behavior is the sociopathic patient whose brain did not develop a place for empathy and guilt — Charles Manson.

Racism isn't all about color — instead it is all about us, and societal norms.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb