Growing Up Ignorant Essay, Research Paper

Throughout my life I have usually been on the receiving end of racist comments.

In eighth grade I had to go to a public school because of moving reasons, and

that is where the comments started. I could honestly say that it was the worst

experience in my life. Their were only two African American kids in my class, I

was one of them. The other kid was also afro American, but the catch there was

that he was a well known football player. I also played football, but I wasn’t

the all-pro quarter back. Since he was so good and so well know no one ever said

a word to him. The first day at Richland(the name of the school which I went to)

everyone was nice to me. The first couple days were great ; Everyone was so

friendly and willing to accept me. Going into the second week I met this girl

Amber, she was beautiful. I was sitting at the lunch table one day and she

walked by and I commented on how hot she was. One kid, who I thought was my

friend, said, "Since you are new here, I will let that go." I

responded, "What do you mean?" Chad said, "I like Amber also, and

whoever I like no one tries stepping in, do you understand?" "Whatever

dude…", I said. Chad said, "Now listen, I like you and it is better

off that way." So naturally I did what I wanted to do, I asked Amber for

her number. That weekend Amber and I went out on a date. I sure did have a good

time. That following Monday, Chad heard about the date and flipped out. Just

after second period heard someone yell, "HEY NIGGER, YOU ARE GOING TO

DIE!!!!" I sort of had an idea who said it, but I just ignored it and kept

walking. A second later someone pushes me to the floor. I turned around and Chad

was standing there. Chad said, "I warned you, you black piece of

*censored*." I naturally backed off because it wasn’t worth fighting about.

From that point on everyone considered me the "Wimp who can’t stand up for

himself." For the rest of the year my life was a living hell. The only time

anyone talked to me is when someone would make a racist comment. Half way

through football season I quit because I was treated like crap from my fellow

football members and coach. Later on that year a kid named Matt Flynn made a

racial comment. I was in such a bad mood so I punched him in the face. The fight

was broken up right away, and we were both sent to the principal’s office. When

we got there, I was the one that was punished and Matt was left off with no

punishment. I found out later that week that the principal was racist against

black people. I had no idea what to do, so I just left it go and told no one.

Both my parents and the school guidance counselor noticed that I was having some

problems. I refused to tell anyone what was a matter, and I told everyone just

to leave me alone. That was the first time that I ever felt ashamed about being

black. I felt like I was the most worthless thing in the world. I didn’t know

what to do. I was not only having problems in school, I was also having family

problems. I heard my parents say things about me that I thought I would never

hear in my life. Then I started thinking about who in my life really cared.

Memories Of my father and I going hunting, the good times my cousin Greg and I

had together, and the things that my two brothers, Ben and Dave, have done for

me. About a month later, I looked at everyone that pick on me. I noticed that

the kids, I went to school with at Richland, were totally ignorant about racism.

The kids at Richland were never taught what discrimination could do to someone,

mentally and physically. In the world today, their are a variety of stereotypes

put on all races. Ignorance is the origin of these stereotypes. Kids today

should be educated on what racial discrimination could do to someone. In Ronald

Takaki’s article A Different Mirror he says "’…white Americans will

become a minority group’"(p. 334). "By 2056, most Americans will trace

their descent to ‘Africa, Asia, the Hispanic world, the Pacific Islands,

Arabia-almost anywhere but white Europe.’ This dramatic change in our nation’s

ethnic composition is altering the way we think about ourselves"(p. 334).

People today are scared of what they don’t know ; they are scared of what might

happen to them and of change. "’ The deeper significance of America’s

becoming a majority nonwhite society is what it means to the national psyche, to

individuals’ sense of themselves and their nation – their idea of what it is to

be American’"(p. 334). "Certainly one crucial way is for our society’s

various ethnic groups to develop a greater understanding of each other"(p.

337). Majority of the people today do have some sort of discrimination. Some are

against homosexuals, African Americans, Jews, Asians, and other races that are

different from oneself. Just because someone looks different than someone else,

it doesn’t necessarily mean they are different. understand that other races are

actually very much alike.