Thanks, Whoever You Are!

From a letter posted at blackpeopleloveus.com:

"Hey, I really like your site. Along with many other themes, I particularly enjoyed the way you show that people can still be "racist" although they believe themselves not to be. In a case such as this, I put racist in quotation marks because it is not a conscious feeling of hate or ill-will but rather a subconscious set of stereotypes that are ingrained by societal norms.

"Anyway, in response to a previous letter...I don't believe the "race" or color of the people who created this site has any particular implications or significance. This, of course, is just an opinion and should be taken as such. I don't really understand how people define race or why. I am Korean, but was adopted at the age of five months and raised in a 95% white suburb of Philadelphia. Culturally, I'm "white" I suppose. I would call myself American. However, many strangers will look at me and think "Asian". Yes, physically I have the characteristics of an Asian. However, the term Asian describes only my looks. It has nothing to do with my traditions, culture, thoughts, or beliefs.

"Back to the 'implications' of the race of the creators of this site...I know that everyone has their own definition of race. Personally, I don't have one because I don't really know an accurate and fair way to categorize people while not judging them. "Race" is what you make of it. Whatever perceived implications are found by looking at the color of the people that created this site lies within your mind. These thoughts are there, most likely, because you fear or assume that other people have the same assumptions. (i.e. some sort of race dominance because white people created the site?)

"Stereotypes gain their strength from the number of people who are aware of them. By raising awareness of stereotypes you plant a seed within the minds of all who become aware. There have been many studies that show the impact of stereotypes upon the targeted group. While individuals may not consciously subscribe to them or even actively fight them, the unconscious effects are devastating. An exemplary study was done testing several black students at two times with tests of equal difficulty. One test asked the race or ethnicity beforehand while the other did not. The students did worse on the tests that asked their race. How many of these students do you think tell themselves that black people are stupid?

"The best way to fight stereotypes is by setting counter examples through your own actions. Until people see enough laundromats run by non-Asians, etc. people will only remember examples of the stereotype. I believe that in the case of stereotypes and "race", awareness is harmful because it is misleading. Culture is what separates us. Cultural awareness is the key. Color reflects nothing but light."