Racism = Identification?

For as long as most people can remember, race has always been used as a way to distinguish one person from another. A post on this subject addresses how menial the distinctions that are made simply because of one's color can become problematic. The general stereotypes that become associated with the color of a person's skin have begun to determine the how far a person is able to get in life and the paths that they take. Racial distinctions do not only affect how others groups think of certain people, but it also affects the way certain people that belong to certain groups perceive themselves. Young African-American males may feel that they are supposed to become performers or athletes because of the stereotypes that have been placed on that race and gender. Many times, the desire to do something different is crushed because of the lack of means to pursue a certain dream, or because of the ridicule they may suffer for breaking the so-called "mold." This same type of racial stereotype can be found with youth who are of Asian decent. They are often expected to perform well academically, but often not perform as well with subjects that may involve more of a personal interpretation. A person who is Asian and may not be especially academically inclined may tend to feel as if they are not living up to a preset standard that has been set for him. One of the major problems of racism today is the labels that come along with a certain race. If we can begin to destroy these labels, we will be closer to eliminating racism in our society today.