To say that racism is no longer an issue is a diluted way of looking at our nation. And yet, that is the answer we got when surveying random students on campus.
Race is a powerful idea, an enduring concept completely invented by society. It fostered inequality and discrimination for centuries, and is a heavy influence on how we relate to other human beings, even today.
A number of Wyoming residents would tell you that racism is no longer the issue that it once was. Now we share water fountains and bathrooms with all races, and bus seats can be occupied by anyone. Therefore we are in a completely unbiased and bigot free state.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Wyoming is ninety three percent white, which leaves only seven percent for the minorities. Are the people of Wyoming denying that racism is something we still live with in America simply because we are not exposed to it like the population of other states?
In states such as California, the white people percentage is around seventy percent, more than twenty percent below that of Wyoming. As kids, we grew up with other kids a lot like us. If there were minorities, we all noticed because there just weren’t many in our corner of the world. In other states discrimination of minorities can be seen still, even fifty years after Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech.
Perhaps one of the most overt ways that racism raises its head in Wyoming is the racist jokes. They are a norm, especially here in Wyoming. Friends tell jokes about minorities that are highly offensive, and the typical reaction is to laugh along with them. Some may say, “Oh my goodness I can’t believe you said that!” before they laugh, but the majority of Wyoming residents simply laugh it off and may even counter with an offensive racist joke of their own.
What many don’t realize is, even though we may all have the same rights, it doesn’t mean that the racial differences have disappeared. Offense probably always will be found and taken at those racist jokes that can be heard all over this western state. The ability of the citizens to turn their heads is astounding. And I’m not even going to bring up the homophobic or sexist jokes.
The idea that seems to have taken many Wyomingites by storm is white racism, also referred to as reverse racism. The arguments are that minorities get all the special treatment, leaving nothing for the white people. There are also arguments that the fact that the term is white, while the minorities are Mexican or African American, or Asian, means the whites are looked down upon. UW has a minorities program that includes scholarships that only students with a minority heritage can apply for and get the benefits from. Some white students see this as being racist towards them.
What they seem to be forgetting is that, while there are many opportunities that are focused on the minorities, the whites still have the power. Even with an African American president, America is still predominately held by white families. What we here in the Midwest don’t see is that it is vastly different in other places. Take the south for example, where segregation can still be seen, though in smaller ways than in the past century.
The thing to keep in mind is that just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. While it would be optimal to live in a world free of bias and racial slurs, jokes and nicknames that drive some kids home crying, it just isn’t a truth yet.
