Latin@s Racism and Prejudice

Greed and aversion are what make the world go round.  Those that conquer are the ones to write history.  Being casualties themselves of greed and aversion, all their expressions encourage subjugation to defilements.  Prejudice, racism, poverty and war are all products of the corrupted heart.  We need not go further than our own heart to see this clearly.  Whenever we’ve become entangled with the “wantings” of the world, where did it lead?

All forms of available media (i.e. movies, internet, news, radio, popular music, etc…) serve the interests of wealth seeking corporations.  The only way most people have to entertain themselves and to know of the happenings in the world; are but cheerleaders of greed and aversion.  Yet, the choices we make allow us to be both victims and supporters ourselves.

My family grew up with little education, in poverty.  Their eyes and ears bombarded with images that conditioned them to have negative associations to what they are, people of color.  I love my family very much!  But they are all very prejudice, and not always in subtle ways.  Showing resentment for anything different, just as the world had done around them all their lives.  This made finding an identity complicated for me as an adolescent.  My siblings and I were darker skinned than most of my family.  Though they loved us well, it was clear that we reminded them of something they were trying to forget about themselves, or perhaps something already forgotten.

I imagine that my family circumstances as a Latino growing up must be common place.  At least in my experience, prejudice has been common amongst Latinos, or anyone in poverty.  Some lighter skinned Latinos see themselves as superior, and even closer to god.  I still struggle with forms of reverse racism that developed in my heart.  But hate for ourselves, or for those that hate us, solves nothing!!!

This is why I am so grateful for the Practice.  As I make progress I unravel the defilements in my heart.  Making it clear that I am not responsible for my family, or even for this world, I am responsible only for myself.  I don’t need to worry about what others think of me, or of what is happening in their minds.  Doing so would only dissipate the energy I need to look after myself, to make sure that my actions are clean and pure.  After all as Ghandi said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”