The Last Word
By Noah Rooney | Posted: Tuesday June 16, 2020
For my last word today I have selected a topic that is very important to me and is prominent in today's society, racism.
As you should all be aware, a 43 year old man named George Floyd was murdered by a white police man in America after being accused of forging a cheque.
Due to this horrific event there have been many protests for the Black Lives Matter movement, and many people have also taken to their social media to show their anger and disgust.
Now, I believe that everyone has the right to their own opinions as well as their freedom of speech, but with these rights come obligations.
I do not believe that there is any excuse for discrimination especially based on things beyond our control. By this I mean, who you are, your race, what you look like, your religion and the colour of your skin. As people exercising our rights, we must make sure that they are exercised in respect to other people's cultures.
I am not saying that if you have a different opinion to me not to share it, all I am asking is that before you share it you consider your audience. While you may not see anything wrong with what you are saying, others may find it offensive.
Our school is lucky as we have such a diverse array of cultures, including Maori, Samoans, Tongans, Europeans, Americans, Japanese, Chinese and many many more. However, having this large group of nationalities together can lead to the normalisation of jokes targeted at a person's race. This is otherwise known as casual racism.
Casual racism is a subtle form of racism, however it is a massive problem all around the world.
What starts as a joke about a person's race, can quickly develop into more deep rooted bias and eventually into the disaster that is currently unfolding in the United States of America. Who knows, if this type of behaviour was more widely rejected then maybe George Floyd, and hundreds before him would still be with us.
As a school we can strive to do better. We can each try and stop the use of casual racism by thinking before we speak, because even if the jokes are intended to be funny, sometimes they can cause real harm.
We are not all from the same backgrounds or ethnicities, so ask your mates about their culture and their heritage. Learn about the struggles they may be facing because of it, and figure out how you can help them out. Our multiple ethnicities and cultures are something we should be proud of, not something that is the constant butt of the joke. Let's be honest, we can all make good jokes without taking a dig at our mates skin colour, religion or clothes.
At the end of the day we are a part of the brotherhood of OBHS, and in this brotherhood we look after each other no matter the colour of our brothers skin.
Racism is a world wide problem. It's not only in school we must be aware of it, but all around the world. If we can push back against all forms of racism, both in classroom and in our communities, then we truly will become 'men of oak' and take a first step to improve the world for our generation and the next.
So take the time to learn more about the BLM movement, take the time to learn more about your mates and their cultures, because understanding is the first step to fighting back.
To end on a quote “The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
la soifua ma ia manuia.
