| Racism exists practically in all countries,
but in certain places and situations it is especially common. Some of the very common
reasons for racism to arise are fear or the need for a "scapegoat". If things
are going badly many people’s natural reaction is to blame somebody else. This is
exactly what often causes racism, if the unemployment is rising or the national economy is
very weak, many people will look for a scapegoat to blame, and in most cases they will
choose the people that they do not know, such as those with a different ethnical or
cultural background. Racism is caused by fear
In some cases racism can generate such an enormous amount of anger that it can cause a
war. The thing that causes this anger is mainly fear. Fear that the stranger will take
your house, your job, your wife. You don’t know who this stranger is, and he
doesn’t know you. To fight racism we have to get to know each other and learn more
about each other’s cultures. We have got to share each other’s joys, but also
learn that we often have the same problems and worries. |
Photographer: Jacob Holdt |