BYU student Ahmad Alnasser
I grew up in a population that is predominantly Arab. Because of that, my high school and my friend group consisted of mostly Arab kids. But even having that basic commonality did not mean racism wasn’t an issue. Living in Dubai where I had people from different cultures and races all around me, I tended to see a lot of racism. Fortunately, I did not experience it myself, but I had a lot of friends and I knew many people who did experience racism daily, just because of their ethnicity, and the countries they were from.
Arabs frequently experience racism from other Arabs. We come from different countries with different dialects and cultures. People from some countries are made fun of because of the way they speak or the way they act. While most of the time people are just joking around and do not mean to be racist, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the comment or joke they made IS racist. Racist jokes can hurt people just as badly whether they are meant to be racist or not.
I knew a Sudanese guy who, because of his skin color, people would call “Abed,” which refers to a slave when used in a certain context. He tried telling them to stop, but it affected him very negatively, and ultimately, caused him to commit suicide. That tragic event made me realize that I need to be more cautious about what I say, even jokingly. I started assuming that anyone could be hurt by the things I say, so I stopped using language that could be hurtful, especially racial slurs.
My parents and my religion always taught me to not discriminate or be racist towards anyone no matter their race, ethnicity, or religion. My parents have been fantastic examples to me. They taught me that I should never judge a person based on his or her physical appearance. I should, rather, get to know them first and be kind to them no matter what. I have lived like this my whole life, especially because I moved around a lot and got to know people from all over the world.
In the video titled The Black Student Experience, which was conducted at BYU, we learn that people just want to be accepted. It is hard to be different when you are surrounded by so many people who all look the same. I am a minority at BYU. The population there is predominantly white and being part of a small minority group, or just being a person of color, like most people mentioned in the videos, it can be hard to feel accepted.
When I walk on campus, I always catch people staring at me. I am a brown-skinned Arab with curly hair and a beard. Honestly, it felt uncomfortable at first because I used to think, “Is there something wrong with the way I look?” Then I realized that I am different, and I have a beard, which is not permitted without a beard waiver at BYU. I don’t let that get to me anymore and, actually, I take it as a compliment now because I do stand out when everyone around me looks almost the same, and maybe that’s not a bad thing.
People just want to be loved and accepted by the people around them. They want to fit in despite their backgrounds, but this could be difficult because we are all unique in many ways. Being part of a minority group and being treated differently because of something we cannot change feels frustrating sometimes. I sometimes feel frustrated because I live in a country where I could be detained when I am pulled over and I could be rejected from a bank loan simply because of my color and my name. My name is Ahmad, and that name is part of a list of “bad names” in the US because it is associated with names of terrorists. In reality my name means “highly praised or one who constantly thanks God.” I love my name, but it does make it difficult for me to check in at an airport because workers become suspicious of me.
It is hard to feel accepted when you are not being treated equally based on your race. Sometimes people are not aware that they are offending someone or that they are being racist. Regardless of their intentions, it still hurts. If we start raising our children to accept and treat people equally, racism in the world will start to decrease. In the end, we are all children of God despite our backgrounds.
We each need to take this challenge personally. What can we do individually to help eradicate racism (even inadvertent racism) in our world? One thing I can do that I have total control over is being careful of the jokes I make. I rarely use racial slurs, or make racist jokes or comments on purpose; however, I hear a lot of them around me, so sometimes, they slip out unintentionally. I have committed to being more mindful of what I’m saying. I know how I feel when someone says something offensive, and I do not want to offend someone with what I say. I could also speak up instead of staying silent when a friend or acquaintance uses racially charged language. I could ask them to stop– at the very least when they are around me. I think it would make others think a little more about what they are saying.
I wish the world would be peaceful and filled with love regardless of all we face. I do sometimes say things that I should not say, but I hope to change that. I try my best to make people’s days brighter by talking to them, going out with them, making them laugh, having a good time, spreading positive energy, and being there for them when they need me. The world out there is a rough place and people do not need another human to make it even harder. I wish people would consider others before saying hurtful things or acting a certain way. We need to acknowledge that what people feel is legitimate, even if we ourselves haven’t experienced the same thing.
Racism is still very real and people face it daily. There is no need to put people down or hurt them. Rather, we should raise people up and spread positivity, happiness, and love amongst each other. I would encourage different racial groups and communities to communicate with each other and share their experiences to show each other that we are alike in so many ways. When we look past the outer appearance and get to know others, it becomes easier to love them. We should all treat people the same way we want to be treated.