9781422281390

look purely at a person’s physical appearance, not at what sort of personality, interests, or beliefs they have. Racism doesn’t focus on all aspects of physical appearance but mainly on skin color and, sometimes, certain facial features. People who believe in racism are called racists. Racists gen- erally believe that members of their own race, or racial group, are superior to other groups. The “higher race” is seen as more creative, intelligent and morally stronger. Other “lesser races” are considered not to be trustworthy, well-behaved, hardwork- ing, or bright. As a result, racists feel justified in treating mem- bers of other groups as inferiors. This idea of superior and inferior racial groups has been used as an excuse for the most horrific actions, from prevent- ing another race from gaining equal education or employment opportunities, to beatings, murders, and even attempts to wipe out entire races of people. How Many Races Are There? One of the founders of race theory, the Frenchman Count Joseph-Arthur Gobineau (1816–1882), believed there were three races—white, black, and yellow. Others divided the world’s population into as many as thirty different races. In all cases, these races were seen as completely different species or sub-species of human beings. Science has since shown there is just one species of people, to which we all belong, and that people of all colors and appear- ances have similar potential. In 1945, the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stated that “available scientific evidence provides no basis for

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Racism