Communication Between Cultures

There are no biological abilities or

skills that differentiate groups of

people. For those who are willing to

accept it,“the big differences among

human groups are the result of culture,

not biological inheritance or race. All

human beings belong to the same species and the biological features essential to human

life are common to us all.”^43 Yet despite this obvious truth and wisdom, racism remains

a major hindrance to successful intercultural communication.

Categories of Racism

Racism comes in a variety of forms, some of which are almost impossible to detect,

such as a company’s hiring practices. But others, like the Ku Klux Klan’s activities,

are blatant and transparent. In broad terms, however, the different forms can be cate-

gorized as either personal or institutional. In the former category, racism is the mani-

festation of the individual’s beliefs and behaviors. On the other hand,“Institutional

racism refers to racial inferiorizing or antipathy perpetrated by specific social institu-

tions such as schools, corporations, hospitals, or the criminal justice system as a

totality.”^44 The history of voting rights for Jews in the United States offers an exam-

ple of institutional racism. The U.S. Constitution initially left voting rights to the

individual states, and in several cases, Jews, as well as Catholics, were disenfranchised

until ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870.^45 Whether intentional or

inadvertent, the consequences of racism have a detrimental effect on the targeted

group specifically and society as a whole.

Countering Racism

Views about race are often deeply entrenched, especially those learned during child-

hood, but there are some measures that can help reduce racism:

1.Try to be honest: When deciding if you hold any racist views, be truthful with your-

self. Although an easy proposition to write but somewhat difficult to accomplish,

confronting personal racist views is an important and necessary first step.

2.Object to racist jokes and insults: Although a simple act, this will often take consid-

erable courage, especially when confronting family and close friends. However, it

will send a clear message to other people that you condemn racism in any form.

3.Respect freedom: This seemingly simple proposal is actually a fundamental part of

the American legacy. The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution spe-

cifies,“nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without

due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protec-

tion of the laws.”^46 This makes clear that liberty can be preserved only when all

individuals are free from politically and socially imposed limitations.

4.Examine racism’s historical roots: In order fully to comprehend and challenge the

adverse impact of racism, you need to be able to understand and explain the ori-

gins of racist ideas and why they appeal to some people.

We conclude this discussion by reminding you that racism, stereotyping, and prej-

udice are pervasive because they are often acquired early in life and, like much of

CONSIDER THIS

Do you think racism has decreased or increased in your lifetime?

Racism 397

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