Introduction
The subject of race has dominated human history for a long time. Several myths about race have influenced society’s perception of different people. One of the popular myths is that race is biological. Several physical differences differentiate people based on their skin color, type of hair, and shape of the eyes, among other structures. These differences have often been believed to originate from an individual’s genetic makeup. However, since the release of the film Race the Power of an Illusion by California Newsreel, most of the popular beliefs about race have been proved wrong (Herbes-Sommers et al.). This paper focuses on the film’s first chapter, which uncovers how the illusion that race is biological has been used to promote white supremacy by influencing favorable beliefs about whites and negative attitudes toward other races. Additionally, the paper explores the third chapter of the film to understand how the concept of race has been embedded in institutions to favor the white race at the expense of the other races.
The First Chapter of the Race the Power of an Illusion Film
Racial myths have often determined how different groups of people are perceived in society. These popular beliefs have made many people assume that race is genetic. As a result, the whites presented themselves as the superior race while the non-white communities were disregarded as weak. However, in the first chapter of the film, The Differences between Us, scientific research conducted on people from different races indicates that an individual’s genetic makeup does not determine their race (Herbes-Sommers et al.). For instance, in the experiment, the participant’s genetic makeup from the same racial group differed significantly, thus dismissing the notion that members of the same race contained similar genetic structures, hence shared traits.
This revelation is essential in understanding that there are no significant differences in humanity due to race. I believe that the distinct groups that people have categorized based on their race are artificially constructed to favor those races that appear superior and belittle the races perceived to be weaker. The propaganda of white supremacy has been successfully propagated by the myth that race is biological. This myth has often been used to justify various social injustices that the minority communities, such as blacks and Asians, have been subjected to. For instance, during the rise of the eugenics movement, many minority ethnic populations were sterilized to reduce them because they were associated with cause poverty, crime, and other undesirable characteristics (Blyton). The perception of the whites toward the non-white communities made them believe that most of the minority populations were socially unfit to thrive in society. The unpleasant traits of individuals were often associated with the whole community. As a result, the non-white communities have often been negatively associated with social evils that threaten the thriving of the whites.
Furthermore, this film enables the understanding of how racial illusions significantly promoted slavery and human trafficking. During the colonial era, most colonial masters believed that the black community was ideal for slavery because they were perceived as strong and could survive the harsh climate and long working hours (Brooks). Additionally, it was believed that the black community could survive many topical diseases, thus making them suitable for working in large plantations. Therefore, the colonialists used these illusions to justify the ill-treatment they subjected the enslaved people to. The notion of slavery portrayed the whites as a superior race meant to be served by the other “weaker” races.
Although slavery was abolished, its stereotypic legacy continues to dominate modern society. For instance, there is a popular belief that black labor is cheap and readily available. On the contrary, white labor is often considered expensive and skillful. This is because whites are associated with intelligence and leadership, while the black community is perceived to have manpower but lacks the intelligence to occupy managerial positions (Brooks). This concept explains the high racial disparity of labor in the corporate world.
The third chapter of the film, The House We Live In, reveals how the institutionalization of race has been used to promote white supremacy at the expense of other communities. Society has often presented the white community as more deserving than other races (Herbes-Sommers et al.). This notion has led to the development of various forms of social injustices that have undermined the rights of racial minorities and denied them access to essential services such as quality healthcare. Most government institutions have often made selective policies in favor of the white community. Such policies have left minority communities vulnerable to various social threats, including poor housing, high crime rate, poor education and unemployment. Consequently, the privileges the white community enjoys at the expense of the other races have given them opportunities to thrive in society, thus reinforcing the idea that they are superior.
One of the critical questions to ask oneself is if race is not biological, why are there social disparities between the white community and other races? Social disparities have been dominating society for a long time. Minority communities have often emerged to be victims of these disparities in most cases. Therefore the domination of these inequalities in society indicates that little is being done to end racial prejudice. There is a reluctance to fight racism in government institutions because most of those in authority are supremacists and play a role in propagating the propaganda of white supremacy (Christian et al.). Minority races are believed to be weak and cannot enjoy the same privileges as white. Therefore, inequality is seen as inevitable and essential to differentiate populations.
Although modern society appears to be fighting racial discrimination, there are still broad gaps in government institutions to make these efforts fruitful. Racial profiling has significantly influenced most policies being made toward various groups in society. These policies are meant to curtail the thriving of the perceived weaker races to eliminate various traits associated with such communities and encourage the prosperity of the white race (Christian et al.). For instance, black women often fail to access quality maternal healthcare from most white healthcare providers. As a result, there are more maternal deaths among ethnic minorities than white women, thus negatively affecting the growth of the minorities and promoting the growth of the whites. Therefore, such negative racial perceptions taint the efforts to promote equality by promoting white supremacy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the concept of race is external and does not have roots in an individual’s genetic makeup. Instead, the notion of race has been perpetuated to promote the interests of the white community and disregard the existence of minority communities. Additionally, race has been used to justify the ill-treatment that minority groups are subjected to in society. Racism has been greatly embedded in government institutions, thus undermining the efforts to promote equality and end racial discrimination.
Works Cited
Blyton, Greg. “Australia: Tainted Blood—Scientific Racism, Eugenics and Sanctimonious Treatments of Aboriginal Australians: 1869–2008.” Get Your Knee Off Our Necks. Springer, Cham, 2022. 253-273.
Brooks, Roy L. “Systemic Racism: Patterns of Black Disadvantage and White Advantage Linked to Slavery.” San Diego L. Rev. 58 (2021): 767.
Christian, Michelle, Louise Seamster, and Victor Ray. “New directions in critical race theory and sociology: Racism, white supremacy, and resistance.” American Behavioral Scientist 63.13 (2019): 1731-1740.
Herbes-Sommers, Christine et al. Race: The Power of an Illusion. California Newsreel, 2003.