ABSTRACT
Race is a social construct for society to identify differences in the appearance of humans. In the words of Greek Philosopher, Plato, “The appearance of something may change, but the essence remains the same.” Of course he was speaking of things, not people, but the truth also applies to humans. People are identified by their skin color, texture of hair, and other physical features, and are assigned “racial” categories to distinguish groupings for classification purposes only. Beyond physical appearances, the biological makeup (essence) of a people remains the same. Physical appearance differences are what lead to racism, discrimination, and stereotypes. It is the person or thing that is different from a majority that is singled out for inequity, bigotry, and intolerance. Prejudice, bias, racism, and profiling are results of stereotyping a group or culture based on nationality, religious practices, distorted humor, rumors, out group, skin color and other physical features, or characteristics applicable from society’s construct of any one or any object that is different from the group responsible for stereotyping. Nearly everything can be an object of stereotyping and gross generalizations. A stereotype may or may not be reflected in reality as it is in myth. In reality a stereotype is an oversimplified, generally over-exaggerated belief that all members of a certain group act and think in the same fashion. Individuals use negative stereotypes as the basis to justify discrimination and racism. Stereotyping is a feature of dehumanizing someone of a lesser status, class, or ideology.
