21 March is the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
In recent years, we have become much more sensitive to the extent of discrimination in our society. We have come to see more clearly how easily we can take it for granted and fail to notice it. People who are discriminated against have found a voice and called us out when we tolerate wounding and scornful ways of speaking and behaving.
Today’s celebration of the International Delay for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination may seem more urgent now after the protests of the Black Lives Matter movement against police discrimination and the routine killings of Black citizens in the United States. These were followed by similar movements in Australia. These showed how common and routine are racist attitudes. More recently, other groups of people have protested against the discrimination and brutal treatment of people who are homosexual or have changed gender. They have also allowed us to see from inside how hurtful and debilitating discrimination is.
Racial discrimination is unjustifiable because it is built on a shallow and dangerous understanding of what it means to be human. It assumes that the most important and defining quality of people is their race. From that belief follows the conclusion that race controls the way in which people should be treated. In reality, although racial identity is an important aspect of human lives, each person is uniquely precious simply because they are human. Because we share a common humanity, we are all entitled to equal respect. We should not privilege one group over others on the grounds of race, wealth, gender religion or political allegiances.
In Australia, many people complain of meeting different kinds of prejudice and discrimination in their daily lives. Some are abused and discriminated against on the grounds of their race, others on the grounds of their religion, their political views or their gender. Because people who are marginalised are the most discriminated against, we at Jesuit Social Services have the privilege of accompanying people who suffer discrimination in all these forms.
In any society, discrimination against minority groups in society displays a lack of respect for the humanity of the people who are discriminated against. Societies often need laws against racial; and other forms of discrimination. But such laws cannot create respect. Respect is the business of the whole community. That is why we have a World Day to remind us of this call.
