Racism

    

    Just as a fever is a symptom of disease in the body, racism is a symptom of disease in society. Suppressing the symptom does not cure the disease, but curing the disease eliminates the symptom. The Baha'i International Community is convinced that the disease from which society currently suffers is failure to recognize the principle of the oneness of humanity, and racism is but a symptom. If we wish to eliminate racism entirely, we must establish, as the moral of foundation for society, the unshakable conviction of the oneness of the human race.

    The international community is "confronted today with a new challenge of racism and racial discrimination which (has) infiltrated many parts of human society and questioned its spiritual and moral foundation." In questioning the spiritual and moral foundation of society, racism could have a strangely positive effect. To continue the disease analogy, the more unpleasant the symptom, the more powerful our motivation to combat the disease.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

    Racism is one of the most baneful and persistent evils in society. Racial discrimination is baneful because it violates the dignity of human beings. And yet it persists. Racism is poisonous because it cripples its victims, corrupts its perpetrators, and blights human progress. And yet it persists. Why? We believe that racism persists precisely because it is deeply rooted in outdated attitudes and erroneous beliefs.

    Accordingly, any campaign to eradicate racism must change those attitudes and beliefs. Although necessary, political action alone cannot offer a permanent solution.

    Racism will be eliminated only when the peoples of the world are convinced of the oneness of humankind and proceed to reconstruct their lives and their societies on that basis.

(https://www.bic.org/statements/eliminating-racism)