Dear editor,

Dissent is the opinion that differs from the accepted, majority opinion.  I dissent with the belief that racism is a thing of the past and people need to get over it.  With movements such as Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate coming to popularity so will the conversation of racism and how it affects people but especially children.  

I grew up with a white mom and a Jewish and Asian dad.  I could see the difference in how they were treated.  My mom was treated much better than my dad.  She was able to do whatever she wanted with few consequences, and she was always welcomed back into the family and society after.  However, my father was shot by police in New York because he was trying to walk to work.  He was almost killed, almost paralyzed and nothing was done. 

 “32% of Asian adults say they have feared someone might threaten or physically attack them” (Ruiz).  Racism affects many groups in America who are not white, especially in systems.  “ ‘It’s mind blowing that a traffic stop ends in a person dying,’ explained Ms. Holt “ (Cabral).  With the rise in Asian and Jewish hate crimes, my family has been one of many who have feared that even in a small town, they could be the next target, and we are not the only ones.  

Children see this happen to people like them in the world and then they go to school with this.  This brings up racism in schools.  Many kids will say they have had some sort of experience with racism in school, but how does the school handle such problems?  Many schools just give a warning or allow it because of free speech, but will not allow other types of free speech.  There is nothing done to protect students who have gone through these experiences and have already seen they are different, and now get bullied because of a difference that cannot be changed.  I have had some experiences with racism in schools and nothing was done because most of the time it was a teacher.  I have had people draw swastikas and pull their eyes back at me, but what does this have to do with my dissent.  I am using my experience to explain how racism is not a thing of the past, but it is still alive and well today.  There are many people trying to fight it, but it is grounded in history and cannot be undone overnight, especially when not everyone agrees.  People cannot get over something that still happens and affects basic everyday life.  

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/21/one-third-of-asian-americans-fear-threats-physical-attacks-and-most-say-violence-against-them-is-rising/  2-13-2023

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61238017 2-13-2023

Sincerely,

Makayla Silver