Race in the Eyes of Society

     In the film “Race: The Power of an illusion, Episode 1,” microbiologist Pilar Ossorio states that even though there is a difference between races when it come to the physical traits, there is not much of a genetic difference in the races. The film shows that this is true by stating facts that were found by conducting a study. In the study that was conducted by scientist they took genetics from different races and then compared to each other. The study showed that no matter how different a race might be physically there are more similarities in the genetics. Even though people think that they are very different to others of a different race and have a high similarity to those of their own race that may not be true. Students that also conducted the study showed that they were more similar to those of a different race than to someone of their own race. The film also mentions that coming from the same race doesn’t make people exactly the same. There is no exact physical feature between the same races that makes them all alike. This is because of the different areas in which people of the same race live and the way that they adapt to that area.
     My racial identity is Hispanic and I have always seen myself as Hispanic. I have been brought up to embrace my racial identity and to be proud of it. I have been taught the importance of my race and all the wonderful things about it. I would not change my racial identity for any other that my genetics show that I may be. I believe that it race is a great part of us. I also believe that each race is wonderful in its own way and that we are all proud of it even if we are all treated different.
     The evidence of how races are not much different in genetics from one another has not changed the way that I think of my racial identity. Just because genetics show that we are alike it does not change the fact of how society sees us. Just because genetics may show a similarity with a different race it doesn’t mean I will be treated any differently. To society the most important distinction between races will be the physical traits and not the genetics. Genetics have never been thought of as a way of telling whether a race is alike or different from one another. Society just assumes that because a race is physically different that the genetics between each other are also different. I also believe that because race has always been a big part of society no evidence that shows other wise of what everyone has been brought up with will make a big difference.
     The idea of race persists because as a society we continue to use it. Even though scientist are unable to find a genetic difference for race it doesn’t change anything. Society has never really seen race as a large genetic difference but more of a physical difference. With race existing it allows one group of people mistreat another group. Before race was used to distinguish one group of people from another everybody was seen almost the same. The only difference that most people saw was the class difference. It wasn’t until after slavery began that race was used to categorize people into different groups. The superior race, which was white, benefited the most from race and continue to benefit from it. They were able to mistreat other races and put them through harsh labor work, such as slaves. Whites made slavery okay by saying that African Americans were a different race then them and were fit to do harsh labor. Race also allowed wiping out a lot of people in order to take what they wanted. Such as they did with the Native Americans to take land from them. Whites have always and well continue to benefit from race in order to be the top dominant race and get a lot of advantages in life.