The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-29
THE RACES OF MANKIND
BY Benedict and Weitfish
THE FUTURE OF
RACE PREJUDICE

stlnct. 1t Is hardly a hun
dred years old. Before that, people
Prosecuted Jews because of their
relisiol-not their blood: thew
enslaved Negroes because they
were pasans-not for being black.
Looking back now, moderns are
Mortified az all the blood tina. was
shed Tor centuries in religious con-
fiicts. II Is not our custom anv
moro 10 torture and kill a man be-
cause he has different religion.
Inc twenty-frst century may well
look back on our generation and be
Just as Mortified. II that century
builds its way Of life on the At.
iantic charter-for the whole world
our era will seem a nightmare
from which they have awakened
They will think we were crazv
Why should race prejudice have
swept the western world" they will
say. where no nation was anythins
but mixture Of all kinds of racial
groups? Why did nations lust a,
mat moment begin talking about
the racial purity OF their blood,
Why did they talk of their wars &c
raciai wars? Why did they make
people suffer. not because they
were criminals or double-crossers
put because they were Jews or Ne
groes or non-Nordics?"
We who are living IN these
troubled times can tell them why.
ioday weak nations are afraid ~
tne strong nations: the door ara
afraid OF the strong nations. the
poor are afraid Of the rich: the rich
are afraid they will lose thsir
riches. People are afraid of one
anotner's political or econon;c
power. they are afraid of revenge
Tor Past injuries, they are afraid ~
social rejection. Conflict srovs fst
on on. rear. And the slogans against
INFERIOR races lead Us to pick on
.hem as scapegoats. We pin on them
tne reason for all our fears.
ksce Prejudice Net InevitaAle
seas0 frsa fsae y - vnv A.
c9e rneo Dcaon1noo. ~ ssy
as.. nks 80 q - ~ -
- npe1lbse ~ eunrsr1ss. -
ceileceave security, 49, S-s,.s
sees must esvef eeunfrSea ~,
races. Then Mad rsce tsc<sss Nm
snsee4. In any csuntry everv
IesM decisien that upAslAs esI.I
eiusensAip rights without res,rt ~
&c q cslsr. every laber decaGlsn
.As lessons The terror q hein.
isad ca" and gives . mar III,
respect In his employment evevv
arrangement that secures tSs Iatsis
farmer against lesing his .ere. n
the bank-ali these ana manv ~.
can nee people frsm fear. nv
need not lesk fer scapersst..
The Russian nation hs, ~
generation shown what car \. 49,
20 outlaw race prejudice in q coun-
Ny win many kinds of people
Iney aid not wait for peoples
mlnds TO change. They made rscial
discrimination and persecution H.
legal They welcomed and hon.
ored the different dress. different
customs. different arts Of the many
.os ana countries that live rs
part or their nation. The moro
backward groups were given special
eio 70 neip them catch up with the
more advanced. Each people wss
helped to develop its own cultural
iorms, its own written languase
tneater. music. dance. and go snSsHf
e sahe time mat each peofle VIZ
encouraged in its natural /self.de-
.eiopmenf. the greatest possible IN.
serenanse OF customs was fostered.
80 mat eacn group became more
!. iten and at the same
one more part OF the whole.
Ane Massaans have welcomed cul.
~ cHHerenees and they have ~
seo 70 ueas them ~ inferisritisa
70 part 81 me knssian pregram has
nso greater success than their racial
program.
What d Beins Dene,
In the IJnit.d CO... -
able numher =, "r"es; q Sonsioer-
working for democrst;c go .,,,.,
ity. To mention oniS go 49,.
East-West Association hss s us
some splendid worL IN eo.s
ing the importance 90 r.c;ai ',nsa
standing. especiaIIv hstws.r a.,
atics and Western n.nnis. "a.
China Institute "a .ct;vs 4. a ne
noting the work Of chir...
dents in America ana a.. ph.in
Stokes Foundation hss hrouss,
many African students b.rs
mentinz the relation betwesr ~.
two Continents. e
The Council Asainst rntoi.r.r..
In America has a contlnuo,,s M
gram in the schools Ths Co,,r.,l
on Intercultural Relations hss dan.
much 10 emphasixe the Nesro.. 60
tribution 10 American cultur. m.
Bureau for lntercultursi rd,,c.,inn
interprets the contributior. rnsds :,
America by MANY different rs.s.