Racism is a topic I am very familiar with because I am biracial: a person with one white parent and one black parent. My mother is white and my father is black. Some people are bothered by this and some people aren’t. I used to be too ashamed to admit this publicly, but I came to realize that I shouldn’t be ashamed of who I am. Those of you who are bothered by this should be ashamed of yourselves instead of trying to make me, my family, and others feel this way!

Not so long ago, I discovered a comment written on the wall in the girl’s bathroom at my school that said, “Lindo’s are niggers.” Obviously the person who wrote that was a girl and didn’t have the guts to say it face to face. However, there have been times people have said racist comments to my face. On a school bus, I’ve been told to move to the back (reminds me of that incident with Rosa Parks).

I’ve been told that I’m only good at sports because I’m black. I’ve been told that I’ll get lynched one day. I’ve been told that I shouldn’t play “White Christmas” for the concert. I’ve been asked if my dad smokes pot due to the fact that he’s Jamaican. I’ve been asked if I grew up in “the hood.” More racist comments have been made, but these are just some of the comments that stuck with me over the years.

While most of my peers have not shown racism, these sorts of comments and acts are random and always inappropriate. All these comments were made by students at my school, BCS, and they have no idea how their comments have affected me.

Why is skin color such a big deal anyway? If we were all the same, nothing would be interesting. Everything would be plain and boring. I’m sure many people would agree that variation is better.

It wasn’t my decision to be what I am, but even if I had the choice to decide, I would choose to stay the same because I am proud to be biracial. I’m not ashamed anymore because I know I’m unique, and that’s way better than being average. Frankly, I’m getting sick and tired of hearing racist comments. Racism is old news and is discussed more than anything. So let’s just drop it now. Let this be the last discussion concerning racism and the end to racist words and behaviors. Put yourself in my shoes. What if you were minority or biracial? Wouldn’t you want to be treated equally? Yes, you would.