“In the United States both scholars and the general public have been conditioned to viewing human races as natural and separate divisions within the human species based on visible physical differences. With the vast expansion of scientific knowledge in this century, however, it has become clear that human populations are not unambiguous, clearly demarcated, biologically distinct groups. Evidence from the analysis of genetics (e.g., DNA) indicates that most physical variation, about 94%, lies within so-called racial groups. Conventional geographic “racial” groupings differ from one another only in about 6% of their genes. This means that there is greater variation within “racial” groups than between them. In neighboring populations there is much overlapping of genes and their phenotypic (physical) expressions. Throughout history whenever different groups have come into contact, they have interbred. The continued sharing of genetic materials has maintained all of humankind as a single species.”

- from ‘Statement on ‘Race’ (1998) by the American Anthropological Association http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_(classification_of_humans)#U.S._anthropology

/or a troll
//or both

Using Eminem as a reference to indicate racial differences were merely cultural differences is flawed in that Eminem is completely unique in his style than the majority of black hip-hop artists. Do I believe that racism is still alive and well. Absolutely. Do I think there is a propensity to white supremacy, particularly in America. Yes, I do. However, utilizing pre-Civil Rights court cases and references is not the way to expose it, nor is trying to pretend race is no more than a figment of our cognitive biases. Conservative policies in America continue again, and again never fail to separate the rich, white elite from the poor, urban minorities. I say minorities not because ONLY minorities are poor, but because of the social inequality that has taken place in our past and present, you can’t talk about poverty without talking about race due to the high percentage of the minority poor. Unregulated capitalism in its purist form prevents those who have started at the bottom (many numbers of minorities have due to continued racism after the abolition of slavery, even after the Civil Rights movement) from competing in the market. The canon of capitalism is to create profit, not jobs or rights.

Finally, I do agree with Fanon’s final point that to cure society of racism, is not to end race, but for a paradigm shift. For all the reasons in the article, there are sociocultural differences between race NOW even if there are no biological differences other than the evolution of skin color based on region. We cannot pretend we are all the same, rather accept that we are all different and that is just fine. Being black, white, orange, red, green, yellow, purple, doesn’t hurt anybody, nor does breing straight, gay, bisexual, transsexual. Hate is perpetuated by ignorance and lack of understanding is what gave birth to racism.