Jane Elliott's Powerful Speech on Racism: The Human Race Unites

Lucas Rainfall

Updated Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at 12:00 AM CDT

In a compelling video on Imgur titled "Why do we hate?.... She has the perfect answer and solution," educator Jane Elliott addresses the root causes of hatred and racism. Jane Elliott, renowned for her impactful "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" exercise, provides a profound explanation of why racism persists and how it can be dismantled.

"Why do we hate? We hate because we're taught to hate. We hate because we're ignorant. We are the product of ignorant people who have been taught an ignorant thing, which is that there are four or five different races. There are not four or five different races. There's only one race on the face of the earth, and we're all members of that race, the human race," Elliott begins.

Her message is clear: the concept of different races is a social construct designed to create division and a sense of superiority among certain groups. "But we have separated people into races so that some of us can see ourselves as superior to the others. We thought it would work, I guess. It hasn't worked. It has been bad for everyone," she explains.

Elliott emphasizes that racism is not an inherent trait but a learned behavior. "There is no gene for racism. There's no gene for bigotry. You're not born a bigot. You have to learn to be a bigot. Anything you learn, you can unlearn. It's time to unlearn our bigotry," she asserts.

Her call to action is urgent: "It's time to get over this thing, and we best get over it pretty soon. I'm an educator, and it is my business as an educator to lead people out of ignorance, the ignorance of thinking that you're better or worse than someone else because of the amount of a pigment in your skin. Pigmentation in your skin has nothing to do with intelligence or with your worth as a human being. It's time to get over that."

The video has sparked a range of reactions from viewers. One comment stated, "She is Jane Elliott," acknowledging her significant contribution to anti-racism education. Another viewer remarked on the importance of presenting information without inflammatory language, referencing public figures like Ben Shapiro and Steven Crowder.

Not all viewers agreed with Elliott's perspective. Some comments highlighted the role of tribalism and evolutionary behavior in racism, while others shared personal experiences of overcoming prejudice. One user wrote, "I was never taught to hate. One race continually stole from me and only that one race. They broke into my house stole multiple bikes stole from me at school stole from my home when I invited them in. But I grew up and got over it. Learned to hate the individual, not people as a whole because of the color of their skin because of a few pieces of s***."

Some comments mentioned other influential figures and resources related to the topic. For instance, a user recommended Coleman Hughes' discussions and book on racism, while another linked to a Morgan Freeman interview on "60 Minutes."

In summary, Jane Elliott's powerful message in the video on Imgur titled "Why do we hate?.... She has the perfect answer and solution" challenges viewers to confront and unlearn their biases. Her emphasis on education and unity serves as a call to action for all members of the human race to move beyond ignorance and embrace equality.

Noticed an error or an aspect of this article that requires correction? Please provide the article link and reach out to us. We appreciate your feedback and will address the issue promptly.

View source: Imgur

Top Comments from Imgur

frischcode

She is Jane Elliott.

NuUzr

Whenever I see "X destroyed" no matter whether I agree with the sentiment or not, I think about idiots like Ben Shapiro and Crowder child m*****er. Please stop being like those s*** stains and just present the information.

Smidge204

Racism is an extension of tribalism which is a result of evolved behavior that favors the group most likely to be your genetic family.

kleinkaasje

I wholeheartedly support her and she has good argumentation skills. But she doesn’t “destroy” the underpinnings of racism in this speech, she just sounds relatable to the majority of people on this platform. Most organized racism feeds from fear of a “collective” attempt to destroy “what is ours”. This speech means nothing to anyone who identifies more with the fear narrative

LucidxPariah

I was never taught to hate. One race continually stole from me and only that one race. They broke into my house stole multiple bikes stole from me at school stole from my home when I invited them in. But I grew up and got over it. Learned to hate the individual, not people as a whole because of the color of their skin because of a few pieces of s***

FrankRizzo55

No... this did not destroy racism

Illpostcheese

Wait, what if you're 100% sure you were subhuman for a time due to a defined amount of time with muted emotional responses leading to a slew of muted or overreacted moral responses?

AVOToastt

On the census I wrote in “human” for myself and my roommates under the “race” question. We’re all different ethnicities, but the same race. Documents that ask for “race” are perpetuating the lie that we are different races just because we look different. (I understood later it may have been beneficial to just answer they way they meant for other reasons, but at the time the question really irritated me)

FinDuMonde

If you'd like to destroy racism, kill N***s. If you want to sustain it, vote for Donald Trump, the Incontinent Insurrectionist.

thesmelge

I disagree. It is entirely justified to judge someone for the amount of pigment in their skin. If you've got tattoos all over your face that says things like "thug", then you're clearly a f***ing idiot.