Racism, what is It?

[Extended Definition]
What is racism? Most races experience some form of racism. Racism is a belief that ones own race is superior to another or that anothers race is inferior to his or her own. Racism is a lot like being prejudiced, but it is specifically prejudice to a race. Most people that have cable TV or some form of news knows what racism is or some example of it, but do they know it means? Racism is the belief that race is a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a popular race (racism n.d.). It has been said that Africans are the best athletes. Some may call it a generalization but it is racism by definition. Just because a person is African it does not necessarily mean that he or she will be a great athlete. Another similar racist statement is Asians are the best at math. Yet another, European people do not practice proper hygiene or that Hispanics chase after a penny thrown on the ground. All of these statements are racist by definition, just because some people from one race exhibit a characteristic does not mean all people of that race will exhibit that characteristic. Another definition of racism is hatred or intolerance of another race or other races (racism, n.d.) An example of someone that was racist was Adolph Hitler. Hitler had a deep rooted hate for the Jewish People. Anti-Semitism would describe the kind of racism that he promoted. A result of his hatred and intolerance was the holocaust. Another leader that exhibited racism was Benito Mussolini. Although he is over-shadowed by Hitler when people think of racist people, he should still be considered as a racist person. Hitler showed great hate for the Jewish people. During the Second World War Hitler persecuted the Jews. It was dangerous and scary to be a Jew during that time. The difference of Mussolini and Hitler was that Mussolini hated people that did not support his beliefs. According to the definition stated at the beginning of this paragraph, it is still racism. Mussolini hated all races that did not support his beliefs. Racism comes from French word racisme 1935 (racism, n.d.). From Italian razza, of Germanic origin, from Old High German reiza (line), or possibly from Arabic ( ras), head) (race, n.d.). The origin of the word racism is quite unclear, but nevertheless it has a meaning attached today and that is what matters. Racism can be defined as belief that race is a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a popular race (racism n.d.). or, hatred or intolerance of another race or other races (racism, n.d.) It can also be defined by its etymology. However in laymens terms racism is simply the belief that ones race is superior to another, or that anothers race is inferior to theirs. When people hear the word racism, some people think of Martin Luther King Jr. and some people think of the Klu Klux Klan. Whatever the case maybe, most people know what racism is, and hopefully now they know what it means.