Throughout history, words and labels were used to subconsciously keep chains around various groups. One of those historically malicious and unnecessary labels was the word “minority”. The word in of itself subconsciously implies some sort of disadvantage, weakness, and differentiation from a more powerful and legitimate “majority”.

In a free democratic society in which all have equal rights and equal say, what exactly are “minorities” supposed to be minorities of? And as we’re categorized unnecessarily, the one largest racial demographic is the “majority”. However the “majority” is never referred to as such and all the rest combined or separate are minorities? The use of the term “minority” wreaks of old world stupidity and white supremacy and its use should be permanently discontinued.

The term I use when I refer to people commonly referred to as minorities is “people of color”. I’m proud of what I am and I prefer to be referred to as a person of color. Being referred to as a minority has its poison and psychological implications attached to it and I denounce it.

“People of color” is actually a very literal term. People of color have higher amounts of melanin in the skin thus producing more color and resistance to the sun. Darker complexions are indicative of an evolutionary covenant with the universe and communion with the sun and the environment. People of color shouldn’t be separated and lumped into man-made categorizations and called minorities. Minorities of what? People whose race is less in number to whites are minorities? Who makes these rules and why?

Donald Sterling is the billionaire Jewish Lawyer that everyone knows at this point if you don’t live under a rock. He was once put in the hot seat for his recorded phone call full of racist comments to his then girlfriend. Although the media injected “black” into the equation, the word he most frequently used in that phone conversation was “minorities”. Strangely, he asked his black and Mexican girlfriend to stop bringing minorities to his games and to stop taking pictures with “them” (her own kind). As horrifying as this is, Sterling is an octogenarian who was actually using that word as it was originally intended. It’s a coded word that includes everyone who isn’t white. The implications and condescension were all there securely in tact.

Sterling does not see himself as a despicable, old, bigoted fool with lots of money and perhaps too much deference. As many like him do, he feels an imaginary sense of privilege, entitlement, and self-righteousness that allows him to refer to non-whites as minorities and “others” that he doesn’t wish to have at his games because he is somehow above them. Sterling is so mentally garbled and insane with racism, that he was commanding his nobody girlfriend—through his decree— to forbid world-renowned NBA Hall of Fame basketball legend Magic Johnson, who dedicated decades to the sport, from attending his games. Sterling doesn’t understand that Magic Johnson who is a basketball legend, community activist, and now an extremely successful business man in his own right doesn’t need anyone’s permission or invitation in order to walk into any NBA game that he wants to. He’s still an employable “minority” to Sterling. Oprah once made a statement that in order for race issues to improve a certain generation has to die off. Ironically she was lambasted for it even though it was drenched in the sobering and sometimes uncomfortable truth.

Being black, white, Hispanic, or Asian is a racial identity that is what it is. I’m proud to be what I am. Upholding the label “minority” with all of its subliminal connotations however, is entirely something else.

People have taken issue with n-word, but I also take issue with the “m-word”. I have an eternal soul, infinite value, and I am absolutely perfect just as I am. I represent myself to the best of my ability. I’m not a “minority” of anything. I refuse to still give life to words and labels that were assigned to me by the conniving and the unenlightened operating on a lower vibration.

The history of the word minority was meant subjugate and keep white the “normal” standard, and to have others as second-class citizens. The psychology attached to such a passive word used to categorize non-white racial groups is painfully obvious.

We’re caught up in this world full of delusions and illusions. Old institutions stay with us only if we allow them to. Yes, I am a person of color. And yes, because of what I am, I’ve had a slightly different experience. My people have had a different history. Sometimes those differences needed to be addressed. Many times old injustices needed to be recognized and resisted. Giving a name to the people of different racial groups who had a slightly different experience is understandable, but it shouldn’t carry sustained negative connotations.

We come in different shades and hues. We have different cultures, languages and places of origin. We’ve had different histories. We have different hair textures, ways and customs. I take pride in mine and yes my existence as what I am has been different from others. I am one of many different types of people in a very big, fascinating world. We are many different factions of one human family, but no I will not be, and am not a “minority”.  One day, the “majority” of us in society will be too large to sustain inferior assuetude from mental and spiritual “minorities”.