[Skybird]

Brad is right, in that the basis for racism probably is in our genes, and derives back to a time when every strange apeman appearing at the horizon was a potential thread to the survival of your tribe and a potential enemy for the tribe'S waterhole. It is a genetically impßlemented habit that makes us prefer those people that we know, that we grew ip with, and in that way consider to be like ourselves. That explains why physical differences are so important for most people, and why nevertheless children of different origin do not easily become racist to each other when they grew up in their childhood over longer time.

So, despite "racism" (which was a survival strategy, originally) being in our genes, the real point is that man has the ability to become aware of it, and actively refuse to allow that pattern remaining active. In other wors: man can learn not to be racist, man can be educated and raised not to be racist, and man has the self-reflection and mind to reason why he does not want to be racist.

Needless to say that ideolgies again can turn you into a racist.