Are we not all guilty of racial profiling? In the wake of the terrible rise of ISIS, we see the gradual slow but steady ascension of racism. Discrimination is only skin deep, but not all of us are colour blind. The Holocaust was a horror for all of us, not just the Jews which suffocated in the gas chambers. The massacres and genocide in the name of purifying regions and nations has become a contemporary nightmare around the world, particularly in Africa and Asia. That does not in anyway mean that in the elitist areas of the developed Western world, that bigotry is dead. For those of African descent with dark skin have suffered immense discrimination at the hands of those with white skin, especially in the Americas.
The root cause of racism is the mistrust among communities and terror outfits such as LTTE and ISIS have paved the way for certain ethnicities being classified and profiled as terrorists. The ugly truth is that the violent separatism advocated by the Tamil Tigers and the incessant Jihadist butchery of the IS militants have lead the world to stereotype these communities. #SayNoToRacism is a slogan popularized by activists, mainstream and social media these days. However, it is relevant to note how much of it has had an actual effect.
Music has over the years dealt with many issues and non-discrimination is an area which it has touched upon, although there is no significant number. Bob Marley and the Wailers' War takes the crown as the Rastafarian sings bravely about the equal rights for different races. Michael Jackson with his 90s hit Black or White takes second place and the King of Pop is the only one to have two entries on the list. At a close third is Eddy Grant's Gimme Hope Jo'anna which refers to the Apartheid which prevailed in South Africa. There is no typical genre as it varies from pop and rock to reggae and rap. So here are the Top 25 songs about anti-racism and non-discrimination:
- Bob Marley and the Wailers – War
- Michael Jackson – Black or white
- Eddy Grant – Gimme hope Jo’anna
- Vanessa Williams – Colours of the wind
- Billie Holiday – Strange fruit
- Lady Gaga – Born this way
- Bob Dylan – Hurricane
- Black Eyed Peas – Where is the love?
- John Legend & Common – Glory
- John Lennon – Imagine
- B.o.B. ft. Taylor Swift – Both of us
- Sam Cooke – A change is gonna come
- Race Against The Machine – Killing in the name
- Boyzone – A different beat
- Sly and the Family Stone – Everyday people
- Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder – Ebony and ivory
- En Vogue – Free your mind
- Jay-Z – 99 Problems
- Michael Jackson – They don’t care about us
- Gwen Stefani – Long way to go
- Aerosmith – Livin’ on the edge
- Cher – Half-breed
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – The power of equality
- 2Pac ft. Pogo – I don’t give a fuck
- Scatman John – Scatman’s world
Till the next beat...
At Ease!!!
