Does skin colour really matter?

If a man has red hair, should we automatically assume he has a bad temper? If a lady is an attractive blue-eyed blond, does that mean she's probably as thick as a brick? Of course not. The problem with judging people by physical attributes such as hair, eye, or skin colour is that these are notoriously unreliable guides to a person's true character.

Skin colour is merely an indication of where a person's family originated. People living in lands close to the Equator developed darker skin tones, as protection from the harsh rays of the sunlight they endured throughout most of the year. Those living closer to the earth's poles have paler skins.

Native peoples existed close to the land for generations, hunting, fishing and following a nomadic lifestyle throughout the seasons. They often have a bronze glow to their skin, a consequence of exposure to weather conditions of all kinds.

Throughout many generations, skin colour has evolved to best enhance the wellbeing of people living in different parts of the world under a variety of climatic conditions.

During the twentieth century, civilization has undergone significant changes. Travel has become easier, and people have become more mobile. Individuals and families have migrated hither and yon around the globe. When you walk down a main street in Toronto, New York or any metropolitan city, you will see representatives of every race under the sun.

This is good. The human family is getting to know each other. The diversity of the parts can contribute to the richness of the whole, as multicoloured threads can produce a glorious and awesome tapestry.

Inevitably, there will be difficulties as integration proceeds. When one group prefers to remain self-contained, speaking their own language, dogmatically following their own customs and refusing to be open to the different cultures with whom they coexist, hostilities often erupt. It may take several generations for effective amalgamation to take place.

The hope for the future is in the children. They are growing up together, in day-care centres, in schools, churches, clubs, hockey arenas, basketball courts, wherever young people gather to play, learn or compete. Soon, they will notice skin colour no more than hair or eye colour. The Bible says it all: "...and a little child shall lead them..." Is. 11:6.

After several more generations, skin colour will no longer be an an issue. The predominant hue of the majority will be something approaching "coffee with cream". That will finally put an end to racial discrimination, racial stereotyping and all the unpleasantness caused by short-sighted individuals who can't see past skin colour to discover the shared humanity we all possess.

There have been many enlightened souls already who had no need to wait for the arrival of that auspicious day. Among them are Albert Schweitzer, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela. They knew that hair, eye or skin colour were not reliable criteria for judging a person's real worth. They were able to see past the exterior shell to the essential human being within. Would that we all possessed the wisdom to join their number.