Senate Bill 1070. This one act of Arizona legislation is sufficient enough evidence to repudiate Robert Bender’s article, “Racism is dead, let’s move on,” in its entirety.

Part b of article 8 in the bill states that “for any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official or agency of this state or a country, city, town or other political subdivision of this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person.”

Translation: Law enforcement should ask for one’s documentation of citizenship if given reasonable cause.

The bill itself is not as explicitly racist as its implementation. It has caused Arizona law enforcement to stop suspicious looking persons, those who have Mexican features and request their documentation. In short, this is allowing the authorities to single out people based on their skin color and assumed race. Giving the police this power is essentially legalizing stereotyping, an integral component of racism.

Mr. Bender fails to even acknowledge this piece of legislation and its racist aspects. He instead focuses on racism, or lack thereof, directed toward African Americans. He states that “Racism was doomed the moment racial equality reached Hollywood and professional athletics.” From this one can assume that after Jackie Robinson’s debut April 15, 1947, fans across the country welcomed African American athletes with open arms.

This is obviously untrue as Robinson received a myriad of death threats during his career and the Negro League remained intact for another eleven years after his departure.

Another assertion made by Bender to the death of racism was Obama’s presidency. The first African American president is elected and poof, racism no longer exists. In addition, there is no more poverty, world hunger or obesity. Isn’t this new utopia grand?

These ignorant and naïve allegations can ostensibly be attributed to the white privilege. White people are tired of hearing about racism because it doesn’t directly affect them. They’ve never had to deal with being called a hurtful epithet and neither did their grandparents. They will never be the exemplar of the acts of their disdainful generations before them.

To declare that racism is dead and insist we move on is utterly ludicrous and delusional. Moving on from racism entails its gradual departure from the mindset and suggests that it should no longer be addressed. Racism has been an unfortunate but perpetual facet of American and world history. Moving on and in essence forgetting it ever occurred would be detrimental to the erudition and advancement of mankind.

The battle against racism has not been won and it is not so lucid a subject that it can ever be declared over. How can you so easily ask us to move on? Hitler killed 6 million Jews and the Holocaust is over, move on. Jesus was publicly crucified 2,000 years ago, move on. These statements are not said so nonchalantly, and neither should yours Mr. Bender.