We use words to label everything from the foods we eat to the people we date. We put labels on our ideas, our hopes and our dreams. We use words like hopeless, crazy and ignorant to label someone else’s beliefs.

We even use words like prejudice, arrogant and crass to label someone who won’t allow themselves to be changed.

Perhaps one of the most widely used labels in our wordy society is one of the most dangerous, the most harsh and the most interesting in the English language. It is the word racist.

The word racist is probably overused more than a cheap piece of silverware. Some would say it is a reactionary word — by that I mean it is a word used as a defense.

Think about it — if you hear someone make what may be perceived as a derogatory statement about a particular ethnic group, they are seen as a “racist.”

But why? Wouldn’t it be just as pertinent to refer to them as an idiot? Or maybe even a jackass?

Why use this word? Is it simply because many of us lack the cognitive abilities to peruse our lexicons and acquire a word more commensurate with the definition we are trying to display?

Maybe it is because we are just too lazy to attach a different label to this person since someone else has already given us a word to use.

How many of us actually have thought about the definitions placed on words? How many of us actually have considered where these definitions may come from and if they are appropriate? Apparently, not too many.

What do we call a person who studies biology or makes a living studying and practicing biology?

We call them a biologist, don’t we? What about a person who is an expert a physics or does work in the field of physics? Do we not call these people physicists?

The same goes for zoologists, chemists, psychologists and most people who are in the habit of practicing the sciences. So why, then, do we call prejudice, ignorant and idiotic people racist, when in the true context of the word, it isn’t true?

If we truly define the word racist — in the same manner that we define biologist or psychologist — we should arrive at a definition that is more sensible. A racist in the true sense of the word is a person who is knowledgeable about all races.

A true racist is a person who takes the time to study the different races of the planet in order to understand them.

This is a person who does not hate someone because of race; this is a person who loves people of all races because of how interesting their respective race is.

This is what a racist truly is — a person who attempts to understand race and race relations in order to better understand themselves and their society.

True racists can stand and hold a conversation with someone who looks nothing like them and not be revolted by the sight of them.

Real racists have no fear of other people because they don’t understand them. In fact, they are drawn in by these people because natural curiosity allows them to find them interesting.

A person who is truly a racist will not believe what the ignorant and uninformed tell them. Instead, the true racist will educate and inform so they may create another true racist.

I am a racist and I am damn proud of it. I have designed a new definition for the word and I am damn proud of it. I am black and I am damn proud of it. I have white, Asian and Latino friends and I am damn proud of it.

Too many of us let words define us, and too many of us allow those words to cloud our thinking. Too many of us live through words that have been left for us because we are either too scared or lack the creativity to design our own words.

Let’s not just stop with racist; there are so many words that could use a revamping.

We are the new generation, so let’s all be racists and bring about a new era of racism. Hopefully we can give America a racialectomy and maybe, just maybe, with the help of some creativity, we can all get along a little bit better.

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Rhaason Mitchell is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Chicago.