Racism

Portia says this in respect to a Moroccan Prince:

"if he have the condition
of a saint and the complexion of a devil, I had
rather he should shrive me than wive me."

To most people this would sound like racism! But is it? Is it racism if you are just not attracted to a certain body type or skin color. I know for me I'm personally not attracted to Asians. I don't know why. I'm just not, which is strange considering my best friend is full blooded Chinese. I have nothing against them. I respect their culture and think it's actually fascinating. But even if an Asian girl is really good looking, I'm just not turned on.

See! She's gorgeous. But in my head I'm going "eh." :/

Now on the other hand, the scene between Antonio and Shylock is FULL of racism.

SHYLOCK
Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my moneys and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help:
Go to, then; you come to me, and you say
'Shylock, we would have moneys:' you say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold: moneys is your suit
What should I say to you? Should I not say
'Hath a dog money? is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?' Or
Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this;
'Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys'?

Now the question to me is where does the hatred of certain race come from? Mostly I'd say that it comes from an initial confrontation between two people from two different cultures that was never resolved. Between the Jews and the Christians specifically it all goes back to Christ. The Jews crucified Christ and the Christians never forgave them for that. The Jews also have a burning passionate opinion that Christians worship in a heretic fashion. But most of all, they both lay claim to the same religious monuments in Jerusalem. Take a look at this article. (Click on the picture)

Shylock really encompassed the thought process when he gave this monologue

"To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else,
it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and
hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,
mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine
enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath
not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as
a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison
us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not
revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian
wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by
Christian example? Why, revenge. The villany you
teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I
will better the instruction."

Does this kind of racism still exist? Absolutely! Check this article out.