By Ryan ReehThe Daily Northwestern

A study in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association found that 70,000 African Americans try to kill themselves each year and 4 percent, about 1.4 million, attempt suicide at least once in their lives.

These kinds of studies always irk me because they tend to standardize suicide into a figure without revealing the whole equation behind these attempts. The study, which was the first to look at suicidal behavior among African Americans and Caribbean Americans, seems to equate race as a factor for suicide. In reality, however, anything can become a factor for suicide, and anybody can succumb to the temptation of killing oneself.

So this got me thinking: Is this study formulaically racist because it targets a particular group and tries to explain a growing trend?

It depends what you mean by racist.

I believe a double-standard exists in America, where we teach our children to be individuals but at the same time tell them to be part of apolitically-correct, understanding, cohesive group called “people.” We tell them to avoid stereotypes, understand each other’s differences and celebrate diversity. However, often our biases are revealed, so much so to further confuse the issue.

Studies like the one released Wednesday are not necessarily racist, but they do challenge us to define racism in an age where tolerance determines the true colors of our character.

Although Brazil was the last Western nation to abandon slavery in 1888, racism is outlawed there. There is still the occasional incident (in recent history, the word macaca comes to mind), but for the most part, racism has been defined in that country. Perhaps this study would not have even taken place in Brazil because Brazilians come in all skin tones, shapes and sizes. Case in point: I’m Brazilian. However, most people don’t know it until I tell them.

America, for being lauded as a cultural melting pot, still frowns upon racism, but it isn’t against the law. You’d have to throw out the first amendment to make it illegal. As a journalist, I’m particularly fond of that part of the constitution.

However, suicide is not (and should not be) mitigated by race because we all are vulnerable to it. Suicide stories, particularly in mainstream media, don’t make the front pages because it is widely believed making them the prominent headline would increase the suicide rate among readers, regardless of race. This study was buried in the inside pages of the Chicago Tribune.

And as far as I am concerned, racism is still a front page issue in America. Scientists should reconsider this variable in their experiments.

Reach Ryan Reeh at [email protected].