racism vs. ignorance

Today lots of crazy things have been happening with the play. I wasn't there for a large portion of it, so maybe i don't know what I'm saying. But it seems like there were a lot of hurt feelings and a lot of misunderstood intentions. The thing that i found most crazy was the fact that people were claiming racism, and not just the people who'd supposedly been on the receiving end of the perceived--or denominated--bigotry, but others who called the acts racist. Looking back on all of it, and although (thankfully) in the middle of it, the situation to me seemed to be a lot of miscommunication and confusion. A few girls were, according to the story, allowing the guys to use their make-up, but two of the actresses seemed to be on the outside looking in, both españolas. I have my doubts about this in general just because one of the guys who had make-up on is from Peru and I haven't heard any complaints from him. Could this whole situation simply be confusion that happened to fall to these two actresses?
Tonight one of the girls who has a bag of the make-up told another girl that she was sorry that there was confusion and that she was free to use the make-up whenever. It wasn't contrived either--I think. But whatever it was the most plausible answer in this situation was ignorance that there was a problem, ignorance about what the problem was and ignorance about what racism really is. Were the two girls with make-up both choosing not to let the españolas use the kit? Why? One had served in Spain on her mission! She was shocked about the accusations that were thrown back at her, the racism seemed out in left field, but what was funny about what happened was that supposedly make-up girl had told other people and that is what ticked off one of the españolas the most, the loss of face.
Ahh, so what does this come down to? Short fuses when everyone was stressed, ignorance about what people were understanding about the other person's comprehension of phrases, notions and whether it was okay to use make-up, pride about losing face and talking behind each others' backs and blaming the wrong people.
So why was the racist card claimed? Because it's the easiest. It's a marked word. i.e. it's biting; it cuts to the quick. But this time it missed the target. It's easier to say that someone hates someone else because he/she treats the other differently based on race or heritage. But it's harder, especially in this situation where we're doing a Spanish play, to say that we were all freaked out because we were feeling inadequate in our jobs and didn't know how the play and scenes were going to come off. **And a girl with a make-up bag didn't know where her stuff was and an española had left hers on the bus (conveniently glossed over or unknown by most). So why was it okay for her to claim that she was being slammed, but then it wasn't for the other girl who'd lost her stuff to get frustrated with the fact that she couldn't find her bag. We'd all be freaked out in a similar situation. I would.
Maybe, then, it's possible that racism wasn't really a factor in this as much as a cop-out. So what do we say that one of the actresses snapped at the director for talking to the actors about the set and the wet paint where it was touched up? White on White hatred? Come on; we know that's hogwash.
It is ignorance. We don't know what the other person knows or doesn't know. It was really obvious today, and no one took the time to say anything or ask anything. It seems pretty mean to claim bigotry when we just didn't have enough guts to step outside of ourselves and ask a question. What was everyone afraid of. And what's with all of this pride from the lowly and depraved looking up at the big boss man/woman above? Because there's no one up there. It's yet another false perception, and it bugs.