The purpose of this blog is to examin discrimination as it creeps through all areas of our lives. When we hear the word "Discrimination" we typically think of race. Discrimination includes sex, gender, religion, atttitudes, economic statuses, and so much more. This issue can can cause individuals who have been discriminated against to become defensive and to even began discriminating against others. On tomorrow I would like you to reflect on the issue and think about whether or not your actions can be perceived as being discriminatory. Perception is everything. Maybe not everything, but it often determines our actions and reactions. So, just examine yourself and in the event that you do find your actions to be offensive to another fix it by rewording a statment, changing a look, or apologizing. Together we will change the world. Or, at least the world that we live in.
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8 comments:
Excellent blog!
I look at as another form of pejudices.You are straight to the point with all the different types of discrimantion that we all have within us. I must confess that I have several of them and is consantly reminded that we are all God's children and I have to check myself when I step out of line.
Your first impression is a lasting impression. The way we perceive things to be is how we sometimes expect them to be. Discrimination still exists in several fashions. We must evaluate ourselves to make a difference.
I was very elated to see this topic and I felt obliged to comment on it....My comment is to you is that this particular topic reminds me of the same mundane discussions that I engaged daily in with old college friends and buddies. One in particular made this statement today:
Discussions like this remind me of Dr. Seuss' story, "The Star-bellies Sneetches". There just seems to be something in human nature that causes us to group ourselves using superficial qualities and then feel superior to other groups who do not share the quality. White is better than Black (or vice versa), light-skinned is better than dark (or vice versa), American born is better than foreign born (or vice versa), etc., etc., etc. When will this stop?
That is an important question....... These discussions are never ending and they get increasingly more ridiculous.
Okay, At first I thought I do not discriminate at all. If I even have a negative thought cross my conscience about another, I find myself arguing with my conscience. No hopefully I am not crazy. I really try to remain neutral when it comes to most things. But, I tried to reflect on my day and if I have discriminated against anyone. I do not know if this is discrimination but I did switch lanes two time when coming off the interstate because I did not want to be by the homeless man holding the sign asking for money. Although I never have any money or change (coke machines), I do not like when they stare at me. I do not think this is discrimination, but this kind of reminds me of the guy who has HIV in the video and he think of himself as an outcast, and I would never want anyone to feel that way.
I really am glad to see this topic being explored. I tell people all the time that everyone discriminates and is prejudice at some time in their life. I think about this when I think about small matters such as dating. I want to think that I don't discriminate, but the truth is that I do. I will not date anyone that is or was addicted to crack cocaine. My point is that we all do discriminate and its not just about race, religion, gender, and etc. You are correct when you say that discrimination is mostly about how a person perceives people and/or situations. Just today I went into the 1917 Clinic at UAB. This clinic serves people who have HIV. I had to pick up some brochures from the nurse there to give out to families that are enrolled in my program. Well, today I have on a jogging suit and I left my badge at work, I think that the other patients and staff thought that I was a patient. I found myself over-explaining myself and my credentials so that people would not think that I had HIV. I know, bad right, but I just couldn't help the way I felt. I did not want to be identified with people that were HIV positive. As a social worker, I was really upset with myself because I am supposed to be an empathetic person. I don't have HIV and didn't have to stay long. But what about the people who are afflicted with this disease. I had to check myself right there and I started talking to one of the patients. It was one of the nicest conversations that I've had in a while. I think that this fits into how we perceive or more importantly how we are perceived by others.
Discrimination: Not Just a Black & White Issue
Discrimination has been around for centuries, and seems to always be pointed to race. However, most of us if not all of us have been discriminated against not to sound condescending in any way but to evaluate the whys of discrimination. Why do people discriminate? Are people afraid of something different? Sometimes different scares the hell out of people, and the color of a person’s skin is not the only form of discrimination. It seems to me that women are discriminated against, children, men, and men who make more than women is a form of discrimination. People with a history of substance abuse in their past and people who have been abused or raped have also been discriminated against. Stigma’s that are attached by a society that seems to be that of a narrow mind, and even persons of crime are discriminated against without choosing an ism. Ever wandered what it is like to be discriminated because of homelessness or because someone was molested or raped? Yet we as a society want to focus on race and not other social issues that are within the realm of discrimination that has nothing to do with a black or white issue.
Ghandi said, "Be the change that you want to see in the world." If people would just try and make an effort to be more accepting of those that they perceive as different, before long we would have a lot less discrimination. As a female, I’ve been discriminated against on occasion. My gender is obvious, as is skin color, ethnic background and some disabilities. My daughter has epilepsy, which is well controlled with medication, so her disability is not obvious. I typically only tell those that need to know as I want people to get to know her first for who she is, not what they may perceive someone with a disability to be. I try to see people for who they are as a person, because that is how I want people to see me and my child
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