Again, very good post, deeann.
When it comes to discrimination, I have been very lucky and unlucky. Most likely, every person has.
I was fortunate to have the first black persons and Jewish persons in my life
wonderful people!
The first truly evil person was a very white school teacher who tormented one or two people in every one of her classes while she treated the other students royally. She made life hell, and sent me on an emotional tail spin.
When we moved from the city to a small town, the 'wonderful' country people treated us as outcasts. Again, very white, very bigotted.
I believe in Martin Luther King's idea that we should treat people according to the content of their character. Some people don't have any.
Our entire business network only works because people are easily deceived. Government works on that principle also. Sometimes 'friendships' do too.
Sad, but true.
Again, sadly, a complete lack of common sense is normal too. As the saying goes, 'common sense is not common'.
Do you have people driving Hummers in your area? They are here, and they are proud! And they have George Bush bumper stickers and yellow ribbons and sometimes actual flags flying from their vehicles. And don't have them come up behind you when you are driving the speed limit--they have the power and they want you to recognize that! They also park in the handicapped area of parking lots--and I guess they are right. Unfortunately, they are admitting they are handicapped--just not a handicap you can see. Park in the handicapped section and jump out with a satchel on their shoulder to go into their exercise studio.
Wonderful people, and oh, so young and white.
What I keep hearing is about the selfish poor people. Okay, poor people are selfish, they want to eat. Why do people constantly berate the 'selfish' poor people yet give a total pass to the selfish rich? If 'selfish' is a human trait, why is it exploited in putting down the poor? Don't they have enough problems already?
There are many terrific blacks just as there are many terrific _________ (fill in any race, denomination, or any other specific you wish), and there are many poor examples of all of the above. Can't we treat people as individuals, not as stereotypes?
Quote:
If we are able to teach our children to be true to themselves, respect everyone and everyone property, set goals and work in a respectible fashion to reach their goals, then our future leaders (our children) will be the winners and so will we.
I would love to see this happen. First we have to have their parents understand these principles. That seems to be the missing link in the chain...