An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts is also known as PREJUDICE. I really don't like the word, the meaning or the way the word sounds. I think of how so many people have been mistreated over the years for things of so much unimportance. I was listening to the song entitled "Change is going to come" by Sam Cooke. I realize that he was talking about an impending death, but the song on this particular day encouraged me think about how things are in December 2011.
As a former educator in the Public school system, I was surprised and somewhat relived to see how prejudice wasn't a factor in school or should I say from the students anyway. Some didn't want to be in school, some just wanted to have fun and goof off and even a rare few want an education-lol! Now when it comes to adults, that is a whole new ball game because I feel that prejudice has to be cultivated over time before it is perfected. How are these lessons learned? A child picks up negative attitudes—both spoken and unspoken—first from his parents and then from his friends or teachers (not me suckers). Later the neighbors, newspaper, radio, or television might further influence him. Although he likely knows little or nothing about the groups he dislikes, by the time he becomes an adult, he has concluded that they are inferior and untrustworthy. He may even hate them.
4 example, during economic downturns in America, immigrant workers are frequently blamed for unemployment—even though they often take jobs that the average person refuses to do. But you know how easily people are influenced by what we hear. Another example, Lebron James leaving Cleveland. It seems like an entire sports fan base was hating on a young black man who wanted to win a championship ring. He was told Jordan would not have played with Magic or Bird to win so why should he? A simple truth is this about that: Dude fulfilled his 7 year contract and unlike Jordan, Bird and Magic, his team did not surround him with an all star ensemble. Remember Adul Jabbar, Kevin McHale,Scottie Pippen???? Who the freak did Lebron have with him while he won 2 back to back MVP's...ummm nobody! Not to trying to get all deep in the NBA (cuz its rigged) but trying to make this point.....being prejudice always has less than positive results. Nevertheless, the person who has developed a strong prejudice usually clings to his stupid unsupported notions. He may insist on stereotyping thousands or even millions of people, assuming that they all share certain bad qualities. Any negative experience, even if it involves just one person from that group, serves to reinforce his prejudice. Positive experiences, on the other hand, are usually disregarded as exceptions to the rule.
I feel the only way to combat this line of thinking is........
Well how about I don't try and problem solve this topic, but just make people aware that the issue is real and if we continue to ignore it and have no open dialogues then we can expect more of the same.
I am WarD..........
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