Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Bigotry, a thing of the past?

I don't have a great deal of anything to say today. But, I do want to address something I heard this afternoon. A person said, "I don't like all that black and white, mixed dating. It ain't right." So, of course, I say "What's not right about it, and why does it matter to you?" The reply was, "I don't have a reason, I just don't think it's right." And so, there's that.
Are we a racist country overall? No, certainly not. Do too many people bring up race every time that there is trouble involving a minority? Yes. There are certain instances where race does play a role in folks being wronged, excluded, or held back. But, we have a black president, so it's not as if we live in Nazi Germany. All that said, there is still plenty of bigotry.
You would think that something as simple as interracial dating wouldn't phase anyone or bring out negative emotions, but there are still plenty of people who have a problem with it. Same thing with homosexuals. It's not my choice (or born mindset), but I don't have a problem with it. Hell, I don't have a problem with civil unions (and that's another topic I'll explore later). Try being the ONLY person in a Sunday school class with that opinion and expressing it openly (not that I got any grief for it, just a little uncomfortable)!
We are on this earth for too short a time to be bothered by such things. We all have our prejudices....that's just human nature. People fear or distance themselves (in general) from things that are different or out of their comfort zone. But we should challenge ourselves from time to time. Challenge our minds to get to the core of the problem we have that really has nothing to do with our lives, our happiness, our way of life. Once you discover that there is no real reason behind a prejudice you may have, it will be easier to let it go. The more of us that can honestly stop disliking the harmless behavior of others, the less we'll have to worry about. Who really wants to stand in the way of someone else's happiness?
I know, not very witty or funny today (if I ever am), just something I thought needed to be said.
"I said, if you're thinking of being my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white"
Black or White---Michael Jackson