Different Than You
|
Exterior Judging
I have come to the conclusion that there are some who do not like others that are different from them. Be it race, color, creed, religious, sexual orientation, how they look, what they wear or where they live. They feel that their way of life and who they are and how they were born and what part of the country they reside in is correct. And everyone else is not correct.
It’s a very selfish mindset to be in.
And there are some that use those exclusive thoughts and beliefs to control everyone that is different from them. And in some cases, to make laws that put those that are different at a disadvantage in society.
This happened with slavery owners and treatment against women and illegal foreigners and most recently gay and lesbians in states like Arizona. Thank goodness for vetos of laws like SB 1062 that are enacted by selfish individuals who use religious belief as a means to discriminate against those that are different. Freedom of religion isn’t some type of mantra or action that is to be used to separate the classes. It doesn’t work that way.
Birth control, as the above article link discusses, is another form of control from those who promote control. It’s not something that they can live with – another person making a procreative decision for themselves. Again, religious belief takes center stage and disassociates those who don’t think with the illogical single option.
Who’s next, is the question we often ask lately. Those of us that are non-believers have our share of public disgrace when it comes to the opinions and actions of the majority who do believe. Our no religion makes us less human in some form. Same with gays and lesbians. To the fear-mongering straight majority, they place them into a second or third class status, enacting laws to keep them from the sacred marital class, which often excuses child and spousal abuse, cheating and overall treatment of anyone else not like them.
Humanity First
I wish we would all be of the mindset of equal treatment under the law. Wait.. more like equal treatment. Period. I recognize that there are those different than myself. I prefer to call that diversity. Diversity brings change. It requires acceptance. Tolerance was once a term that I found acceptable. Not anymore. To tolerate something is to put up with it, not changing one’s mindset or outlook, mostly just keeping your mouth shut and not saying anything to offend those you don’t like. I want more acceptance. It requires change. People aren’t born to be racist or to hate others. It’s taught or learned.
We need to unlearn our biases when it comes to how we treat others. Embrace the different. We don’t have to like each and every person. That would be forced. But we can accept them and not enact laws against them or shove them into a different class of humans. At the end of the day, we are all human.
I find it weird that I don’t personally know anyone who discriminates like this (at least not that they tell me), and, yet, the world seems so full of them. Where do they hide?
Consider yourself fortunate. I have some Facebook friends that jumped on the anti-gay marriage band wagon, waving their morals and religious beliefs around. I’ve hidden enough off them so I don’t see their close-minded posts.
I find it weird that Kevin does NOT know anyone like this. You can usually tell who these people are from the way they treat others. I have friends who judge me based on what I do with my free time. Wait. Those aren’t friends. But if we can’t even accept each other’s hobbies, what the heck hope is there? Acceptance would be great. And tolerance with people keeping their mouths shut is a good start 🙂
I agree that tolerance is a good start.. keeping one’s mouth shut (which sometimes they claim “I can’t say what I feel about this?”). But the goal of acceptance is the end result.