Overcoming Prejudice

[Dj87]

I am not going to say what race I am, but prejudice has been a problem I’ve dealt with my entire life. It is my belief that everyone is prejudiced to some degree or another and while I am one to look for good in people, I’d be lying if I said one race in particular wasn’t especially difficult for me to put away my biases. When I was little, my family was very prejudiced and while growing up, I had some bad experiences which had made me very bigoted by the time I was a teenager. Throughout my adult life however, with the help of my wife who’s one of the least prejudiced people I know, these feelings faded away, and were little more than a fleeting memory. I’ve had very good interactions with a variety of races, in fact my best friend is from a foreign country. But recently my son had a run in with a member of the race I’ve had a problem with and it brought back all of the racist thoughts. How does a person get to a point of where skin color and race doesn’t ever comeinto their thought process? If you struggle with personal biases and prejudice, how do you keep it away from your children so that they aren’taffected by it?

 

[Bailey2]

But recently my son had a run in with a member of the race I’ve had a problem with and it brought back all of the racist thoughts.

How do you get over it? Here is what I had to do: always remember one person is not the entire race. Simple as that. And if my emotions get the better of me (and they do with lots of things, not necessarily about prejudices… oh my … lots of things ), I use my head and remind myself so to keep the instant thoughts and emotions in check.

How do you teach your children? Same way: one not-so-nice person who happens to be of a particular race is not representative of ALL of that race, anymore than I being female would think ALL males are bad because of one or two bad experiences (I’ve been married to a nice one for 23 yrs )

Well, that’s what I do anyway…

 

[Carlan]

I am not going to say what race I am, but prejudice has been a problem I’ve dealt with my entire life. It is my belief that everyone is prejudiced to some degree or another and while I am one to look for good in people, I’d be lying if I said one race in particular wasn’t especially difficult for me to put away my biases. When I was little, my family was very prejudiced and while growing up, I had some bad experiences which had made me very bigoted by the time I was a teenager. Throughout my adult life however, with the help of my wife who’s one of the least prejudiced people I know, these feelings faded away, and were little more than a fleeting memory. I’ve had very good interactions with a variety of races, in fact my best friend is from a foreign country. But recently my son had a run in with a member of the race I’ve had a problem with and it brought back all of the racist thoughts. How does a person get to a point of where skin color and race doesn’t ever comeinto their thought process? If you struggle with personal biases and prejudice, how do you keep it away from your children so that they aren’taffected by it?

Frequent confession , will heal over time these ingrained prejudices, God bless us all with your peace,Carlan

Keep telling your children, that we are all God children and that he loves us all and he created all of us for himself . God does not love one more than another,He loves us all equally.True!

 

[puzzleannie]

I . How does a person get to a point of where skin color and race doesn’t ever comeinto their thought process? If you struggle with personal biases and prejudice, how do you keep it away from your children so that they aren’taffected by it?

you have hit the nub of the problem by defining “race” primarily by superficial attributes such as skin color, and that definition is what fuels most racial prejudice. I already know what race you are: human. Any other classification is an artificial cultural one based on observed superficial characteristics of appearance, not on any real differences, detectable by science, that do indeed define human subgroups in a meaningful way. By meaningful I mean in a way that helps us live better lives through that knowledge.

The real differences are below the surface and not immediately apparent. For instance, blood groups, shared genetic traits that may be linked to the same gene that governs the outwardly obvious trait. An example would be sickle cell, a genetic trait shared by some, not all, persons who fall into the artificial racial classification of Negro, but is also shared by persons of Mediterranean descent who to not fit that cultural defined racial profile. The meaningful sub-group, identifying a class of people whose trait has to be tested for because of their health needs, would be the gene-linked trait that leads to that blood disease, not using the superficial racial characteristics.

Prejudice comes into play when we try to “mix” scientific disciplines and use biology to explain culture and vice versa, using scraps of data from different disciplines randomly to reach exceedingly unscientific–unhelpful–conclusions about groups who share certain physical, ethnic or cultural traits. The “all Blacks have rhythm” or “all Poles are stupid” type of theory. All that bad science needs to become racisms is the narcissistic attitude that says "all those who share my dominant traits are good, so therefore all those who do not share my desireable traits are bad or of less value to society, or downright dangerous.

If we really want to help our children jettison the dangerous attitudes that have caused so much prejudice and harm in our own generation, we will teach them true science based on true reason, reached by observing true facts and traits, uncolored by human pride and superiority.

 

[johns58w]

My father- in- law used to work in one of the state offices in Alabama under governor George Wallace. Even as a convert to Catholicism in the 70’s he still to this day have a great hatred toward most people of color. He suffers from depression, alcoholism, immoral magazines,films. He does not attend Mass and on special occasions if a Mass is involved he attends and receives Holy Communion. My wife has told him numerous times not to receive communion and go to Confession. He calls my wife and I religious nuts. He says he knows everyting about the faith from a priest back in the 60’s (probably rebellious against Rome). All of our faith belief is new and irrelevant. According to him we are stupid.

In November 2008 we all voted for McCain. My wife and I voted on reasons of abortion, sanctity of marriage. My father-in-law voted because of race. I have litte to no interest in Obama or his puppet administration. Obama is a human being and Christ commands us to pray for our enemies. My father-in-law labels Obama in names I can’t even mention on this post.

I go to my parish Blessed Sacrament Chapel for adoration and prayer a few times a week for my father-in-law’s.

Prejudice and racism I have suffered most of my life. I have seen American society move forward toward diversity. Prejudice and racism is the evil poison that keeps moving generations and needs to stop.

I ask all please pray for my father-in-law’s conversion

Thank you and God Bless.

 

[Maria1212]

I suggest reminding yourself that our bodies are vessels that transport us through this life. Some of these vessels have different shades but we are all human.

Another way to think about it is to imagine if you are blind. Think about how silly it sounds to be dividing people by something as arbitrary as color. it is important to respect people with different cultures and backgrounds. But we are all human. Jesus didn`t discriminate and we are called to love our neighbor. Receive the sacraments frequently and pray for God to provide you with the grace to change your thinking.

Finally, I applaud you for having the courage to admit you struggle with this and want to work to overcome it.

Sincerely,

Maria1212