You know, I have been watching a couple of videos this morning. Most of them are old news and some of them do, in fact, impact a lot of us directly. There is a similar patter that I seem to be seeing in all of them and before I move on to happier topics, I feel the serious need to address them. The theme for today is prejudice.
Fact is, we have all been prejudiced at one point in our lives. You have thought that, oh, this kind of person is always like this or that gender, that race, that religion of person always has and always will act like this, that or the other. Sometimes it's ugly, sometimes it comes in unfounded compliments and other times it's just wrong.
I will begin with gender violence. It is wrong and it needs to stop. Last year, in Kenya, people went up in arms (finally) over women being stripped. "My Dress, My Choice" has been a running theme for years now and it only comes up when FINALLY there is some proof to the rumour. Not only do some people justify this with horrible statements like "Men are visual creatures" and "She should have dressed properly" but people have sort of accepted this for fact. Here are the facts I have to give on the matter:
1. Men ARE visual creatures but they also have brains and an entire history of experiences that should teach them otherwise.
2. Stripping is wrong. Full stop.
This tirade is a little late, but hey, better late than never.
I want to now continue with another video I saw about a man who was arrested for waiting for his children in a public area. He was consequently yelled at by two cops, even as his children rushed over, confirming his story, and the cops would not let down. Another is of a man who has been arrested over and over again for going to work. Cops have apparently been arresting him multiple times the moment he steps into the store to work and while he works too. This has been so upsetting that his boss is actually filing a suit against the cops in question. I haven't followed up on either of these stories yet, but it's really getting my goat.
Finally, I want to talk a bit about sexuality. It has come up, and I've been asked, as a Psychologist, imagine you have a homosexual client. What would you do? This has also been asked in the context of me being a Christian but my answer is the same.
Yes I am a Christian and I don't like the whole idea of homosexuality. The truth, however, is that it is there and if my client is one of them, there is nothing I can do about it. I have to be professional and treat the problem that the client has come with, not the problem I think they have. What they have decided to do with their life is up to them. I can only go so far with my message, even as a Christian, and this is not one of those times or places.
My major problem with this aspect is believing that one can become judge, jury and executioner all in one, despite the fact that you are JUST human. If a woman has dressed inappropriately, it is NOT reason enough to then divest her of all her clothing in the name of moral vengeance. If a man is standing outside a premises, he probably has every right to be there and he should be asked before he is arrested unnecessarily. If a person needs help, no matter what their religion, sexual preference, race, gender etc, who are you to pronounce judgement of them INSTEAD of giving help?
There are a lot of aspects to this, I know. There is a lot behind these incidents, I get it. Still, I believe, the only one who has the right to play judge, jury and executioner is God, not because He is the only one allowed to be prejudiced. No. It is because He knows ALL of His children. What He chooses to do with them is up to Him and not me.
Even if you don't believe in God and religion, there is the basic principle of "Innocent until proven guilty." It still applies. Here's what I think; I think many of us lose a precious opportunity to get to know someone that will impact our lives in a great way. I think prejudice closes all the doors on opportunity to impact the world. I believe that if we set aside those prejudiced beliefs for just one moment, all of us would have something to be proud of in the end.
Think about it.
Bunny Out (:3
