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Equality
12 years ago
⭐️ be rootin, be tootin, and by god be shootin ⭐️ I never thought I'd have to make a public statement of my views on equality, but apparently believing in equality has turned into some sort of sign of arrogance, which I don't understand. This journal is sponsored by recent events, though I'm not low enough to name fingers and point names. There really wouldn't be a point.
So, what is equality?
This seems like a pretty obvious answer to me, but apparently there are some misconceptions about it. Inequalities are seen every day. Every woman who works at a lower salary for the same work that a man does is inequality. Every job applicant turned down because of the culture of their last name is inequality. Additionally, every job that can really only be acquired by members of one race (which commonly happens in food) is inequality.
Refusing someone the opportunity to be their own person because of prejudice based on a born trait is inequality.
Similarly, inequality can be found in areas such as obesity, mental health, substance addicts, sexual orientation, religion...
So, it's really really simple when we look at the matter of equality; People are PEOPLE. Equality is the ability to treat people as people without prejudice. Equality is giving everyone the opportunity to prove themselves and giving them equal rewards for their efforts.
If you believe that sexism, racism or any other 'ism' is extinct, you're already trapped.
Racism, for example, is not gone. I live in an area of the country where you don't have to drive far to find confederate flags and nooses in trees. I live in a city whose schools weren't fully integrated until the early 80's. I live only 50 or so miles from the origins of the KKK.
Racism is not dead.
I know it isn't because I was here during Obama's elections. I remember what I heard around me. I know it isn't when I see how buses still segregate themselves. I've heard some vile, ugly things from older people in stores.
What really hurts is when the vile, ugly things are being said by people who are too young and naive to understand why the words they're saying ARE disgusting. There is a history to a word and that history taints the tongue that says it. There is a horrible sadness and oppression in words that is hard to laugh off.
So this is why I say the first step to equality is to know that history. Once you've seen the abuse and pain that a minority has gone through you'll learn to respect WHY equality is needed. Until then you're only left with a word and a hollow definition. You use these words to make joke and laugh at a history of struggle. You only vaguely understand how horribly privileged you are for your inborn traits and how saddening it is to see others who have a legacy of struggles and still haven't been able to match your blessings.
For anyone who wants just a taste of what inequality produced
PS: Standing up for the rights of others doesn't make you arrogant, hypocritical or mean.
It makes you a good person who will not stand by and watch ugliness without calling its bluff.
You can always stand up for the rights of someone else and yourself. Always.
So, what is equality?
This seems like a pretty obvious answer to me, but apparently there are some misconceptions about it. Inequalities are seen every day. Every woman who works at a lower salary for the same work that a man does is inequality. Every job applicant turned down because of the culture of their last name is inequality. Additionally, every job that can really only be acquired by members of one race (which commonly happens in food) is inequality.
Refusing someone the opportunity to be their own person because of prejudice based on a born trait is inequality.
Similarly, inequality can be found in areas such as obesity, mental health, substance addicts, sexual orientation, religion...
So, it's really really simple when we look at the matter of equality; People are PEOPLE. Equality is the ability to treat people as people without prejudice. Equality is giving everyone the opportunity to prove themselves and giving them equal rewards for their efforts.
If you believe that sexism, racism or any other 'ism' is extinct, you're already trapped.
Racism, for example, is not gone. I live in an area of the country where you don't have to drive far to find confederate flags and nooses in trees. I live in a city whose schools weren't fully integrated until the early 80's. I live only 50 or so miles from the origins of the KKK.
Racism is not dead.
I know it isn't because I was here during Obama's elections. I remember what I heard around me. I know it isn't when I see how buses still segregate themselves. I've heard some vile, ugly things from older people in stores.
What really hurts is when the vile, ugly things are being said by people who are too young and naive to understand why the words they're saying ARE disgusting. There is a history to a word and that history taints the tongue that says it. There is a horrible sadness and oppression in words that is hard to laugh off.
So this is why I say the first step to equality is to know that history. Once you've seen the abuse and pain that a minority has gone through you'll learn to respect WHY equality is needed. Until then you're only left with a word and a hollow definition. You use these words to make joke and laugh at a history of struggle. You only vaguely understand how horribly privileged you are for your inborn traits and how saddening it is to see others who have a legacy of struggles and still haven't been able to match your blessings.
For anyone who wants just a taste of what inequality produced
PS: Standing up for the rights of others doesn't make you arrogant, hypocritical or mean.
It makes you a good person who will not stand by and watch ugliness without calling its bluff.
You can always stand up for the rights of someone else and yourself. Always.
also, your icon looks almost like my bf's so I was almost going to answer waaayy more flirtatiously.
Glad I checked the username. -w-;
It's not the same as being threatened or cursed at because of an inborn trait.
I'm not saying there should be no races or ethnicity but you're missing my point on racism, sexism, and discrimination.
At this point I'm wondering if you're trolling or if you've really never seen racism, sexism or another ism.
And yes, I have. And those are terrible things. But then again, people of a different gender and race aren't totally the same, most people will admit to that.
I'm trying to get critical thinking going on here and getting nothing in return but you assuming I'm trolling.
Example: A black man being refused a job because of his race. A gay couple being refused marriage or adoption or tax benefits. A pagan being denied a position at a religiously-originated business. A woman being paid less than a man for the same work.
Do I need to continue?
And paganism isn't really an inborn trait. That actually makes perfect sense. I wouldn't want a hair dresser to fix my brakes.
So, I couldn't agree more with your perspective on things. Society has quite the distance left before they acknowledge equality in full.
I'm not entirely sure how the proverb goes, but it's similar.
Also, my biological father was and probably still is a neonazi prick. I am not, and will offer myself as proof that the indoctrination can change, but only if you want it to. It was his beliefs that made me turn my back on him, and mine that told him one or both of us would die if he came looking.
nono, i kid. but yea. i know what you mean. the area i live in is painfully conservative, if it wasn't for the other half of my state being most the population and liberal, there would never be any progress. i mean seriously, so much so that into the 70's here, there was still a sign on the bridge into one of the towns that said 'no blacks after nightfall (or 6pm, or something like that)' ugh..
i mean i dont agree with drugs but if you're not making me do it i dont care, do as you like. an' i dunno why people gotta hate on glbt >.> they're mostly awesome people, at least most of the ones i've met.
needless to say though, sometimes talking about equality can bee a good conversation starter and it can generate some rather intelligent conversations.
personally i don't say i treat people with equality, i am actually prejudice of a lot, but i give people chances to change my opinion of the person. call it skepticism from being bullied so much when i was younger.
Regardless, I'm empathetic to be able to feel the pain of others, particularly minorities that have been bullied or have a long history.
I enjoy writing these sort of PSA's that are just to get thoughts off my brain and implore others to think on things or to encourage them. Sometimes I write just to tell people they're not alone in these thoughts.
The link is to a youtube song but it should be intact.
Thank you!
However, we can transcend those behaviors and try to live up to the high standards we preach about humanity.
So no... sexism, racism... it's not dead. Technically it will never die I suppose... but people still have a prejudice view of what prejudice means. really it depends on your area... you may be in an area where being gay is considered cool, hip, the in thing, ect, ect... and because of that you will have people posing as being gay, or transsexual, or genderqueer and then walking around chanting how oppressed they are.
Where as in other areas you have places where it's considered taboo to be these things. Where everybody is "straight" in fear of being discriminated against, harassed, beaten or even killed.
The thing is... while i agree with this, I have the assumption in my head (Though I probably shouldn't) that you mostly mean or acknowledge discrimination against LGBT people, black, hispanic, or middle eastern people, ect, ect. the typical stuff... I just wanted to state that these things are not as true as people make them out to be.
For instance, on facebook there is a page dedicated to harassing and "boycotting" companies that sell indian costumes, or anybody who even in the slightest misrepresents some indian culture. They call it prejudice... even though it's not... they call themselves tolerant, accepting, anti prejudice... yet they proceed to ban me for openly stating my opinions and experiences.
Anther thing is... I use to live in Shreveport Louisiana... where the majority of people were black.. I don't know what it's like now, but this is what it was like then... most of or half of the teachers were black. There was a rough maybe 80-90% black student population. I was technically the minority there... though everybody seemed to think of themselves as being such, and claiming they're oppressed. They've even took it upon themselves to at times segregate me from themselves, or even go so far as to harass me. This was especially evident in my neighbor hood where most of the kids, even a few adults had a problem with us because of our race (My family and I). the kids would fight us, chase us out of the park for playing with their family, make excuses as to why white people couldn't fight, or even spread rumors about us. We were checking our windows all the time because they always got into our yard and were spying on us.
Even when I would tell the teachers, they would mostly ignore it... some even told me about "white privilege, and how I should understand why they are the way they are and to be understanding and accepting". There was even a big ruckus one time because one of the black kids was paddled for harassing me and pouring glue into my hair.
And despite my experience, and my detestment of the phrase "white privilege" or the implication that 'liberal typical' people (for lack of a better word) try to enforce... I have made public my experiences plenty of times to people, and they dismiss it without thought... these are the same people that make public the few instances where they find occasional black discrimination, like for instances a black woman was found out to not be as paid at her job as other people were. just one, little, instance... and you have hundreds if not thousands of people jumping the gun and saying "Check your privilege whitey".
I don't mean to give you a personal rant... I do agree with you though, I just don't think most people have the slightest clue about anything... even when they think they have it all figured out.
As a white with really no strong religion, sexuality, gender or ethnic background I do understand why it sucks to not have a title to wear with earned pride. It's not pleasant to be told that you have it easy when you feel you're actually having a rough time.
But that is ALSO an inequality. I'm sorry if I didn't give fair credit to the plenty of 'majority' people who, due to situation or circumstance, have become ill treated.
Trust me, when I went looking for scholarships and realized that nothing applied to me because I was so diversity-lacking, I was just as bummed out. Honestly, the only reason I'm in school right now is because I'm poor and my family was poor enough to apply for the lowest of the low grants.
that's what equality is to me. Just remembering that human is human, not necessarily divided into better/worse segments.
I can't believe people STILL can't grasp the concept of "WE'RE ALL PEOPLE." (I know that people still can't grasp it but it shocks and disgusts me that equality for EVERYONE is still an issue. Man, woman, Asian, Caucasian, tall, short, underweight, overweight, IT DOESN"T FUCKING MATTER.
Fuck. :/
As a notable exception, I recently came across Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, a webcomic. I've been clicking through it, and I've come to realize that it randomly includes characters of different ethnicities. I didn't notice at first, but I gradually realized. I would not have noticed these things but for that class, but it's interesting to notice.
And while I might not have the greatest school years, I can't say I've ever been treated unfairly based on what minority I'm in.
However, I've seen it happen, and it annoys me, whenever I hear about it. It is terrible, to say the least... And it's definitely not over.
And I personally have a hard time simply understanding what goes through one's mind by assuming things about the most random person, simply by their appearance.
I guess nothing specific, which is probably the problem, not thinking about how wrong they might be...
Now, I've reacted quite a bit to some people around me when they make this mistake.
They usually aren't happy with me, but some seem to understand afterwards why I reacted so strongly,
and made an effort to avoid making the same mistake around me(Of course I don't know what happens behind my back, but I nothing I can do about it =C).
I personally made it a goal not to assume anything about anyone I see anywhere. Even what's usually considered a given like gender is something I do not link to anyone until I hear from them what they call themselves. Of course that's partly 'cause I'd love to be treated alike, but still, I do my best to give everyone the same blank template, until they color it in themselves.
A rule to live by: Everyone should be allowed to strive for their own happiness, as long as it doesn't take happiness away from others.
this happened in my county. I was so shocked that it could happen HERE. So recently too. :(
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/.....n_2171284.html
Things like this make me so sick.
I'm also the first one to admit that I still don't understand some things, to do with race, religion, and such, and much of it scares me. And yet, I'm trying hard, every day, to face that fear, and learn from it, rather than hiding behind it. Which is why it seriously burns me, when I hear thoughtless, idiotic statements like "Because Obama was elected, racism is over." Such statements are either dangerously naive or willfully, arrogantly ignorant. If the last election wasn't proof positive that racism is as strong as ever, then I don't know what is.
And to add insult to injury, ever since Obama was elected to his first term, certain factions within American politics have been trying to shore up their own fan-base, by demonizing anyone who disagrees with them.
If you have any college education, you're an "elitist", with no knowledge of how the "real" world works. If you favor basic, common-sense restrictions on firearms, you're a "goose-stepping fascist" trying to "strip" the "god-fearing, law abiding" gun owners, of their second amendment rights. And on, and on. So long as they keep cloaking their own bigotry, behind fear-mongering and pseudomoral high ground, then nothing is ever going to change. And we will be all the poorer, because of it.
Of course prejudice isn't dead. In order for there to be a group of people who are "us", and full of good, positive traits, there has to be a group who is "not-us", who do all the bad things. At least that's how the theory goes. I know that I just look forward to the time when I could sit down with a Klansman or someone from Westboro and have an honest and frank discussion over tea or something. I can't bloody wait until we as humans can make the "us" group be every single person that there is, no matter how different we are.
So... As hard as it is, try not to hate the bigots. After all, they're people just like all others, who just happen to have bought into the same mistake in thinking that their ancestors did.
However, I can easily not approve of their bigotry.
In california, if you get two people looking for the same job, one white with three years experience and a glowing recomendation from his previous job, and someone of any other race than white, with no experience. When you (logicaly) hire the white guy, the other person can Call it racism, take you to court, and cause you to -lose your buisness-. Regardless of if it's true or not, regardless that the first applicant had a better resume, Matter of fact, the hired person could have also been any color other than white, doesn't matter if the other person wants to call racism.
The Difference in male/female payscales for the exact same job is wrong. No two ways about that. Same work should get same pay. Side effect? Same sick days, same benefits, and either no mothers leave, or mothers leave for both genders.
Aaaand a funny/sick note: Women in buisness who climb the ranks and earn that nice high position, will Actively seek to stop other women from doing the same. Not in the way men do, which is basic occasional screwing over of some guy you don't like, but in an active Manner of putting down their work, exclusion from events (like meetings in work and out of work), and telling others that they are unhappy where they are, wether that is true or not.
One more note, this has something to do with rascism. Some people call it apon themselves, seeming to go out of their way to fit a stereotype for their gender or ethnicity. Women, don't put those breasts on display, Men, don't sag those pants! Women, don't hire based on how handsome/nice ass a guy is/has! Men, don't hire based off how big of tits or ass or waist or hair color!