What is prejudice? According to Google, it is a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
Where does the preconceived opinion come from? For children, typically, it comes from family, school, and/or society at large. Children grow up to be adults, carrying the same prejudice and passing it onto their children. And the cycle goes on – until and unless they first acknowledge that they are indeed prejudiced, followed by a commitment to break it. On a microscopic scale, I have been going through such transformation, one small step at a time.
In the U.S.A., many people accuse the whites of having prejudices against non-whites. While this may have been true decades ago, in my humble opinion, it is hardly the case today. In fact, there is an interesting encounter my husband (a Caucasian) and I (an Asian) had with a lovely African American family from California. We met during a 2005 trip to Nairobi, Kenya. We were part of a small group of people who happened to be staying at the Salt Lick Lodge on an African Safari.
This family was like a real-life version of the Huxtables of the Cosby Show. The father was a medical doctor; the mother, an attorney; a son (around age 7) and a daughter (around age 4) – beautiful children. The little girl liked to come and sit on my lap, and I simply adored her. Then, out of the blue, she looked at her Mom and Dad and said, “We don’t like white people, do we?” It was clear to me that her parents were mortified. I had an epiphany at that moment that prejudice is not contained to certain groups of people. Out of the mouth of this innocent little child came the truth of where prejudice starts – at home. I knew she was trying to understand what she had been told, which seemed contrary to what she was feeling about David and me at that moment – a sense of mutual affection. I hugged her tightly. I loved this little girl so much and, to this day, I think of her often.
Instead of perpetuating the idea that race relations have not improved far enough in our country, Americans should be proud of how far we’ve come as a society to openly discuss the topic – thanks, in large part, to American leaders, such as President Abraham Lincoln, President John F. Kennedy, and Reverend Billy Graham, all of whom are white, who furthered the idea that all men are created equal. They were instrumental in creating an environment in which people of all backgrounds, racial and otherwise, were to be treated as equals. If it were not for the strong support of President Kennedy and Rev. Graham, I wonder if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been inspired enough to make his “I have a dream” speech.
Do you know that, in some countries, discrimination is still a taboo topic? Don’t take for granted what has been accomplished in the U.S.A. Be grateful that you live in a country where you are free to express your frustrations openly. And if you’re still frustrated, then stop whining, start taking actions, and be a part of making a difference in improving the race relations even further, as so many people have been doing before you.
By the way, discrimination is not contained among people of different skin colors. The following paragraphs are from my autobiography:
- In contrast to the multi-racial society that is the United States, for the most part, targets of discrimination in Japan look just like the rest of the population. When I was growing up in Japan, I remember hearing derogatory comments being made about the Ainu, Buraku-min, and those of Korean descent. Due to some level of assimilation, they speak the same language and behave just like anyone else. Race or color of skin had little or nothing to do with the discrimination. Rather, it had everything to do with historical shame that the rest of society perpetuated against certain groups of people. It was almost like bullying taking place on a national scale.
- By birth, I was not part of a class of people being discriminated against in Japan. I was brought up being told never to associate with “those people” so as not to bring shame to our family. I did not know to question what I was being told. If everyone else that surrounds me says, “Those people need to be discriminated against,” and if there are no strong protests by the targets of discrimination or any legal consequences, how would I have been able to see how wrong it was? While Japan is widely thought to be a homogeneous country where everyone lives in harmony, it is a myth. A deep-rooted sense of discrimination against certain groups of people still exists. Most Japanese people live their lives either fully committed to avoiding contacts with “those people” or keeping their eyes closed to discrimination. Had I not left Japan, enabling me to see the world from a completely different perspective, my attitude would likely have fallen into one of these two categories as well, never questioning the moral injustice of discrimination. This is disturbing.
Prejudice is one of the key negative elements that cause unnecessary discord among humans. Even to this day, it is easy for me to fall into the trap of prejudice, judging people prematurely. Here is an example. Recently, I had an encounter with a young, male Middle Eastern student at a local College of Beauty where I get my hair done. Because almost all terrorist attacks worldwide are being carried out by those who look like him, I was uncomfortable. I said to myself, “He is a student. I am his client. He is not going to do anything crazy. Stay calm.”
Thank goodness, I have become mature enough to control my emotions in this manner. Making a long story short, in my 30-some years of getting my hair done at the same place, he turned out to be one of the best students ever. He listened intently to how I wanted my hair done. And he was so gentle. Weeks later, when he was assigned to me again, he smiled and remembered exactly what was important to me. This anecdote is one small proof that people can miss out a lot by letting prejudice cloud judgment about others.
Dr. King said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” As a member of this heterogeneous society called America, I hope I make Dr. King proud. If there is one accomplishment I must choose, of which I am most proud by having uprooted myself out of Japan and transplanted into the U.S. soil, it is that I have been able to appreciate Americans as a collection of individuals, each with unique backgrounds. I cherish being one of them myself.
