Prejudice Vs. Stereotypes | Teen Ink

Prejudice Vs. Stereotypes

May 4, 2010
By omnia_vincit_amor BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
omnia_vincit_amor BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;No Great Thing Is Created Suddenly&quot;<br /> &quot;Take My Hand and We&#039;ll Make It I Swear&quot;


Allah…..

Religion, Prayer, Terrorists, Bombings, Death, Blood, September 11, 2001…..

One word, to be more specific one name.

But notice I basically stereotyped an ENTIRE group of peoples. I just said that this is what I think that all people of the god of Allah were murderers and terrorists.

For that I must apologize.

Not only to that ethnic group but all the others that I treat to a day to day time line, I don’t mean to be that way to you it is nothing personal…really it’s not.

The norm that I live,-is the norm of life that I act out.

There is a very, very, VERY FINE line between stereotypes and prejudice. One is already there, stemmed from the roots of hatred. The other is always implied that that is how people EXPECT OTHER people TO BE.

Depending on the person and the stereotype is how I treat people.

What I see, affects how I feel, which contributes to what I think, that ultimately defines what I do.

So if you think that you are not prejudice at all I want to tell you that you are sorely mistaken. If you don’t believe me I want you to do something and come back and tell me how your experience was. I want you to go out of you comfort area, go out of the community you are used to and go to a community that is the opposite of what you are used to living in. Your community you r life is your “normal”; another person’s community is their day to day life style that is “normal” to them. Would you be able to handle that other person’s lifestyle?

My mentality may be bleak, but to me this is the truth of life that I will have to accept. I don’t see that I am being prejudice to a black man that walks down the street, with each step that he gets closer I clutch my purse closer and closer to me breast.

I have many friends, with many different cultures that I find fascinating. No two of my friends have the EXACT same culture. I know who they are and I am known to their families. They accept my culture as I accept theirs.

(That is what all people ask for. For other people to respect their culture and in return they will respect your own. )

Yet, when I see a mosque, person’s skin, they way they act, I begin to either resent them because of what they have done, not to me personally, but what other people like them, which share a similar culture in general.

Why?

Fear, I think.

Or in other people’s case…ignorance.

They CHOOSE to close their mind to everything, because of the way they were raised, the way they were taught TO BE. They do not TRY to go out and draw their OWN conclusions.

So when and where does the mistake of a person’s treatment end?

Sadly…

It doesn’t.


The author's comments:
My teacher did a activity where he put a list of titles, names, races, etc. And what I wrote and what other people wrote just sickened me and opened my eyes for the first time. I just, felt ashamed because allot of the people, titles, and other things that he wrote that i commented on I would never say it because I have friends that fit the categories.

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This article has 5 comments.


on Jul. 17 2011 at 12:48 am
ZeeBYoung BRONZE, Coatesville, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 72 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don&#039;t judge a person until you&#039;ve walked a mile in their shoes. That way, you&#039;re a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. :)

Oh, and I have a gay friend too.

on Jul. 17 2011 at 12:48 am
ZeeBYoung BRONZE, Coatesville, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 72 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don&#039;t judge a person until you&#039;ve walked a mile in their shoes. That way, you&#039;re a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. :)

Im actually not prejudice. I have friends of all different backgrounds, White, Native American, Asian, Methodist, Hindi, Wiccan, Atheist, ect. We all compliment each other. I consider myself lucky to have been exposed to so many different lifestyles and customs.

on Jul. 17 2010 at 2:22 am
omnia_vincit_amor BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;No Great Thing Is Created Suddenly&quot;<br /> &quot;Take My Hand and We&#039;ll Make It I Swear&quot;

hey thank u, btw im puttin up more work soon! so keep a eye out :) thanks again!

LivenLove said...
on Jul. 13 2010 at 6:41 pm
LivenLove, Washington, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Words are very powerful, but only if you listen to them.&quot;

wow this is really great, I've kinda always realized this sadly but I could never put in words. 

Bethani GOLD said...
on Jun. 13 2010 at 10:26 pm
Bethani GOLD, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
10 articles 0 photos 508 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is perfect until you sit back and realize how boring it is without risks.

Great explanation! Please check out my work. Comment and rate please! Thank you!