When I was a younger, a childhood friend and I spent hours playing with, or more accurately, harassing bugs (He actually went on to become an entomologist, so at least he can claim it was vocational training). One of our many sadistic activities involved kicking up a red ant hill and then introducing a shovel-full of black ants into the melee. The result was pretty predictable. Ant War! (If there are ants-rights activists reading, I am sure I will get an email). For whatever reasons, black and red ants don't like each other. It is built into their nature. Birds too. Have you heard the saying "birds of a feather flock together?" Same idea. Certain birds only fly with their own kind. Why? I have no idea, they just do.
Let's turn to our most troubling animal now, people. Do we exhibit some of these same behaviors. We want to look at ourselves and say no "I have no prejudices, I am not like those closed-minded neanderthals." (Which I think is actual prejudicial against cavemen in some way) There are definitely some people just have prejudices ingrained in them, be it nature or nurture. But let's face the facts; we ALL have some degree of prejudice. It does not have be race or nationality. It can be religion, culture, class, political persuasion (guilty), or preferred college football team (yep. guilty there too). Any perceived difference can form the basis for how we treat a complete stranger. And after all, isn't that what prejudice is all about; prejudging a person based upon group of which they belong?
Though such prejudices are manifestly unfair (except in the case of Utah Utes - they deserve it), they may come from legitimate places. I know a man I respect a lot who is not the most PC person when it comes to blacks. I learned that he moved around a lot as a child into mostly black neighborhoods. Being one of the few or even sole white kids, he was often bullied into fights by the neighborhood kids who, in this case, were black. Those experiences obviously had a not unsurprising impact on this man. I knew another man who told me of his difficulties in being asked to minister to the people of Japan. He did not like the Japanese. Why? Well beside hundreds of years of historical animosity, both his parents were killed in a Japaneses bombing, making him an orphan. Seems understandable to me.
So am I saying prejudice is OK? Not in the least bit. Neither am I saying that any type of prejudice is some kind of mental leprosy, where we stone someone to death at the first symptoms of the disease. For me, that is what I see in society. Someone goes of the non-prejudice ranch and we kill, gut, and barbecue them instantly. Yes, there are some folks who probably deserve it, but we miss an opportunity for growth for that individual and, more importantly, growth of society.
Let's take Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers, for example. After his girlfriend published bafflingly racist and stupid comments about not want her to sit next to black people at Clippers games (Uh, you HAVE seen an NBA game before Donald, right?), he was banned from the NBA for life, a Department of Justice case was brought against him, and people are try to force him to sell the Clippers. Now does he deserve this treatment? Possibly. But here is my key questions: After all of this punishment do you this Donald Sterling will become more of a racist or less of a racist? Do you think others watching who may have some racist leanings are going to be more racist or less racist after this episode? I submit it will be more.
What if, on the other hand, Donald Sterling had been asked to have dinner with Magic Johnson, acting as an ambassador for the NBA. Then have him sit between Karl Malone and Charles Barkley at a Clippers game. Might be perhaps see the humanity in these individuals and then for the race as a whole? (Though after sitting between Karl and Charles, Sterling might begin to have issue with rednecks) Besides, we was dating a half-black women, so he is obviously not 100% racist. How about when Mel Gibson went off on the Jews like Achmed the Dead Terrorist after being pulled over for a DUI? Rather than black-listing him, what about a Jewish producers reaching out to him (I hear there are a few of those in Hollywood) to work with him. I am pretty sure Mel might look at the Jewish Community differently.
This seems to be a bit at the heart of what Jesus was trying to teach humanity when he preach: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." I think this teaching is as much for the betterment of the human race as it is for the adherent's soul. At least that is my two bits.
AFTER THOUGHT:
When Matt Park and Trey Stone release the Book of Mormon musical, a reportedly irreverent and somewhat vulgar Broadway play poking fun at the Mormon faith, the two writers were asked if they were worried about protests. They responded "Nope, they're going to be cool." And they were rights. This was the entirety of the church's response:
"The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ."
Them's is fight'n word! OK, not really. And guess what? Parker and Stone have repeatedly spoken how much they respect Mormons, even if they do not share the same beliefs. The Book of Mormon Musical went on to bag a bunch of Tony Awards; The church went on to bag a bunch of converts; and we are all still friends. That feels good to me.
Let's take Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers, for example. After his girlfriend published bafflingly racist and stupid comments about not want her to sit next to black people at Clippers games (Uh, you HAVE seen an NBA game before Donald, right?), he was banned from the NBA for life, a Department of Justice case was brought against him, and people are try to force him to sell the Clippers. Now does he deserve this treatment? Possibly. But here is my key questions: After all of this punishment do you this Donald Sterling will become more of a racist or less of a racist? Do you think others watching who may have some racist leanings are going to be more racist or less racist after this episode? I submit it will be more. What if, on the other hand, Donald Sterling had been asked to have dinner with Magic Johnson, acting as an ambassador for the NBA. Then have him sit between Karl Malone and Charles Barkley at a Clippers game. Might be perhaps see the humanity in these individuals and then for the race as a whole? (Though after sitting between Karl and Charles, Sterling might begin to have issue with rednecks) Besides, we was dating a half-black women, so he is obviously not 100% racist. How about when Mel Gibson went off on the Jews like Achmed the Dead Terrorist after being pulled over for a DUI? Rather than black-listing him, what about a Jewish producers reaching out to him (I hear there are a few of those in Hollywood) to work with him. I am pretty sure Mel might look at the Jewish Community differently.
This seems to be a bit at the heart of what Jesus was trying to teach humanity when he preach: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." I think this teaching is as much for the betterment of the human race as it is for the adherent's soul. At least that is my two bits.
AFTER THOUGHT:
When Matt Park and Trey Stone release the Book of Mormon musical, a reportedly irreverent and somewhat vulgar Broadway play poking fun at the Mormon faith, the two writers were asked if they were worried about protests. They responded "Nope, they're going to be cool." And they were rights. This was the entirety of the church's response:
"The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ."
Them's is fight'n word! OK, not really. And guess what? Parker and Stone have repeatedly spoken how much they respect Mormons, even if they do not share the same beliefs. The Book of Mormon Musical went on to bag a bunch of Tony Awards; The church went on to bag a bunch of converts; and we are all still friends. That feels good to me.
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