When I worked with a Save the children funded program in Sri Lanka, we focused of the rights of the child and human rights. Again in Iraq, the focus was on human rights and the rights of the child in our program funded by UNICEF. Today my work as a human rights educator is focusing on human rights and teaching an antiracism program.

A key part of education concerning racism defines terminology.

Stereotype

 – a fixed set of ideas often exaggerated and distorted, or a mental picture which regards all members of a group as being the same. (Alberta Human Rights Commission.)

– “A false or generalized conception of people that results in a conscious or unconscious categorization of members of that group without regard for individual differences.” (Colour of Democracy 200X)

Prejudice

• A state of mind, set of attitudes held consciously or unconsciously, often in the absence of legitimate or sufficient evidence. It literally means to ‘pre-judge’; prejudice is considered irrational and very resistant to change, because concrete evidence that contradicts the prejudice is usually dismissed as exceptional. Frequently prejudices are not recognized as false or unsound assumptions or stereotypes and through repetition the become accepted as common sense views. (adapted from the Canadian Race Relations site)

Discrimination

            The denial of equal treatment and opportunity to individuals or groups because of personal characteristics and membership in specific groupa, witth respect to education, accommodation, health care, employment and access to services, goods and facilities. Discrimination is behaviour that results from distinguishing people on that basis without regard to individual merit, resulting in unequal outcomes for persons who are perceived as different. It is differential treatment that may occur on the basis of race, nationality, religion, ethnic or other affiliation. (adapted from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Website)

One of my sons was working in Southern United States and when he returned to Canada; his brother and I were discussing politics and the coming election. We shared our views on the 45^th president and pretty much labeled all his followers in demeaning terms.  My returning son expressed different views and it felt to him like this was two against one in the ‘discussion’ and he felt ganged up against.

When my returning son spoke with me later, he wondered outloud as to how I might group a whole group of people all is one, as he had different experiences and views being down in the states. He was right. I owed him a huge apology for not allowing his ideas into the discussion in our animated and escalating awful-izing of the group of supporters of 45 president. Not only had I been dismissive of a different view, I had for the most part, listening to and reading people who shared my views.

Back to terminology now. Stereotyping  leads to prejudice and finally those beliefs lead directly to actions. Words and deeds in my behaviour, in this case to my son who had views different from mine.

AFTM- Another Fxxxing Teachable Moment to be sure.

Self-reflection is a good place to start:

In grouping and judging this group of people, what was I not seeing, or hearing?

Well, for starts, the woman I donated a kidney to voted for 45.  My son was not a 45 voter but he shared some views similar to voters for 45. I began listening to and learning from others with differing views.

This is not an easy path for me, as I move from acknowledging my prejudice to addressing it.

I am sharing this in case others have fallen into the trap of viewing a group in a singular collective and judged the group as less then; and in my case- totally wrong.

Humbly,

Martha