Denying the Truth

Actors Mel Gibson and Michael Richards have been all over the news these last few months with their rants. Both of them have apologized but both of them preface their apologies with "I'm not a racist/bigot." Why make racist or bigoted statements then?

It is time that people really stopped and took a good look at themselves. Yes Mel you are a bigot. Your father denies the holocaust and you grew up listening to anti-Jewish tirades. You may not want to be a bigot but you did absorb what your father said whether you want to admit it or not. I don't know Michael Richards background but yes he is a racist. That anti-black tirade proves it. You wouldn't have lost it and started spewing out those words if in your heart you didn't feel that way.

The first step towards healing and overcoming prejudice is to admit it is there. Just as an alcoholic or drug user can not be helped until they admit their addiction a person with bigoted beliefs can not learn differently until they admit that they are there. You can not say "I'm not a bigot but" and then go on to make disparaging remarks that generalize any group of people.

I have heard bigoted remarks directed towards me in my life and they hurt. I have heard tirades about all Irish being drunkards. I babysat for a couple that would leave out anti-Catholic pamphlets for me.

A person needs to be honest with themselves. Ask yourself what do I believe about African Americans, Catholics, Jews, Irish, Italians, Hispanics, Native Americans, Orientals, etc. Do you find yourself generalizing along stereotypes? Do you find yourself saying "they are just like that. All (fill in the blank) are..." If the answer is yes then you are prejudiced, bigoted, racist. What are you going to do about it?

Any person can learn if they are willing to try. Pick up your yellow pages or do a Google search. Are you prejudiced about Native Americans? Find a pow-wow or other ceremony where you can go and see and learn about their culture. Are you prejudiced against African-Americans? Find a Black History Museum or other events where you can meet and get to know someone. Go to a Hispanic Cinco de Mayo celebration. Go to a Chinese New Years celebration. Go to the Holocaust Museum. Go somewhere where you can actually meet the people you havenegative thoughts about and learn what they are really like.

The sooner mankind realizes that there are a multitude of ethnic diversities but only one race, the human race, the better off we will be.