Thursday, February 19, 2009

America: Racism = Dehumanization = Terrorism--i.e. people behaving terribly

This, just in from my girl Anji from across the pond. It's a documentary of an exercise conducted by a teacher in Riceville, Iowa to teach a lesson in discrimination: one I think we all could learn from.




For me, there are so many lessons and parallels to draw from this. But it's not only about me; it's about all of us. Please watch, listen, and share with us. As you do, think about the following:

  • Who introduced you to, taught you, your assumptions and fears?
  • Who put them in a position of authority to make and teach those assumptions?
  • Would you like to be treated in the same fashion?
  • Do you still hold some of the assumptions taught to you? If not, what brought about the change of mind?
  • Why is possible to make someone feel bad about a birth attribute (i.e. the color of their eyes)?
  • Do you need to view someone as inferior to feel good about yourself?
  • If you are aware of injustice and do nothing; are you guilty of the same injustice?

Thanks Anji: one love, one people, one world, one cause--that we all may be free.

2 comments:

Anji said...

I'm glad you went to see this. My daughter who is studying psychology first saw this as part of her course.

I was raised on a farm in the English countryside and had no notion whatsoever of descrimination until my teens. (I was punched in the stomach for my 'stupidity') I was twenty when someone made a remark about catholics being selfish. I only knew one catholic at the time and a more welcoming family you couldn't find. I found all of this very hard to understand - why waste life measuring up other poeple?

I think that people do tend to look for a way to make themselves feel better. Unfortunately, in some cases it can be very dangerous


The lady who had the idea of the eyes game found a simple way to teach people how to think.

Iam Robert said...

Anji:

I'm not sure it would be politically correct in the US these days, but I think all senior school children should be required to play this game--if nothing else, they would know how prejudice REALLY feels and makes YOU behave. What I found most interesting is that the kids who were prejudiced against hated traits about themselves that, only a day ago, were perfectly okay. Humm...gives some credence to the hold "racial social programming" idea and problems in black communities.

Any who, thanks for sharing!