The Crazy World We Live In! Blog

On July 12th, 1964, the bodies of two African-American 19-year old boys were found in the Missisissippi River.

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James Ford Seale was arrested and released. And that was that. Now 40 plus years later, the case has been reopened and taken over by the FBI, thanks to the unrelenting pursuit of justice by Moore's brother. And Seale, now age 71, has been arrested for those murders.

What is it about race in this country? Just when we think we've progressed as a nation and achieved Dr. King's dream of judging others by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin, we have the Michael Richards racial tirade in comedy club.

So what is it about Americans and race? Well, from a psychological viewpoint, you can't make CHANGES IN THE WAY YOU THINK UNTIL YOU ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU THINK.

As a country, we've become very "PC" -- we scorn the "N" word, we have laws against discrimination -- we know what to say and do in public -- but in private? That's where bias thrives -- and remains untouchable. Put simply -- we don't talk about our unsavory thoughts -- or even acknowledge that we have them.

So here we go. Whoever you are listening to this podcast, whatever your ethnicity, race, or religion. You are biased and prejudiced individual. Plain and simple. You are biased against and for certain groups. And how do I know this? Because it is a part of the human condition. Every human being forms prejudices -- about everything...and nothing escapes. We tend to judge others by stereotype -- and in many ways you have to in order to negotiate the world.

But judging by impression often means misjudging. Not all Muslims want to blow buildings. Not all African-Americans love rap music. Not all Italians are emotional and not all English are reserved. We all know that.

So being biased isn't really the problem -- it is being a bigot. The difference? A bigot is defined as someone who is intolerant of any idea, person or philosophy that differs from them. The key word is intolerant of differences.

Sure it can be difficult dealing with others that differ from you -- whether culturally, economically, religiously, or racially. But the bigot not only doesn't try -- but additionally condemns.

So why are people bigots? Fear. The fear that the "other" whoever the other might be, will somehow ruin something about the bigot's life. That's what prompted the murders of Moore and Dee in Mississippi those 40 odd years ago.

Whites in Mississippi were terrified that their life would be irrevocable changed if Blacks voted in local elections. The Ku Klux Klan gained its power from that fear. And that same fear is alive today.

So what do you do to make sure you are not a bigot? Step one, two and three, is honestly taking stock of your own prejudices and preferences. If you don't know that those biases are there, how can you work with them to change them?

Next, think about how your prejudices impede on other people. And finally, educate yourself. Stereotypes are generalizations and as such are inherently flawed. If you truly consider Dr. King's words, you will not allow a stereotype to cloud your ability to openly and honestly judge someone by the content of their character rather than other meaningless markers.

If you truly consider Dr. King's words, you will not allow a stereotype to cloud your ability to openly and honestly judge someone by the content of their character rather than other meaningless markers.

Who we are is more important than what race we belong to. After all, we all belong to the human race.