Discrimination…still

Racism, sexism, homophobia, speciesism…the individuals affected by these issues may be different, but the reason they exist is the same – perception, fear, ignorance, misconception, and sometimes hatred of that which is not understood. Because of this, some are perceived as weaker, less intelligent, or of lesser value.

How many stories have you heard about the homophobic person being discriminatory until someone they know/love ‘comes out of the closet’? Anti-homosexual people often change when they can see these individuals ARE ‘like them’. This is the same for discrimination because of race and other forms of bias.

When we are able to transcend mistruths, tradition, and habit to grasp the obvious facts right before our eyes - that the other is thinking, feeling, caring, worthy, loving, deserving - only then do we end the discrimination.

The sad thing is we just keep repeating the mistake. In the beginning of this writing – “the individuals affected by these issues may be different” – no matter how far we come on race equality or sexual equality, we still live by harming and oppressing, living in fear, enslaving, discriminating, and sometimes hating. We still see others as weaker, less intelligent, or of lesser value. It is the same dangerous premise, and it is to our detriment that we cannot just see plain fact and evolve to end the cruelty of human.

Americans practice it by cherishing dogs and cats or loving the birds in their yard, but ruthlessly confining and slaughtering billions of farm animals yearly. Other countries worship cows, or won’t eat pork, and further still, some eat dogs and cats. It is all a form of discrimination.

It is so clear to me now I am frankly stunned I never saw it before. How much I held things against certain beings just for being told I should, or because I did not clearly understand the basis of ALL discrimination and oppression.

Humans are NOT SUPREME to anyone else, regardless of sex, race, or species. People have been led to believe falsehoods that harm us all, and we persistently perpetuate oppression, misunderstanding, cruelty, enslavement, and discrimination. The truth is we are BULLIES.

End discrimination to ALL beings.

Sri Aurobindo, poet and philosopher: "Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage."