Prejudice and Discrimination

9/3/24 ~ by Griz (aka Steve Stovner) ~

I Do Not believe in or support discrimination or prejudice by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular race, ethnic group, religion, skin color, body configuration, political mindset, sexual preference , etc.

However, I have a strong personal bias against (do not want to associate with) any “individual” (independent of their race, ethnic group, religion, skin color, body configuration, political mindset, sexual preference , etc.) that:

Is loud, pushy and/or irritating
Tries to impose or push their beliefs on me
Lies, cheats, steals or commits crimes against humanity (my list)
Demonstrates a belief that they are superior to me.
Acts in a manner that impedes my freedom of choice
Blames me for the actions of others
Discriminates or demonstrates hatred against me because I am a member of a particular race, ethnic group, religion, skin color, body configuration, political mindset, sexual preference , etc.
etc.

You have the right to your beliefs without my interference.
I have the right to my beliefs without your interference.
We both have the responsibility to tolerate the individual beliefs of the other.
Neither of us have the right to impose our beliefs on the other.

We both have the right to express our beliefs in a non-interfering manner (as I am doing here). If you are on a legal, non-interfering soap box expounding your beliefs; I have no right to interfere with your doing so, I can stop and listen or I can walk away (my choice). However, if you intrude into my space expressing your beliefs, get up in my face, or impede in any way my ability to not hear your beliefs, then I will be biased against you personally. Not because of your beliefs, ethnicity or sexual preference, but because you are disrespecting my right to not hear your beliefs, if I so desire.

I have had very successful working relationships with people which held beliefs and/or lived lifestyles which I most definitely disagree with, including devout communists, gays, homophobes, religious fanatics, racists, bigots, and others. This was possible because we shared common professional goals and did not flaunt or try to impose our personnel beliefs or lifestyles on each other.

We all need to focus on our commonness, not our differences.

~~~ If you want others to respect your right to believe as you do,
then you must respect their right to believe as they do. ~~~

Note: I do not condone racism, sexism, acts of terrorism by a religious fanatic, etc, etc.
There is a huge difference between agreeing someone has the right to hold a belief and agreeing with their belief.
For example: An act of racism should never be tolerated (should always be prosecuted), but a person’s belief that members of an ethnic group are subhuman is not prosecutable and should not be.