> It is difficult to not make a judgement in these situations. But this is
> when the problem never ends. When one makes the judgement, then one acts
> on it. Our bevahior will be based in that judgement. For instance if I
> found someone who hates me because I am hispanic and I make a negative
> judgement about it, then I jsut hate the person back.
I would look at it differently. I see no necessity to hate someone
who I judge as contravening my principles (which include fighting
against racism). Perhaps your judgment must imply a cause effect,
but mine doesn't. And, the wonder of humans is that we can learn to
judge behaviours, and then consciously choose an appropriate action.
For example if you were to "hate" such a person, I would presume that
you wouldn't for example commit murder.
> If I tried (easy to
> say) to hold this jugement and make an effort to learn why the person
> feels that way, I may even find a way to change that person's notion about
> hispanics. MOst discrimination is the result of misinformation and/or
> ignorance, without ignoring a few other factors.
I have at times experienced discrimination and judged the person to
be a number of negative things. That does not interfere with my
understanding of the racist attitude, neither does it mean that I
with-hold judgment about what could be a disgusting behaviour
(judgment).
There is another thing, perhaps. I don't know about other people, but
there are many situations where I have NO interest in understanding a
person' behaviour, it being sufficient to have acknowledged it's
existence. In the racism example, unless I have a desire to help that
person change attitudes (and been invited to do s0), knowing WHY they
are prejudiced is largely irrelevant to me. Besides, I have heard it
all before.
I can judge, I can understand, and I can act, and with maturity see
each of those dimensions as being somewhat or wholly under my control
and responsibility, seperately. I wish to choose. I do choose.
Robert Bacal, Bacal & Associates, rbacal@escape.ca
Join us at our Resource Centre at
http://www.winnipeg.freenet.mb.ca/~dbt359
Phone: (204) 888-9290
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