Educate Consciousness

We must educate to alleviate the problem of prejudism in our society. Prejudism is a worldwide phenomenon which has come along way since slavery, yet still we have light years of change to make as human beings. Our minds are trained to judge; we are constantly critiquing the news broadcaster, or an outfit a model is wearing on T.V. We are so blind to prejudice that most of us walk around with our eyes closed, and our judge robes tied tight. Whether we meet a stranger, or just pass one on the street, there is always at least a flicker of judgment, either conscious or unconscious, influenced by each person's inlaid prejudism.

It is this smoldering fire that lies beneath the eye level of everyday consciousness; as life progresses the fire grows and the human race burns on with stereotypes and hatred. Human self expression is all too often discouraged, while our right to freedom is being suppressed by society, how are we to keep our human dignity as individuals? What can be done to stop such ignorant behavior? Well, the first step towards change is acceptance, and awareness of the problem through education.

Sometimes acceptance of your own flaws is necessary before others can learn to accept them. Once everyone is aware of the flaws, it is somehow easier to cope with them and learn to change the behavior. Sadly, most of America (by choice or by accident) is still oblivious to the flaw in society we call prejudism.

It's simple; just take a look at your thought process when you come across a homosexual, an African American, a drug-addict, a transsexual, a gang-member, a disabled veteran, an ex-convict, a pushy preacher, or a prejudice southerner. What is your reaction to them? Do you feel uneasy, are you afraid, disgusted, or do you feel no different then you did moments before you met them?

Do you think that is something these stereotyped people face everyday? Well, it is, and there is something we can all do to help. We can talk about racism and stereotyping within our families, our jobs, our communities, and teach proper ways to handle these difficult situations. We must educate consciousness to alleviate the problem of prejudism within our society.

Acceptance is powerful; it can change an entire community for the better. Our society encourages its citizens at a very young age to conform, and be more comfortable with themselves once they act like everyone else. Individuality is something to be proud of; it is not an expendable human asset. Loss of our individuality as a country will result in defamation of our Constitution.

In the first section of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution congress enforces that "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

America may accept all ages, races, creeds, religions, and sexual orientations, yet somehow we as a society manage to stifle the progress of our citizens as individuals, by restricting their social rights to be an individual in the first place. Conform; choose the "right" way to live, as expressed by the popular culture of our time. Or welcome consciousness; accept who you are, be proud of your own personal diversity, make it a part of you that you cannot live with out. That is the way to true freedom and respect for our individual human dignity.

Our society and popular culture encourages us to stick with the masses, and conform to society, yet all of our instincts tell us to rear against the norm, and become an individual. So where do our spirits lie? In the depths of our souls we now that each person carries a future and has a purpose for their lives, so why does society become "paranoid" or make a show of those of us who are different? Are we bored? Have we nothing better to do as a society but make a mockery of our underlying diversity? This is something we should all be proud of, not belittle and objectify amongst ourselves. Why not use all that energy to focus on educating consciousness throughout the masses. Bringing home the fact that we are all in this together for the greater good of our society, and it's impending future!