Am I prejudice? in Life After 60

Brad Paisley’s “Accidental Racist” really created quite a controversy when it was released. It really hits too close to home for some of us. Two guys living their lives and trying hard to understand what it is like being the other guy. I really didn’t give it much thought until I watched an old episode of “The Practice.”
I realize that this is could be a very volatile subject, but please understand, I am taking a long serious look at my convections. Is everything so black and white? Or have the lines become blurred? When did one race become superior over another? As long as I can remember there has been a great divide in this country as well as the world.
My heritage is one I am proud of. But back in the 1800s, it was considered taboo for anyone of Irish descent to marry an Indian. Jump ahead 219 years and no one thinks much about it. But it cost me plenty. I would have qualified to receive benefits from the Cherokee Nation had my great grandparents not been afraid to be counted on the roll.
Interracial marriages are as common as the smartphone. But it wasn’t always that way. But the episode I mentioned earlier got me to thinking. Would I marry a woman from another race and if I would, are there some races I would stay away from? And I didn’t like the answer.
What I thought was personal preference may well be nothing more than prejudice. But how does one know? During the Vietnam War marrying an Asian woman was considered wrong, much like it would have been in the Korean War. Or what about the Japanese Americans in WWII? German’s in WWI? As much as we would like to deny it, there has always been some sort of prejudice or hatred toward another race.
Today it is the Muslim’s the American’s hate. And now the sticky wicket. Is it fair to judge all people of a certain nationality or religion the same? I have read the books that tend to support either side of the argument. While I can only speak for myself, I find it hard to believe that all Muslim’s are radical or evil. Much the same way I find it difficult to believe that all American’s are good upstanding citizens. The danger comes when we lump everyone from one race, nation, or religion into the same category.
But we live in a different world today than we did when I was a child. Children are not born prejudice, they know no color or creed. So we have to learn it. Either by experience or teaching. And as bad as I hate to admit it, I think there is a little bit of prejudice on my part. And I intend to change.

Last updated June 14, 2019