I’m in school and I have another three years until I'm a counselor. I may be a little old to be starting this, but after living my life, well I cannot NOT do this. I am absolutely loving this journey!
I had an assignment to conduct a survey on Discrimination in America. I did a little test sample to begin with and posted a question on Facebook and asked, “who people perceived were the most discriminated group(s) in America.” The choices were between, physically handicap, mentally ill, socio-economically challenged, obese, gay, minority races, and minority religions. The comments got just a tad bit heated. For instance this was a comment concerning obesity, “Unless you have a medical issue that provides you the excuse to be ummm fluffy…” Another Facebooker was defending someone with a mental illness, yet she described the person she was defending as a “Schizo?” Isn’t that discrimination? While another said “I find it easier to discriminate against mentally ill people because they are unpredictable and sometimes a little scary to be around.” Hummm, well, touche, you should have seen me this past weekend, I was scared of myself! Now lest you forget, I’m bi-polar, that’s a mentally ill person. Yes I am very scary at times!
In the end what did I learn? I learned that surveys are subjective, not necessarily objective. We can learn something from them, if we, so to speak read between the lines. Out of the 60 surveys I sent out 43% were answered by men, 57% by women, and only 5% of the answers collected from a minority race.
Incidentally, the survey was sent out to a fair representation of all the groups that were typified in the survey. The 30 that responded either volunteered or were harangued by me, yours truly to give their answers.
The results from the survey…
Out of the 7 groups listed, physically handicap, mentally ill, socio-economically challenged, obese, gay, minority races, and minority religions, the write in category was elected to be used. The write ins added to the list were: single women, American veterans, Christians, Jews and conservatives. Which begs the question, can we all not find means or reasons, possibly even excuses to feel certain levels of discrimination?
Another point, I believe we see the world through our own eyes and experiences, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Blessing, because experience is the best teacher, and a curse if we have never walked in another mans shoes, how can we judge? The results from tabulations were: #1 Race #2 Obesity #3 Gay
There was an additional question posed in that some of these groups of people are more difficult, if not impossible to be identified by just appearances, and yet, if they WERE identified, by for instance, an obvious sign hanging from their neck, would it change people’s opinions? In addition, particularly would it change opinions if it were to have a direct impact or influence upon someones children? Only 14% changed their opinion, but it was enough to change the tabulations.
The result after the change: #1 Gay #2 Race #3 Obesity
Family upbringing was the greatest influence upon why we discriminate with 62% of the vote. Ignorance was sited as the number two possible reason why discrimination exists with it receiving 43% of the vote. I felt was these insights were poignant. It follows along the lines that we do have fears and insecurities as people. We obviously fear what we do not understand or know. We also follow the norms which surround us.
I believe if you look you can find humor in many of our socially skewed views. My vote for the two best comments of the most discriminated against:
“I don’t know, but I think it’s Greg Ostertag.” And,
“Lunch ladies, no one likes them, no one likes their food.”
Unless you’re a lunch lady or Ostertag, I think that’s funny!
If you still have a
BEEF about Discrimination in America post it in the “Comments.”
