Discrimination is the Basis of All Ignorance, Conflict and Violence

I found Jane Elliott many years ago and knew she was right.  I have undertaken some sensitisation training regarding culture.  What I notice today is we have not evolved into an awareness of how deeply we discriminate not only on the basis of skin colour but race, religion, creed and even through the psychological dis-ease of greed.  We become blinded by the prejudice which in our minds can justify a range of covert and overt violence.  Jane Elliott is an expert on diversity states we are taught to be racist you were not born racist, we can unlearn it.  She states people do not want to unlearn racism because we are afraid of losing power.  If we shared power we would empower more people she says.    She also stated racism is mental health issue.  You are not dealing with reality.  I would definitely agree in my experience.  People don’t think they are prejudice is because they are unconscious of their bias as it is normalised.  That is what I learned.

I personally, when clowning around can’t see colour or race, I only see smiling or not.  I have had the experience of seeing us all as ONE.

This video gives insights into the deep prejudice we have normalised which have significant impacts on those deemed as inferior in some way.  I certainly am having the experience of homelessness and I have already experienced prejudice with another woman. She was friendly to me until I told her I was homeless.  Now for me the normal response would be to say ‘do you need help’ but in this case she ignored me and went back to her crossword (denial).  I was fascinated and quietly left her to it.  I am still the same person I was when an analyst, working in London, or in professional capacities in other sphere’s, but m choice to identify as homeless changed the game and I am observing.  It is on the basis of a characteristic or perception of why a person is homeless.  I deliberately let people know as I feel no shame and am curious to see how it excludes or includes me.  I have been ignored by quite a few people.  I have noticed that even at a homelessness conference that was sensitising the audience to respecting the homeless, after I spoke about my situation, not one person approached me.  I realised the issue was lack of empathy and lack of experience but in respect f what you will see in this film (Jane Elliott) it was subtle discrimination as I was viewed as less or somehow powerless.  This is all due to a thought not the reality on the ground.  So for me I am exploring what is reality.  I am without money that is true, I have a bed right now as a friend is helping but I realise that I cannot expect her to support me, so I know it is short term.  However, I do not see myself as a failure as most in this situation would.  I have family that separate from me as judgement is there.  I came to understand that when people judge the heart closes.  When they do not judge they actually assist.  So those unquestioned judgements of ‘get a job’, ‘bludger’, ‘loser’, ‘failure’ divide people.  I am seen as a failure by some as I didn’t have a family and clearly don’t have a paid job and within a protestant work ethic philosophy that is seen as ‘less’.  Yet I come from a different view of all as equal and I see life as a journey.  So for me I am seeking to learn from my experience as I wish to understand the reality for those who are the most judged and how their opportunities change as a result of how another views them.  For me my work is to stay in a space of unconditional love for all people.  I will step back from judgement, even those who are in well to do positions, I actually don’t hold that as superior or somehow a success.  For me I am interested in whether people care or not, love or not, judge or not, exclude or not and so on.  It is all on the basis of a belief not reality.  That I am clear about. I am awakening to prejudice in our world and I ask is it fair?  If you were in the situation of the other who is seen as less, would you want that?  If the answer is no, then don’t project it onto another.

So here is some information about the enlightened Jane Elliott, a world teacher I would add, who has come to show us to ourselves and the prejudice and ignorance we think is normal is indeed very ugly.  I am glad I have revisited this subject.  The next video highlights the problem with education and educating for what we want to hear rather than real education that illuminates insights, truths and awareness.  Jane Elliott spoke of African people came to the US before Columbus, I found that interesting.  Black lives do indeed matter.  I am with her we are ONE.

Discrimination is the Basis of All Ignorance, Conflict and Violence