Demean, Degrade, Denigrate, Discriminate, and Persecute

Posted On

Has humanity lost its collective mind?

Sociologist, Martin Oppenheimer, who with his family fled Nazi persecution in the 1930s, believes “that hate gains fertile ground by tapping into a group’s insecurities or fears.” Consider the recent rise of White Nationalism in America, the mass shootings of non-white people, and the plethora of news stories from around the world containing the words racism, religious persecution, and discrimination. It is overwhelming.  

Banks Do It – An indigenous grandfather and his 12-year-old granddaughter were wrongly arrested while trying to open a bank account at the Bank of Montreal, Canada. The bank later offered an insipid apology to the man and his granddaughter. APTN News

A Detroit resident who had just settled a racial discrimination lawsuit against his previous employer must have thought his legal troubles were over when he went to cash the checks he received. He didn’t expect to walk right into another discrimination case, this time with his bank. New York Post

Sports Teams and Fans Do It

The son of Congolese immigrants, Lukaku was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and transformed into a phenomenal goal scorer for his country’s superb national and international teams. However, his first season in Italian soccer was tempered by the harsh reality of racism that routinely blights matches in that country. GQ

Corporations Do It – Corporations knowingly build poisonous, environment- and health-damaging factories and pipelines near sovereign land and in indigenous communities. Companies still make poor product decisions and use demeaning and degrading messaging on their products or about their products. www.thegrio.com Native Daughters

Countries, Governments, and Communities Do It

After decades of governmental policies that took away their lands and resources, indigenous people throughout the world today continue to be separated from the income and assets rightfully theirs. They continue to be disenfranchised and suffer from the racial wealth divide. Huff Post The National

It Seems as if the Whole World Does It 

“Solidarity is needed to halt the dangerous rise of global antisemitism,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “As we work to live up to the promise of “Never again,” we need to examine our prejudices; guard against the misuse of our technology, and be alert to any signs that hatred is being normalized,” Guterres told the UN General Assembly this week. Jerusalem Post

The Roma, who were persecuted and murdered during the Holocaust, continue to be persecuted today throughout Europe. Today they are considered the most persecuted group in Europe where discrimination against them is the norm.  The Guardian and The Daily Beast

India passed a law that grants citizenship to religious minorities – except Muslims – from neighboring countries, with legal experts saying it violates the country’s secular constitution. Aljazeera

Across the globe, Asian people are reporting cases of blatant racism, and many of those targeted have never even stepped foot in China where an epidemic is raging. Some are not of Chinese descent but from different Asian origins. The Hill.com

What if … we understood the opposite of love is not hate, but fear. What if we acknowledged that fear gives rise to hate? What if we questioned who we fear or consider inferior? What if God had one son, and it is us, all of us? You don’t believe in God? No problem. What if you believed in love and the value of humanity?  Could we talk ourselves off the ledge of hatred and take stand on a platform of openness and understanding?

John Lennon said it best.

“Imagine all the people
living life in peace

you may say that I’m a dreamer
but I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
and the world will be as one.”

John Lennon’s Imagine.