Empathy and the Bigotry of Separation

NOTE: Please welcome Susanne back to the world of blog. Here is her first guest post; a timely yet sadly timeless theme :

There has been a lot of talk about the cartoon violence. One of the interesting points made is that we are only focusing on the violence because of our bigotry towards Muslims and/or those in the Middle East. Also that the Muslims are not being violent in response to the cartoons, but because of our constant bigotted views.

I am half Korean/half Cauc. I have lived truly poor ranging to upper middle class. I grew up in Atlanta and Chicago, and now live in the Seattle area. I have seen and experienced enough racism to last me a lifetime. I guess I subscribe to the Taoist philosophy on this one. When you recognize difference, that difference now exists. Humans classify absolutely everything – it helps us, but also causes strife. You say that Euro centrists can not put themselves into others’ shoes. That statement statistically must be true for some. The same is also true of pretty much any group you can come up with. Heterosexuals can’t really put themselves into the shoes of someone in the GLBT community. Any race with any other race. Any region with any other region. A socioeconomic class with another class. The list is infinite. And within ALL groups, there are folks who can not empathize with difference. And within ALL groups, there are folks who WILL not empathize with difference. I believe all of us have conceptions and beliefs, and sometimes those can be to the detriment of others. I think it is too easily flung out there “you’re a bigot”. We’re all bigots really, and I mean every person on this planet. Most folks who actively work to minimize the bigotries they hold are absolutely horrified and go running when someone calls them a bigot. I think it’s because they compare themselves to someone who emphasizes their bigotry. I believe it is important for individuals to self-examine to ensure they are not letting their bigotries be the sole basis of a decision, and to help those around them. This is my problem with theism, because it strongly emphasizes difference and grouping.

The violence eruption is focused on because humans like to think of themselves as above violence. I think we are like all animals that will fight when cornered and/or threatened. Many people, especially in this country, have not been pushed to that limit in their lives, and therefore there is intense scrutiny and disdain when we see it. I think MLK was an amazing person because he saw that threshold crossed, the normal instinct to fight when caged, and was able to make human beings channel that differently. That was a shining moment for humanity, but unfortunately there aren’t enough MLKs around the world.