← Return to Recognizing my own bias or prejudice .....

Discussion

Recognizing my own bias or prejudice .....

Just Want to Talk | Last Active: Oct 15, 2019 | Replies (173)

Comment receiving replies
@ellerbracke

To be honest - I still can’t quite let go of some bias/prejudices. And some may be confirmed. Aside from fat people etc.... an acquaintance who sometimes works with homeless people in church settings absolutely knows that even if given free food and shelter and access to jobs and medical care, in his experience 80% of those people reached will quit their jobs, junk their lodgings, and go back to living on the street. So should I not consider them street people? Or, not “label” them? Or not be upset, either because they won’t let themselves be helped, or because they live on the streets? About to spend some time in Portland, OR, and that is really challenging to walk downtown. Homeless everywhere, like locusts. Mostly harmless, but still smelly, semi-lucid, side-walk dwelling. Not pleasant.
So, I think I still will always harbor some resentment, or just can’t get why people don’t get available help, or why they don’t help each other more.
How about I will give some 2nd thought before judging? But not a 3rd one, if your buggy is full of pork rinds and chips, and you need a scooter to get them into your basket.

Jump to this post


Replies to "To be honest - I still can’t quite let go of some bias/prejudices. And some may..."

@ellerbracke I have personally experienced prejudice due to gender/body size/tattoos. To me I look at it as a challenge to hope to show to those people that I am not what they perceive. As to homeless: my brother-in-law is homeless, and has been for well over 20 years. He has been offered a hand up several times, but does not want to follow restrictions like giving up alcohol or drugs. He had a sometimes-job but the company moved, and he refused any assistance. He receives SSI and meal-cards. Several people have suggested to my husband that he should take his brother in, but we know that would not end well, nor would my BIL be happy. He lives sometimes in the riverbed, sometimes in an industrial park. He is not a criminal in the classic sense, but it's criminal the way he let his life go. Just my two cents....
Ginger