What causes situations involving discrimination and racism to occur? To demonstrate, years ago when I was in elementary school, I was discriminated on a few occasions because of a simple reason that I could not speak English. With this in mind, I developed three speculations which were derived from others experiences including my own. One idea is due to the personal experiences with a specific ethnic group that were negative. Second, social media could cause people to discriminate others by what they read in posts or see in videos with captions relating to the ethnicity of the individual committing the act. Lastly, various people using religion as an excuse to judge others by appearance and having beliefs that are not accepted in the bible or other sources. First, I will explain how sharing negative experiences can cause discrimination towards others.
Surprisingly, I have heard several experiences from all groups of people which were about discrimination. On one occasion, a random person scolded the other to learn to speak English or leave the country. One of my experiences was similar to that, I was in school and a girl in my class had said to me “you can’t speak Spanish here, you can only speak English or I will tell the teacher.” Unfortunately, it resembles countless of incidents with the same concept. Other experiences were about physical altercations with a specific ethnic group. This usually starts with an insult about the other’s appearance and after, it escalates into a fight. In this case, to prove who is superior and for their pride of where they come from. As a result, the resentment for each other produces prejudice and continued dislike for the oppose ethnic group. Furthermore, this can correlate with the influence of social media contributing pessimistic opinions towards a person or a group of people.
Living in a technological world where people are constantly on their phones, they are able to view a new update or a photo of current events. To illustrate, spreading photos of a crime being committed by a person of a specific ethnic group. A new update status on how “corrupted” police officers are abusing an innocent bystander because he or she was a different color of skin or different sexual orientation. I have witnessed in my own social media random people distributing this information to direct antagonism when there is no verification on the real cause of the situation. Just as easily it is to flaunt hatred toward the distinct person or a group of people and claim it is the right thing to do. Social media has sufficient power to prompt others to feel malevolence against those who have different appearances or different beliefs. Beliefs from various religions also have a relation to discrimination as well.
Regrettably, religion became an extensive reason to judge others by appearance, discriminate others who disagree with certain beliefs, and attempts to prevent certain behaviors/thoughts to be accepted. At abundant of situations, religion was used as a reference to discriminate people by their appearance, such as tattoos were considered a “sin in the bible” and the person was labeled a sinner. As a person who was raised in a Catholic family, I have also been discriminated by people who are not known as Catholics. For instance, asking me questions about the bible and why I choose to follow a religion that does not respect our Creator by worshiping Saints as well. Nonetheless, the common root of the problem is either religion allows certain behaviors or thoughts to be accepted or not. I certainly believe each to their own beliefs and to respect it, however, I don’t agree with convincing others their religion or beliefs as not valid and should follow one particular path.
As you can presume, the continued discrimination and racism can be the effect of sharing experiences, which involve physical altercations and ordering others to deny their culture by another ethnic group. The impact social media has over viewers to spread enmity to diverse races, preference of romantic partners, and the choice between being a female or male. Furthermore, referencing from the bible or other sources of religion to discriminate by how the person looks, what they choose to believe in, and what behaviors/thoughts are allowed in the society. It is like a tremendous circle that will never cease because it is a part of a balance in human nature: if there is hate, there is also love.
ContrerasElisa1101 