In Our Community

This past weekend I discovered how close the demand for equality was in my own life. I did not realize how many people of different races, genders, religion, and cultures were being judged and persecuted today. I did not realize that the struggle for equality exists in the United States everyday. It is unfair how religions and beliefs are judged; and people are thought to be cruel, dirty, and frightening because of a common stereotype.

            This weekend I lost much respect for an older, Christian woman because of a truly cruel and stereotypical remark she made. A teenager in my youth group at church was discussing how he had recently met a teenager at school. The teen and his family were from the Middle East, and the boy in my youth group had recently befriended him at school. The boy from the Middle East was different, as most Americans are. The two had become friends instantly and today they attend a local school together.

            The older, Christian woman was the mother of the boy who had befriended the young man from the Middle East. Her son had tried to invite his friend over many times, and this Saturday he had tried once more. After another decline from the teenager, the mother started to question her son about the teenager. She asked many cautious questions, but the one that made me angry was a reference to the teenager’s religion. Her son had just finished telling her that the teenager’s religion was Muslim. She made the following remark: “Oh, that’s scary. You better be careful.” I was infuriated upon hearing this story. The mother had judged the teenager based on his religion! She had never met him, and did not know that he was very similar to her own son. The only difference was his beliefs and his culture. I spoke up after she had made this comment. Even though she was older than me by about thirty years, I felt the need to say something. I told her how wrong she was to judge anyone. I reminded her that she never had even met the teenager. I then went on to say that people who judge others find themselves hating other people they have never met. The hate leads to the extermination of all kinds of people, from all over the world.

I wanted to say so much more to this woman, but I was so angry and frustrated that I just could not find any words. How can a Christian woman say something so cruel about another person? I wonder if others are saying that all Christians are just like this woman. I am a Christian. Does that make me a better or worse person? It is not our place to judge. We as Americans are to live freely and bravely. It is not our place as Americans to judge others based on their race, gender, religion, and culture. We need to be strong and together as one accepting and free nation.