Who am I?
Am I a woman, a daughter, a wife, a mother? Am I a man, a son, a husband, a father? Am I a sister, a brother, a widow, an elder? Am I a sinner or a saint? Am I a black man, a white woman, an Asian girl, a Mexican cousin, an English lady, an Italian nephew, an Australian aborigine, a Middle Eastern Shiite, a Russian Aunt, a Latin Uncle? Am I rich, poor, average, hungry, fat, ugly, happy, tall, smart, kind, hated, loved?
I am, because I am.
My name is Homo sapiens, and I am a human being.
So why am I being blamed for what I didn’t choose? I was given this body and this brain to live on this Earth with other bodies and brains; all of which are unique and beautiful. But how can you tell me that I am not as good as you? You hate me because of the color of my skin or the land I am from but you don’t know me. You haven’t given me the chance to show you that we are the same. Your judgment has already put me in a category I don’t belong in, a stereotype that doesn’t fit me, branding me with hatred that has formed through years of misguidance. I don’t blame you for what you have been taught to see, I only blame how you still remain narrow-minded in your blind world.
At birth I was never given a choice. I was forced to either react to my surroundings or create something from them. Many times I blamed my parents for giving me life, other times I blamed God, but what I now realize is that they didn’t choose either. It was a matter of chance that this mind is contained in this body; that my perspective is only seen through one pair of eyes and I have to accept which ones I get. So, should I count myself lucky if I get a certain race, or if I am beautiful, or if my family has wealth? Most people of this world would say yes, but I would say no. It is easier to have everything and not have to worry about being less valued, than it is to tolerate those who are different and coexist amongst fate. I respect that which is earned, not in terms of money, but in terms of gratitude that we were even given a chance. Though much too often I am told that I must either become like everyone else, or be shunned to solitude. As Plato puts it, when one thinks of a table, one bases all things of that similar form to the standards of the perfect table. But humans are not tables, so why are our standards set for a perfect human that has no known color or shape or race?
There is no perfect human, there will never be a perfect human. But then again who is it that defines what perfect is? A white person in some places have a better advantage than others. A female will have a better chance at somethings then others. A gay male will have a better chance at somethings then others. An athletic person will have better health than others.
ReplyDeleteBut that white male, will probably be accused of racism. That woman will probably receive less pay than her male peers. That gay man will probably be told he is going to hell, and the athlete could possibly be over confident and conceited.
We unfortunately have pre-determined stereotypical advantages and disadvantages assumed about us and I believe that this issue will continue even past the point to where everyone has the same skin color. There will always be differences to judge on, and the imperfect person will be first to judge.