The B-Word

I was driving home when a Yellow Boy (MAPSA) motioned me to stop. Which of course, I did. A pedestrian-couple crossed in front of me. The couple was a Caucasian guy and a Filipina. And to my eternal shame, my bigotry reared its ugly head.

Yes, that’s what I was thinking too.

I remember a time in my life when I had an American boyfriend. And I know it sounds a lot like prejudice, but I did tell him once that I was glad that he was of Filipino descent, and therefore, not white. Otherwise, people would stare at us thinking what usually pops in my head when I see couples like that.

We all try to be good people. But we also have our little bouts of bigotry. It could be something like mine. Some would have it against ex-convicts or women who get pregnant out of wedlock.

I know someone who has it against people with tattoos (thinks they’re druggies) and Muslims (thinks they’re all terrorists).

But while we may all be guilty of our own brand or biases, I think the more important thing is when we try to go beyond that. To step beyond our initial thoughts, our malformed beliefs.

I can tell you thought, it’s not easy. I had been trying to shake off that first thought for years. Yet, since they always catch me unprepared, I have only gotten as far as telling myself off as soon as I realize it has come.

Hope you had better success than I have.