Patrick Edaburn’s interesting post yesterday, in which he examined his mental reactions to a slow driver, set off a whole slew of thoughts for me regarding stereotypes, prejudices, bigotry, and racism.
For instance: Let’s say you attended a neighborhood social function, and your Republican neighbor talks at length about his son, of whom he’s extremely proud. This beloved son, as it happens, is gay. Yet a week later, you hear a Republican say s/he thinks marriage carries religious connotations and should be reserved for a man and woman, and you think (or say), “Republicans are all homophobes”.
I suspect that your brain, in such a case, has failed to incorporate the data that refutes a prejudicial negative, and you’ve crossed into bigotry.
I’ve explored thoughts like these, and the processes that produce them, here at the Chronicle. It was an interesting exercise, and I look forward to your feedback.