Discrimination lives within everyone

The meaning of discrimination is a treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

Our country, Malaysia is a colourful nation, which consists of 3 different races, The Malays, Chinese and Indians. It's is important to work as one and eliminate all sorts of hard feelings against one another in order to avoid any unnecessary fights. However, it's undeniable that discrimination lives within each and everyone of us. Last week, my English teacher, Pn. Monica, brought us to watch a movie. The title of the movie is The Freedom Writers. I must say, the movie is really touching. It made me realize one thing, is that discrimination is like a second nature to us. We often discriminate others without us realizing. Though it's done unintentionally, we'll however offend someone or hurt that person's feelings.


Honestly, whenever we read newspapers on news about rape or robberies, which race will come into our mind first? Why do we sometimes feel extremely uncomfortable whenever there're people who have darker complexion and of different race around us? That's because we think that they are the caused of troubles. That alone can show that one is being prejudice. Discrimination will affect an individual's actual behavior towards a group and leads to the exclusion of the individual or entities based on logical or irrational decision making. We've no right to judge a book by its cover. Besides, we also have no right to assume all people of the same race are bad people just because some of them commit crimes. 

Moreover, we also judge people by it's gender. For example, women are often looked down upon during the early years. Employers prefer to employ men over women as they think that men are more capable than women. Hence, women are only allowed to work in the kitchen. Furthermore, even in this modern era, sons are often paid more attention compared to girls. Some parents believe that they are the ones who will be carrying the family's name therefore they are more important. To them, they are the main priority. Nevertheless, women nowadays have proved that they are more than capable to handle things their own. There are many successful business women out there who are greatly respected by others.