Racism doesn’t discriminate. Racism can affect anyone and the proof is in this article written by Glen Pearson, co-founder of Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan, co-director of the London Food Bank and a former MP.

This article is titled “Prejudice, even here in London”

It was sad to read this article because someone decided to voice their opinion in a way that was unsuitable and in my opinion should have not been said at all. It was sad to read about this 2 men being verbally attacked by someone else in a public space. What is sad is that this sort of thing happens all the time and it shouldn’t.

I thought I would share this article in hopes that people will soon realize that prejudice, racism, stereotyping … all things discriminatory, do not discriminate: it can affect anyone, any place, any time.

Writing this I am reminded of an incident I witnessed. An organization who had claimed to be creating a project with partnership between itself and Aboriginal communities, it’s own employee had openly ridiculed one of the Aboriginal communities in it’s own office. What was even more sad about this, is that this person was considered “the face of the project” and had been described as a “visible minority” herself. It made me sad when I learned that she only had said this discriminatory comment out of frustration and it was just swept under the rug.

Just because you don’t say something racist, discriminatory, marginalizing or oppressive to someone who doesn’t hear it or who you can’t look directly in the face, does not make it (for lack of a better word) “correct.” Even individuals part of a visible minority group can discriminate or have discriminatory words or behaviours towards another visible minority group (which is sometimes even worse–the oppressed further oppressing another oppressed group.)

So please, next time you open your mouth to voice your opinion whether you think you are right or not, or whether it is out of pure frustration or not, does not make it right. Remember: All things discriminatory, do not discriminate: it can affect anyone, any place, any time.