1. CHAPTER FIVE Justice and Prejudice

2. What do you think? Take the following statements and mark with “P” for prejudicial or “N” for nonprejudicial or “?” for don’t know. Note at the bottom your reasons for answering the way you did. Break up in Groups and create more expressions indicating prejudicial statements

3. Questions Could you prove any these statements? How do you define equality in statement 5? In your opinion, which people are the greatest victims of prejudice today and why?

4. Go Worship With Your “Own” People -We are called to treat all people with respect and as if they were our sisters or brothers. -Unfortunately, this doesn’t always occur. Take Mohandas Gandhi, for example. -Ghandi, a Hindu, was interested in the Christian church and was discriminated against when he tried to enter the sanctuary in a Christian church. He was told to go worship with his “own” people. -How did Christians discriminate against Ghandi? What kind of prejudice did he encounter?

5. Real-Life Prejudice According to Tolerance.org: Every hour someone commits a hate crime Every day at least 8 blacks, 3 whites, 3 gays, 3 Jews, and 1 Latino become hate crime victims Every week a cross is burned Did you know...

6. Real-Life Prejudice What is Prejudice? 1. Favorable or unfavorable feeling toward a person, place, or thing, prior to, or not based on, actual fact 2. A prejudgment based on insufficient data

7. Did you Know... Negative prejudice is sinful. Why? Real-Life Prejudice - Stereotypes : types of prejudice that are oversimplified generalizations about some aspect of reality Threatens the rights of people Illogical, exhibits stereotypical thinking A fault when it resists new information

8. Definition of a Bigot Prejudiced people who out of pride and stubbornness hold on to their beliefs and erroneous opinions contrary to evidence. They neither listen to nor consider the views of others. They have closed minds and act out of sinfulness.

9. Exercise in Stereotypes Why do people hold these opinions about these groups? Develop a list of at least 5 stereotypes for each of the following groups.

10. Bishops’ Statement on Homosexualtiy “There seems to be no single cause of homosexual orientation….are multiple factors—genetic, hormonal, psychological…sexual orientation is experienced as a given, not as something freely chosen…sexual orientation cannot be considered sinful, for morality presumes the freedom of choice.”

11. Antilocution – speaking against Avoidance – avoiding members of a disliked group Discrimination – harmful actions against disliked persons Physical attack – violence and hate crimes Extermination – killing the undesirable person or group Stages of Prejudice

12. Types of discrimination 1. Sexism – misguided belief that one sex is superior to the other by the nature of things. Stages of Prejudice Examples of sexism In no country in today’s world are women treated as well as men Greater poverty in households headed by women Women suffer from “glass ceiling” effect Some countries restrict the political participation of women Women condemned to unending menial labor Women victimized by men through violence

13. Types of discrimination 2. Ageism: prejudice exhibited against older people Examples of ageism More and more elderly are living in poverty Stability of Social Security and Medicare are of great concern as more people retire The move to legalize euthanasia is an attempt to remove sick elderly persons seen as a burden Stages of Prejudice

14. Types of extermination:  1. Assassinations  2. Lynchings  3. Massacres  4. Terrorist bombings  5. Genocide   Example: The Holocaust  - Resulted from anti-semitism: prejudice against the Jewish people Stages of Prejudice

15. Pastor Neimoeller quote “First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out—because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me—and there was no on left to speak out for me.”

16. Nine ways you can fight prejudice: 1. Pray for your conversion 2. Learn to celebrate differences 3. Look for inequalities in your school, work place, and parish 4. Avoid racial stereotypes, jokes, slurs 5. Refuse to participate in any verbal attacks on homosexual persons 6. Treat those with disabilities as unique individuals 7. Visit a nursing home with some friends 8. Avoid sexist comments 9. Include rather than exclude Stages of Prejudice

17. Attempting to Explain Prejudice Q. Why do people hold on to their prejudices?. People are too lazy to think. Scapegoats are an easy way to deal with negative emotions. Prejudice makes people feel superior. Prejudice thrives because it pays both psychologically and financially Q. What are some characteristics of people who are prejudiced? A. Difficulty dealing with ambiguity A. Low self-esteem A. Authority-oriented

18. Attempting to Explain Prejudice Prejudice is learned The home is the central school for learning prejudice Sexism is key in forming early prejudices

19. Ways to overcome prejudice: Attempting to Explain Prejudice Work with different groups Participate in programs that put self in the shoes of others Be aware that prejudice is inconsistent with one’s values, attitudes and behaviors Establish laws/rules that require the fair treatment of others

20. Vocabulary prejudice stereotypes antilocution Discrimination sexism feminism patriarchy ageism anti-Semitism scapegoating