disgusted by foreign people?
When people exhibit signs of racism, it often comes from a mindset that makes some people think they are better than others in every respect – because they are perfect – and it’s not something that’s peculiar to one race. Steffi is a ‘perfect’ person, and it’s not just foreign people who disgust her sensibilities but just about every other physical and cultural difference between her and everyone else.“I am disgusted by foreign people because they are so different,” explains Steffi, “but I am also disgusted by ugly people, deformed people, sick people, old people, and people with all sorts of disabilities.”
“I know it’s cruel, people can’t help who they are,” says Steffi, “and I am sure many foreigners feel the same way about me, and I can understand that.”
“I am most certainly not rude to foreigners,” says Steffi. “I tolerate them and I’m courteous to them just like I am to everybody – just as long as I don’t have to spend too much time with them.”
“I cannot help myself for feeling this way about foreigners, but I can help myself by not showing my feelings to those I am offended by,” says Steffi, “and this is what toleration is all about.”
“It is not about training myself to love what I hate -- I can’t do that,” explains Steffi, “but I can be pleasant to a foreign person who disgusts me when I really have to relate to them.”
“And, I can choose to turn away and mind my own business when I don’t have deal with foreigners.”
Read more by Steffi on this issue:
Labels: cultural differences, foreign people, perfect people, racism
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