I gave you an insightful for this. Where I live I see a hell of a lot of people from minority groups, and I never really thought about it, or thought that prejudices and so on worked both ways around. I like the way you write, it's easy to read and passionate and opinionated. Sorry. I'm no good at leaving comments, but just to let you know. I thought this was really well written, and you make a good point.

Dyl xx

i think its a preservation thing. it's real easy for a minority to "lose culture" if they completely immerse themselves in the dominant culture. that's kind of inevitable though, at least partial assimilation. they used to call it a melting pot, now they call it a "mixed salad".In the end, the brightest radish still ends up tasting like the dressing it sits in.

by the way, have you seen the film "Bend It Like Beckham", or "Big Fat Greek Wedding" is another example of this theme. Its terribly common.

i think its a preservation thing. it's real easy for a minority to "lose culture" if they completely immerse themselves in the dominant culture. that's kind of inevitable though, at least partial assimilation. they used to call it a melting pot, now they call it a "mixed salad".In the end, the brightest radish still ends up tasting like the dressing it sits in.

by the way, have you seen the film "Bend It Like Beckham", or "Big Fat Greek Wedding" is another example of this theme. Its terribly common.

There is definitely often prejudice on all sides, but so much is from pure fear. Prejudging is never OK. In America, we are going back in time, I'm afraid. It's very complicated here, especially after 9/11. But I'll stay off of my soapbox today. There are many religions and cultures that have strict beliefs and often marrying outside of your religion can lead to being completely disowned. I know it doesn't make much sense to many to come to a new country, become a citizen and fly your own flag and keep to yourself, but then again, we haven't walked in their shoes.

Prejudging is never OK

Hmm... I have a tendency to trust people and think the best of them. That is a prejudgement. That is not OK? I have never eaten snails, and I'm thinking I don't want to. That is a prejudgement. I've never taken cocaine. I don't think I would like what it would do to me, but I don't really know. That is a prejudgement. If I see a man with a bloody knife walking down the street, I will avoid this person. I do not know why his knife is bloody, but I am making a prejudgement that it is better to avoid a non-danger than take the risk that my blood will be the next to coat that knife.

In my opinion you should be careful about stating any absolutes.

CS Guy- Talking about prejudging in the way I am is not OK. It is not OK to go to someone's blog and call the one they are dissecting, pathological, for instance, without knowing them.

Talking about prejudging in the way I am is not OK

Then you should qualify your statements. Just saying that prejudgement is never OK does not leave any room for interpretation.

It is not OK to go to someone's blog and call the one they are dissecting, pathological, for instance, without knowing them.

If you are basing that opinion on evidence, even percieved evidence, then that is not prejudgement.

You have certainly offered many judgements on Bush, so are you saying that you know him?

CS Guy - It could be that I give too much credit to common sense if I need to qualify. Here's your qualification......it is OK to judge a snail by choosing not to eat it. But if you choose to judge the snail so much that you go on a campaign to kill all snails, it's not OK. It matters not to the snail if your taste buds are close-minded, but it matters a great deal if your close-mindedness affects it's very existence. It is your loss I'm sure the snail thinks. Just as Muggaz must feel that it is the beautiful young Sikh girl's loss, even though it might not be her fault.

The second comment- This man is the president of my country and I have the right and duty to question his actions. I did not vote him in, but once in, I gave him the benefit of the doubt for a long while. This man has much effect on mine and my daughter's life. He is very important to me.
But I'll give you your point. I do not know him personally. Judge away!

it is OK to judge a snail by choosing not to eat it. But if you choose to judge the snail so much that you go on a campaign to kill all snails, it's not OK.

That's a bad analogy. He isn't talking about people going on a killing spree because of some cross-culture exchange. He is talking about exclusion. And so are you...

There are many religions and cultures that have strict beliefs and often marrying outside of your religion can lead to being completely disowned.

Neither of you have discussed genocide. So why bring that into my prejudgement of snails?

Oh common on, my snail thing was cute! You were the one that brought up eating snails, you were the one that brought up the guy with the knife.
But exclusion because of prejudice, I can definitely sink my teeth into that one!

This is just one particular example that makes me upset... this girl lives with the shaddow of ostracism if she does anything against the common trends of her community.

Great article Muggaz, I find that with the progression of time and the influence of the western world and of capitalism slowly the younger generation is starting to detach from these ethno-centered and antiquated ideals of our respective societies.  That's the optimistic viewpoint but is it morally wrong or right that is left up to debate.  I know how I think though and I agree with your position, which may be due to our age...

But exclusion because of prejudice, I can definitely sink my teeth into that one!

That was the point of the snails and the guy with a knife. I was prejudiced to exclude snails from my diet, and guys with bloody knives from my vicinity.

I agree that often, and probably most often, prejudice is bad. But I am not willing to say it is always bad.

Wow - Thanks for your comments guys...

It's an issue that is dear to my heart... My mum married a Pakistani lad, and his extended family basically think us as uncouth, uncultured slobs... and to some degree, they are right, but it really upsets me how they have painted us with the brush just because we have different values...

At the same time, I hold tremndous respect for my father in law, because he is certainly the 'balck sheep' pardon the pun... We had a cousin's 21st in a small country town, and he stuck out like a sore thumb... that takes tremendous courage to put yourself in that position... he is lucky, he is male though, so he doesn't really have to deal with the same consequences as a young sikh girl....

BAM!!!

CS guy you're getting into the muddy water of stereotypes.  Of course not every man with a knife is a killer (ie; could have been a butcher)  but there is a reason that stereotype exists you know?