One Story

     My personal experience with one-story related ignorance involves my German heritage.  When Americans think of Germany, they seem to think of Nazis, beer and funny accents, in that order.

It's not hard to imagine why.  The only time Germany is brought up in American schools is World War 2.  It's also about the only thing the History channel ever talked about until it decided to shift gears and focus on nonsense conspiracies and reality TV.  Elsewhere on TV, there are countless road-trip or party movies wherein the characters invariably wind up in Germany for Oktoberfest.  Beerfest comes to mind.

     When I was in middle school--that lovely time in our lives when kids have discovered horrible ways to hurt each other but haven't developed the maturity not to do so--there were a few occasions where I was called a Nazi simply because I said I was German.  The potential informational structures of DNA are unfathomably numerous, but I believe it is incredibly unlikely that one could find the text of Mein Kampf encoded into my DNA.  Moreover, I think it just as likely that were such a thing to happen, it is equally likely to happen to anyone, regardless of where they happen to be born.

     These words hurt as a kid, but now I recognize it for what it is: ignorance.  People who would call me a Nazi for being German would turn around a lament that others call them inbred for being southern, lazy for being Hispanic or criminal for being black.  They possess a stunning lack of self-awareness and empathy that is tragic, but understandable.  

     Were I to probe my thoughts and feelings long enough I'd find some misinformed perspective about some group of people that could be considered harmful.  My defense is simple: to recognize where I am ignorant.  When I feel a certain way about someone new I ask myself why I feel that way.  Is it because of some behavior they exhibit or is it because of cultural stereotypes ingrained into me?  

     Perhaps I'm cynical, but I find that many people offer reasons to hate them for what they choose to be.  Hating them for what they didn't choose to be is lazy on top of being wrong.  If you must be hateful instead of compassionate, at least put in the effort to make it justified.