When we as people pre-judge others, situations, or ideas, we will always find ourselves on the same ship of ignorance we always love to accuse everyone else of being on. As the age old saying goes...
"Everyone knows what happens when you assume, you make an ass out of u and me."
About six months ago I started this dead end job I still have. As a matter of fact, I am typing this at work, as I refuse to abide by the policies and procedures set forth by this company because they are not only illogical, but also unethical... I work for the phone company, but I digress. When I began working here in September I met a fellow by the name of Charlie. A young man in his mid twenties with a full beard and the ideology of Ronald Reagan, well, maybe more conservative than Reagan but that doesn't matter. As a "liberal" I was drawn to question his ideals and, basically, way of life... I guess you could say, we got off on the wrong foot.
On to the point!
If you are familiar with my previous post regarding this matter, you might assume that Charlie and I have been "at it" for the last five months. Most would guess that when we cross paths in the hall we exchange looks of resentment or disgust. You would be wrong.
As a matter of fact Charlie and I have become great friends. After the "first encounter", if you will, I have accepted Charlie for who he is and what he believes, and he has done the same for me. I understand his bigoted views towards minorities and liberals and he understands why I feel his stance is inaccurate and ignorant. Nonetheless, we get along. It doesn't matter how benighted, dogmatic or unsound I feel his views are, he treats everyone with respect when it's due and enjoys discussing his personal viewpoints openly. Something I always have to respect.
This is an amazing experience!
I met someone, I assumed, from the get go was ignorant and wrong. I get to know this person, and I realize he is as full of color as I am, but comes from a different upbringing, which gives him an, albeit unusual, but very different perspective on the same issues I care about. I truly believed that this man had no chance when I first met him. I didn't think there was anyway I could get along with someone of his radically conservative ideology... I was wrong, and realized I am as guilty as he was for jumping to conclusions about another human being after hearing four or five words come out of his mouth.
I always knew it was wrong to "judge a book by it's cover", so to speak, but as a fallible human myself, I fell into the trap of ignorance so many others before have fallen into. Even witnessing a victim of ignorance parade through life as though they knew everything about anything could not prepare me for a fate I would soon share. Ignorance is a cruel mistress, and leaves very few hints or clues as to where it hides before you fall on top it. I didn't even realize, as I was writing the original piece, that I was hypocritically judging this man, who I still believe is wrong, on his moral character. I was so engulfed in condemning Charlie's opinion and attitude I blinded myself...
I could not see that I was in the same boat he was.
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