Justice and Prejudice Both Have a Blind Eye

These two pictures are of Capetown and Cape Point, South Africa, where such breathtaking beauty is still marred by racism, even though apartheid ended over 15 years ago.

"I was... brought up by honorable parents... They were upright and kind and law-abiding; they taught me my prayers and took me regularly to church... from them I learned all that a child should learn of honor and charity and generosity. But of South Africa I learned nothing at all."
-p 207

This quote is taken from one of Jarvis' articles that is his father reads after his untimely death at the hands of Kumalo's son. In the rest of the article, Jarvis writes of how he always loved South Africa and it seemed so beautiful to him, yet he never learned anything of the true hates and fears of his country and that therefore, he is going to devote his life to fighting them - not because he is courageous and worthy, but because it is only way he can "end the conflict of his deepest soul."
So, where then do we learn of prejudice and what do we do with that knowledge once we have it?

I first learned about prejudice in the 3rd grade when one of my friends told me about this weird guy named Hitler who wanted to kill all the Jews. I didn't believe him at first because genocide was an act beyond my comprehension. There was simply no reality in which one person would kill millions because of something they couldn't help. As I grew up, I learned about the Rwandan Genocide and South African apartheid and religious wars in India. The world which used to be so beautiful and full "sun and gold and oranges" was now filled with death and hate.

I also learned that with Jarvis' parents, prejudice is not always an active force. Inaction on the part of the ambivalent and complacent is what perpetuates prejudice. In my hometown, there is a clear racial and economic line dividing the city in half. North Tulsa is where poor minorities, the largest of which is still black, live and South Tulsa is where all the rich white people live. My parents, like Jarvis', taught me of honor, charity, and generosity and took me to church and were good people. And yet, they also taught me that North Tulsa is not safe. In their defense, the crime rate is significantly higher, but not allowing me to drive myself to a NHS service project in North Tulsa during the day is taking it a bit far. My parents would never say anything blatantly racist, especially considering my younger sister is adopted from South Korea. Yet, they don't fight the dividing line and the prejudice of others continues.

When were your eyes first opened to prejudice? What are ways that you and others inadvertently perpetuate the problem?What can we as JBU students do to combat the prejudice we find surrounding us? Would you be willing "to do what is right, no matter the cost"?