DIV4/6: DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE

Discrimination and prejudice 

Out of the major forms/cases of prejudice and social discrimination common in society today;

Prejudice comes from the word “pre-judgment” where one judges and makes conclusions about another before dealing with him or her yet social discrimination refers to the tendency of judging and treating people differently especially basing on their beliefs or personal traits.

FORMS OF SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION

1. Racial discrimination. This involves treating people differently basing on the colour of their skin.  For example in South Africa during the apartheid regime the blacks were treated like slaves and servants.
2. Religious discrimination. In this case people look at each other on religious grounds.  One may be a Christian and is discriminated by moslems like in arrangement seAfrican traditional society if he happens to go to their functions like DUWA prayers.
3. Cultural discriminations. Some people ill treat or under treat others because they do not practice and believe in their cultural behavior.  For instance among the Bagisu in western Uganda people who stay within their society who are above 18 years but not circumcised are segregate.  Sometimes even not Bagisu by birth may be forcefully circumcised.
4. Minority discrimination. This form of discrimination may happen depending on numbers. Those whose numbers especially on tribal bases tends to be higher may segregate the lower numbers.  This was historically noted in Rwanda and Burundi where the Hutu discriminated the Tutsi resulting into a war in 1990 – 1994.
5. Tribal discrimination. People here tend to segregate members of other tribes or segregate people of a given tribe. In Uganda the Baganda historically were at longer heads with Banyoro since Buganda had captured Bunyoro areas of Buyaga and Bugangayizi but now they are in good terms.  However signs of tribal discriminations are still noted between Baganda who keep belittling the thinking of some Basoga.
6. Nationality discrimination. There are some nations which consider themselves to be superior and so keep undermining other states. For instance getting a visa for a Ugandan to go and work in German or USA is not easy because they underlook the capability of blacks.
7. Sexual discrimination. The maleness or femaleness of a person may cause a discrimination to him/ her.  Women in this case are treated as a weak sex and timild.  So some employers do not appoint them on top posts.  Such when they get married they are forced to drop part of their names which men do not do, and then adopt the husband’s names for example Mrs. Kintu.
8. Physical discrimination. The physical appearance in terms of height and may be colour and skin nature determines how some body may be treated.  In many cases women who are obese and very other so short nature people like pygmies are treated by many people by pity and discriminated.
9. Disability discrimination. In many cases people are treated differently depending on whether or not one is disabled like the lame, and insane. In many essential places in Uganda like hospitals, banks and schools the buildings do not cater for the lame indicating discrimination.
10. Caste discrimination. In some communities people are categorized in classes depending on heredity and birth.  Members of different castes are treated differently.  For instance Uganda/ Buganda kingdom, the royal family members are treated special yet the other common people whether rich or poor, old or young always bow down to the royal family members on special functions.
11. Age discrimination. This is a very common form of discrimination in which young people are treated and underlooked by the seniors in age.  For instance the constitution of Uganda bars anyone below 18 years of age to engage in sex or be married. So anyone caught doing so may be convicted of practicing fornication or involved in rape, defilement or adultery.
12. Political discrimination. Those in power tend to reward in terms of offices to only those who side with them and whose values are identical to theirs.  So the opposition is usually discriminated against.  For instance all minister and resident district commissioners in the current national resistance movement organization (NRMO) government are taken to be party supporters.
13. Professional discrimination. On several occasions people are treated differently depending on their careers.  Generally in Uganda though graduates used to be respected every where, graduate teachers receive much discrimination among other graduate because they tend to receive poor salaries compared to others.
14. Economic discrimination. In this form, people are treated with a lot of respect and love or are discriminated depending on their financial status.  People like Wavamuno, John Ssebana Kizito, Ssebalamu are highly respected because they have proved to be bourgeoisie.

CAUSES OF PREJUDICE AND SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION IN SOCIETY

• The influence of the past experience some times may lead to prejudice and discrimination. Some people at maturity or when in power may turn out to torture one’s brother or sister.  This sign of prejudice or social discrimination may e well exhibited when one comes for an interview in a place where now the interviewer was once tortured by the relative of the one coming for the interview.
• Prejudice may happen due to misfortunate and ignorance of the law or one’s rights. Some one may be hired to talk ill towards others.  Some people are discriminated basing on the prior information given to them by the elders or just close friend.  For example many people take the Bakiga as belligerent but some may be humble many calls the Batooro are very lazy people but there are many who are hardworking.  Other people practice prejudice because he/she was told that all Baganda are crafty yet there could be some who are honest.
• The education levels are also a big basis for prejudice or social discrimination. The highly educated people with levels like Bachelors and masters or doctorate tend to develop discrimination habits by alienating themselves from the illiterates. For instance the lawyers/judges call themselves ‘the learned friends”.
• Colonialism tendencies in Africa have continued to manifest signs of social discrimination. The colonial masters instigated serious hatred between many African societies. For example the British created a big misunderstanding between the Baganda and Banyoro, the Masai and Nandi in Kenya and the Fante and Asante in W.A.
• Pride is another big cause of social discrimination or prejudice common in society. Some people feel highly about themselves and do not give respect (damn) about others.  This mainly happens because one feels economically strong and physically or militarily strong.  This has been exemplified by the current president of USA Trump. D. who dislikes blacks especially Africans in USA whom he keeps putting up measures to push them out.
• Signs of prejudice and social discrimination are exposed to some people because some people are segregative in nature due to lack of awareness. They depend on small issues and thus permit them to develop biases towards each other.  For instance some Sebei and Kikuyu still believe in women circumcision ignorantly not knowing the negative repercussions of such a practice.
• Selfishness is common in political discrimination. Many political heads of state are not generally willing to share the national cake with the opposition parties.  For example a former diehard of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Eria Kategaya was thrown out of the cabinet in the 2003 reshuffle.  Similarly the former prime minister of Uganda John Patrick Amama Mbabazi was reshuffled when he claimed to stand for presidency in 2016 and so was.
• Some people do not have apathy (concern) for others and so look at issues from very narrow perspective which indicates signs of discrimination.
• Discrimination at times comes from lack signs of tolerance towards other people’s values that they hold with high esteem. For instance many Banyankole do not like or support the idea of land registration by Buganda land board and Federo governments advocated for by the Baganda because they think they will loose their land or their stay in Buganda region which may not be true..
• Social discrimination at times emanates from conservativeness and unwillingness to accept change as a fact of life. For instance he NRMO government has continued to show signs of prejudice or discrimination towards the ideas of the opposition members because NRMO is conservative and never thinks of any one time leaving power of presidency.
• Signs of irreligiousness have increased tendencies of segregations in society. We have got many splinter groups in the Christian faith stating up as born again churches.  But still members of these different churches do not have good relations as Christians and thus irreligiousness causing more discrimination in society.
• Groupings also cause discriminations in society. When teenagers are encouraged to form different groups according age brackets or sex.  Sex discrimination cannot be avoided.  Each group feels superior to the other and is prejudiced against them.

SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION

What does the bible/church/Christianity teach about discrimination?

• The bible teaches that all mankind was created in the image of God and likeness and so we are all equal before him. This is reflected in Gen 1:26.  This is a call all people to treat each other basing on one’s wealth.
• The church leaders have preached against the issue of discrimination by showing that church should be universal. Jesus’ gospel was for both Jews and gentiles rich or poor and they call upon believers to be united in faith not minding much about their tribes.
• The church has tried to solve the problem of social discrimination by encouraging joint prayers. Today we even find Catholics, Anglicans and born against praying together for peace in the nation.  The church has continued to pray for the discriminated people to have strength to carry on with life.  They try to reflect their minds to people in the bible like prophet Elijah who was persecuted by king Ahab and his wife Jezebel but endured the suffering (1 Kings 18:20) and became victorious.
• Various church leaders have assisted the discriminated people in society by opening up doors/ avenues to reach out to the leaders for guidance and counseling. This has helped many socially discriminated people to receive a peace of mind.
• The bible has taught the discriminated people to continue extending limitless love even to those who oppress them. This indicates following Jesus’ teaching and example because he taught the followers to even love their enemies as they loved themselves.  The bible also extends Jesus’ love through dying on the cross for the sins of all mankind the Jews and gentiles.
• The church has helped the discriminated through setting up schools and sometimes offering financial assistance for the discriminated to study. For example the church runs management of Mandela school of the blind initiated by the Soroti catholic diocese. This uplifts the way of life for the discriminated blind people in society.
• The Christians preach against discrimination by highlighting its disastrous effects and in this people are made aware of the problems associated with discriminations of one another. Such acts like mob justice have been abused because some times the lead to innocent killings.
• The church has continued to develop the spirit of good Samaritanism. Believers are using the example of the bible story in John 4:1-23, Luke 10:25-37 to teach that discrimination is wrong.
• The church leaders and Christian leaders are jointly struggling to demand the parliament of Uganda to pass laws that do not discriminate people irrespective of colour height or gender. In this way the traditional way of discriminating Albinos is now dying out and now people have started associating with them freely as fellow human beings.
• In order to fight discrimination tendencies, the church leaders have encouraged believers who have the qualifications required to join politics. So this has helped a lot to fight against dictatorship and segregative laws like one on marriage which is unreligious opposing the teachings in mark 10:1-12.
• The church has also helped to fight against social discrimination by teaching about good health measures. It has done this through treating the discriminated like women injured by their husbands at home or ……….such hospitals set by the church helping the discriminated are Namirembe hospital, Rubaga Hospital, Kisubi hospital and kitovu hospital which specifically treAfrican traditional society women fistula infection.
• According to the gospel of Luke 14;12, Jesus shows that we should invite the poor to the parties that we make. So this has been picked by many believers who invites or organize parties or take items like sugar, soap and clothes to those discriminated in society like the children at Ssanyu Babies home in Namirembe.
• Christians have continued to preach the gospel that through Abraham’s call, all nations were blessed. This they teach to all people to sop tendencies of racism.

Christian view of the world as one family of nations

Despite racial discrimination, all mankind originated from Adam and Eve therefore we are all members of one family.

Matthew 6:9-13 presents our Lord’s prayer which clearly shows that we have the same father and as such we are brothers and sisters.

All human beings were created by one God regardless of sex, race and as such we are created in God’s image and equal.

According to Isaiah 2:1-4, all nations shall worship one God, no nation shall rise to fight one another and never to prepare for battle again.

Through Abraham, all people in all nations have been blessed especially all those who embarrassed Christianity hence no racism. Gen 12:2.

The world is for God and all that is in it Psalms 24:1 therefore all nations are families that belong to God.

The message in Galatians 3:28 is quite clear that all people of the world are one in Christ whether Jews or Gentiles.

The Bible teaches love for all people irrespective of who they are.

The Bible encourages the spirit of brotherhood and good neighborhood.

Jesus related with all sorts of people irrespective of sex, status among others.

On the day of the Pentecost, Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to all people without any segregation. Acts 2:12.

Jesus Christ came to die for all people regardless of their race therefore all people are stakeholders in the salvation of mankind.

Jesus instructed his disciples to spread the gospel to all the people of the world Matthew 28:18-20.

John’s message in 3:16-17 is the same to all nations “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten…”

The book of Amos condemned the exploitation of the poor thus there is need for fair treatment.

At the final day, we shall all be judged whether white or black, women or men, young or old before the Lord.

THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS MORE ABOUT DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE