The Flip Side essays

The Flip Side essays The Flip Side Prejudice- an opinion formed without knowing the facts or by ignoring the facts Racism- a belief that race is the primary determinate of human traits Stereotype- a way of thinking about a person, group, etc. That follows a fixed common pattern, paying no attention to individual differences These are words that we hear each and every day. People use them to talk about the need for tolerance and change. However, this essay is not about Martin Luther King or Malcolm X. Nor is this about Adolph Hitler or Mussolini. This essay is about the flip side of the story. It's about the way in which the minority stereotypes the majority. It's about the racism and the prejudices that are placed on the white middle to upper class culture. I feel it is necessary to take the time to look at the perspective of the accused. The type of prejudice I speak of is the type of prejudice that goes unsaid. This prejudice exists deep in the hearts and minds of many once oppressed people. The question you ask is, "if it goes unsaid, then how do we know it is there?" The answer is that it reveals itself through the actions of the people who hold it. It appears when I walk down the streets of Birmingham and an African American gives me a look that shouts you're not welcome. It appears when I open the door for a young lady and I can tell by her face that she blames me for over a hundred years of oppression. It appears when the hard working, blue collar worker sees me pull out my leather billfold at the local McDonalds and looks at me like I am not a man because everything has been handed to me. These are the prejudices that go unsaid, but most definitely exist. These prejudices exist because the minority needs someone to blame. Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to negate the horrible discriminations that have occurred in our country whether they are racial, sexual, or economic. Of...