Westerner 2.9.3, Story 1


VOL. II, NO. 9			FEBRUARY 17, 1961
	Differences, Discriminations Hinder Harmonious Living
By Jim Brennan (President of Brotherhood Society) As Brotherhood week nears again, it is evident that the need for further understanding and extension of brotherhood is of eminent importance to the peaceful continuation of humanity. In most instances, the subject of brotherhood is quite removed from us. Maybe we are fortunate in that respect. Because we are not confronted directly with the outward aspects of brotherhood, we do not know exactly what our reaction would be if we were. There are basically two conditions of prejudice: the first one being physical, or those characteristics which differentiate one race from another; the second being those characteristics of a non-physical nature, such as religion. Both of these classifications, on which man draws his prejudices, are contrary to the most basic fundamentals of democracy all men are created equal.		We as students in a leading community of the western nations should do all in our power to foster one of the fundamentals of democracy, that being brotherhood. Brotherhood has roots much deeper than we think; it is here in our own community that brotherhood begins or fails. It would not appear that we have any problems of prejudice as we have very little variations within our student body; yet there persists, for reasons not intelligently based, discrimination against individuals or groups whose ideas do not coincide directly with ours. All that is needed to resolve this situation would be some intelligent consideration of what these differences appear to be. One may ask where are such prejudices learned? Oddly enough, prejudices are learned through ignorance. It may seem strange that some things can be learned through a lack of knowledge, but this is the case. What prejudice is there that cannot be resolved by intelligent consideration and compromise by the parties involved? These ideas can be summed up simply: From understanding is born brotherhood; From ignorance is born prejudice.