#42: No More Discrimination (PART 4)

【Why No】
Unless we’re careful not to let it happen, a Japanese virtue of "Don’t trouble others" may soon diminish to "Don’t want to be troubled," which in turn breeds the notion that "Those who trouble others are bad people." When our society gets caught on this slippery slope, what becomes of those who may be misconceived as "trouble" through no fault of their own?
 
For instance, people who are born with an illness or a disability. Simply because they’re born into such hardships through no fault of their own, at times, they may be misconceived as "trouble." And those misconceptions often shape into a prejudice, which in turn serves as a breeding ground for discrimination.
 
Why must we repudiate discrimination? Fundamentally at the core, it’s because discrimination hurts people through unjust exclusion/rejection based on an inborn trait beyond control.

Not only an illness and a disability, but also race, ethnicity, origin, family background, gender, and sexual orientation are among the inborn traits without a choice.
 
Some people are born with an illness or a disability, restraining to freely pursue their passions. Some are born an ethnic minority exposed to cruel injustices.

Many just happened to be born in a war zone, or to a family mired in poverty. Many just happened to be raised under abusive parents.

Others just happened to find themselves all alone as orphans. And yet others are born with a gender identity different from their biological gender.
 
Based on such traits from birth, many people are misconceived as "trouble" that escalates into prejudice and discrimination. No matter how desperately we attempt to rationalize by saying, “It’s inevitable at times,” that doesn’t alter the truth that such ignorance must be repudiated.
 
Now and then, some people choose to argue that justice isn’t exactly clear cut--that there’s plenty of grey area. Even if such were an accurate depiction of our world, there’s not a speck of doubt that discrimination must be repudiated, without any hesitation/exception. That’s because it hurts people through unjust exclusion/rejection based on an inborn trait.    
 
Today, we’re blessed by the remarkable medical advancements that enable many of us to overcome our illnesses and disabilities, or even change our gender in some cases. Indeed, it’s a great joy to find more of us in the world set free from our inborn hardships.
 
“So then, if you don’t want to be discriminated against, then you should change what can be changed.” Occasionally, we come across such comment.
 
Nevertheless, just because an inborn trait can now be changed, that doesn’t make it right to discriminate based on such trait. Even if we can be set free from our inborn hardships, that doesn’t in any way alter the core principle that unjust exclusion/rejection must be repudiated.
 
Surely, no one has wished to be born with an illness or a disability. Likewise, no one has wished to be born with a gender identity different from their biological gender. Indeed, no one has wished to be born into discrimination.
 
When we truly realize the agony of the people who are born into discrimination, we must refuse to accept a society that treats discrimination as an inevitable part of life unless we’re born with the majority traits or we’ll adopt them at all costs. And, even if we ourselves may not be the target of discrimination, we must not look away from this sobering reality.
 
It’s because our society is shaped by each and every one of us. In fact, our collective thoughts are what structures our society. When we honestly acknowledge that fact, we understand that each and every one of us is empowered to speak the words and take the actions to eliminate discrimination.

Read Next: No More Discrimination (5)【Trait by Choice】
Read Previous: No More Discrimination (3)【What's Trouble?】
 
Complete Series: No More Discrimination (1)～(12)
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Read Theme: Discrimination