Selective discrimination is a term that will be used more often in people’s conversations. What is selective discrimination? It can be described as different set of rules for people due to their race, monetary status, religion, or employment position. Selective discrimination can be identified by a person’s actions, attitude and words.

Starting with employment position first let us address the selective discrimination in this area. How many individuals take an hour lunch and are reprimanded for coming five minutes late? Yet their bosses take an hour to two hour lunch and they get away with it because they are the boss. How many bosses have their assistants do shopping or other non work related tasks for them, too many. They ask their employees to help them with family vacation planning or running non work related errands to make their life easier, on company time. This is a form of discrimination by employment position. They are overstepping their employment position, because they know they can get away with it. How many persons will go above their boss and let the owner of the company know what their boss is doing, not too many. They fear retaliation and the possibility of losing their job. Is this fair, no. Should they be allowed special privileges because of their employment position, no. If there are rules and regulations, ALL must follow them, no exceptions.

Selective discrimination in religion is not as common as the others, but it is still there. In some churches they act as if they are above other religions and they talk so negatively about these other religions. People go to church to find peace and harmony. They look for direction from their pastor to steer them towards a Godly way of living. A church should not be used to bring up politics, any type of criticism towards the government, race or any individual. The church should be a place to worship and not a place to infringe your views. A pastor who steers individuals into hating or confrontation with others is not looking for the congregation’s best interest. Whenever a church is questioned on the happenings in their place of worship they get defensive and combative. Some pastors see no wrong in their teachings. They feel they have the right to say and do whatever they want. What is most important is what their congregation is receiving and taking in after their sermons.

Monetary status can bring selective discrimination into play very easily. If a person commits a crime and just happens to be a famous actor, singer, director or writer they tend to get away with the crime. Laws are put into place for specific crimes, all individuals who commit these crimes should receive the same sentence regardless of their monetary status. No one should be above the law. Your face might be on every magazine or on the television but you still have to pay for your mistakes. Just because the paparazzi follows your every move does not exempt you. You commit the crime, you pay just like everyone else. Sometimes individuals who are constantly in the news think they can influence their viewers with their comments. They try to pursue us to vote for a certain candidate, they try to endorse expensive products and they even try to pursue us in choosing a car. They can say all they want but we need to decide what is in our best interest.

Race has the most visible selective discrimination impact of all. No one should use racial slurs, NO ONE. Attacking someone because of their race is wrong. It does not matter who is doing the attacking. No one should have to walk on egg shells when it comes to discussing race. If you have something to say about an individual say it about them do not generalize and say it about the person’s entire race. Generalization is too common in this day and age. If a person of a certain race commits a crime than all individuals of the same race are judged.

Where do you draw the line on what can be said or what can’t be said? People have the right to their opinion, that is our right. When that right is abused by a certain race attacking another race than everything gets blown out of proportion. If a certain race does not want to be called by negative slurs, than they should not call other races by negative slurs. The standard needs to be set. This is a very touchy subject but it is a very realistic topic that is impacting our country.

This country is very diversified, there are so many nationalities that compose our country. It is best when there is negativity that promotes racism and hate, to channel it off. If it is on the television, turn it off, if it is on the radio station, change stations. Don’t be the person who gives into this hate and racism and helps feed it. Make a difference and help make this world a better place for our future, our children. Remember what your parents and grandparents went through in trying to steer you right. Remember all of the struggles and pains they endured to make a better life for you.