Discrimination

You can’t judge a book by looking at the cover, yet we judge people every day by how they look, don’t we? The sad thing is that some people look at anyone who is different as less than them. Whether they are different color, different religion, different political party, etc., being different does not necessarily make them wrong. It makes them different.

One of the things I like about The Voice on TV is that the judges can’t see the performers when they first hear them. That makes their decision solely based on their voice and not on how they look. Some of them look pretty strange, but when you hear them sing, they can blow you away. It at least levels the playing field in one respect.

Britain’s God Talent had a famous show many years ago where this frumpy woman came out on stage. Simon Cowell literally rolled his eyes when he saw her. She was strange looking and quirky in how she talked. Everyone was ready for a blooper and for her to have XXX immediately. Then Susan Boyle opened her mouth and sang: I Dreamed A Dream. Wow. She was incredible and had everyone shaking their heads in disbelief. If you have not seen the video, go to YouTube and watch it. It is quite inspirational.

The lesson to me is that we need to look beyond the cover of what we see. Sometimes the greatest thoughts, quotes, speeches, songs, and conversations happen with those who are not the most attractive people.

This is a lesson that kids need to learn too. If they do learn it early, they will be blessed in understanding humanity in ways that many people simply never learn. When we quit judging how others look we have made the first step in world peace, and that is a worthy goal, isn’t it?

Shalom!

Dan Skognes

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