ThirstyFish

We in the West consider ourselves civilized, caring, empathetic and liberal; We view xenophobia, racism and discrimination as things of the past. When we hear of continuing practices such as untouchability in different cultures, we shun them as "less civilized". The treatment of the Dalit in South Asia, the Burakumin in Japan, the Romani in Europe and Americas "is just unacceptable in the 21st Century!"

Here in the United States we don't have an "untouchable" class, rather we have a " poor vision" problem. The homeless are invisible to us. The poor are conveniently hidden in ghettos. But most importantly, we no longer see other people as "people". They are men-women, employees-bosses, gay-straight, pretty-ugly, consumers-bums and on and on. With the exception of a few people we interact with, everyone else is a character, a role, an extra, but not a person. Many of us even consider our pets as persons, but refuse to acknowledge other human beings as such. But, in a way, we should not be surprised; The SCOTUS has ruled corporations as persons under the law - an honor not afforded to "natural human beings" we call immigrants.

The next time you go for a walk, do a little experiment. Attempt to see the person in each human being you encounter.