ice. In Quigley Down Under an English General says, Americans are barbaric misfits. The General makes this accusation without any support other than his own misconception. Sadly, this type of prejudice is still present today in numerous forms. Modern stereotypes of people are rabid in todays society; overweight people smell, Mexicans steal, blacks are lazy, etc. All of these are primary examples of stereotypes that are made without any basis other than the ignorance of the people who believe in them. Langston Hughes, a black civil rights poet, wrote: Besides, Theyll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed- I, too, am America. (I, Too, Hughes, p.64) This shows that even in the face of racism, he too is a person just like all of us, and he too is a part of our society. This also demonstrates how wrong people can be when they judge people based solely off of a belief in a stereotype. There are many reasons that prejudice exists in our lives today; mostly because of our faults as people. However, there is no reason that people should stand for it, look the other way, or think that it is acceptable. All forms of prejudice are still present today, and new ones are being developed. This path of ignorance, and discrimination will remain as long as the lack of education that we possess about those different from us continues. Prejudice is a road that has been traveled on many times, for many years, and, therefore, is an easy one to walk on. But the road less traveled, the one of understanding, is a hard journey, but will lead to a much happier place for all people...
