The problem with bigotry is bigotry itself.

in oceangate •  last year 

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Some who celebrate the OceanGate tragedy justify their behavior by saying those who perished were rich and using their money selfishly, showing distain for poorer people. But there is a significant moral problem with this argument:

The problem with bigotry is not that bigotry is targeted against the "wrong" group, and thus becomes ok if it is targeted against the "right" group. Those who died in the sub are no more deserving of their deaths because of their income and choices than poor people are for the circumstances that befall them. "They deserve to die because they are rich" is just as morally reprehensible as "they deserve to die because they are poor."

The problem with bigotry is bigotry itself.

Every human being (and I will repeat this for the folks in the back), every human being, is deserving of the base level of respect and dignity. Every human being, regardless of income, race, creed, national origin, sexuality, or other characteristics, deserves to be treated with the base level of respect and dignity simply because they are humans.

Bigotry is dehumanizing twice. First, it dehumanizes the target in the eyes of the bigot. And second, it dehumanizes the bigot by severing himself off from sympathy and fellow-feeling, that key sentiment.

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