“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite,” says Nelson Mandela. Mandela’s words are often overlooked in the sense that hate is taught and learned not natural. Prejudice is extremely evident in society, but it does not come naturally; nobody is born with judgement or racism, and those around them affect their ideas. Everyone is born different, and children’s opinions grow based on the influences around them. A study from 2012 explains that there is contradicting evidence that the amygdala- a structure in the brain …show more content…
Patty Wipfler from Hand in Hand explains, “Children are not, by nature racist. Nor are they born with damaging assumptions about people in any definable group” (Wipfler n.pag.). A child does not know that people are put into “groups” and that those groups come with stereotypes, so it is harder for them to judge a person from their outside appearance. This shows that children are born with a fresh mind that has yet to learn about the separation and segregation of the world. In addition, Morgan Freeman explains a conversation that he had with a student in Mississippi; they stated, “We don't want separate proms. Then who does? Parents. School board” (Prom Night n.pag.). Children are usually influenced by their parents on decisions, but when they get old enough, sometimes they realize that their parents are wrong. Freeman states their teachers what to teach. As humans, people are highly influenced by the people around them, and generally, if the parents have one opinion, the children will adapt with that opinion. All parents have to do is teach a moral opinion of equality and take out the negative influences in children’s lives, and children will know that everyone is equal. Also from Prom Night, an anonymous student states, “Blacks have always taught black to hate whites. And the whites have always taught their kids to hate blacks. My daddy did it. My granddaddy did it. So, I'm gonna learn to do it” …show more content…
Patty Wipfler from Hand in Hand explains, “Children are not, by nature racist. Nor are they born with damaging assumptions about people in any definable group” (Wipfler n.pag.). A child does not know that people are put into “groups” and that those groups come with stereotypes, so it is harder for them to judge a person from their outside appearance. This shows that children are born with a fresh mind that has yet to learn about the separation and segregation of the world. In addition, Morgan Freeman explains a conversation that he had with a student in Mississippi; they stated, “We don't want separate proms. Then who does? Parents. School board” (Prom Night n.pag.). Children are usually influenced by their parents on decisions, but when they get old enough, sometimes they realize that their parents are wrong. Freeman states n.pag.).This inborn sense of justice means that children are likely to stand up for what they believe in, especially when they themselves or someone else is being treated badly or unfairly. The younger generation is already programmed to protest for what's right, so why do they lose that sense when their older. If children have less prejudiced views, and want to set things right, then people simply just have to let them stand up and prejudice will slowly