It’s funny how the meaning of words can shift over time.
For instance, there was a time when being known as a discriminating individual meant that a person was skilled at differentiating between better and best.
Nowadays, the word discriminate is almost exclusively used to describe an unjust prejudice or bias against another person.
The reality is that each of us discriminate every minute of every day in the choices we make.
When we choose where we prefer to shop or what we will eat or drink, we are discriminating by choosing something over another possibility.
When we choose where to go on vacation or which route to take to get to work, we’re actively discriminating according to our preferences or needs.
Even when we’re choosing the people with whom we’d rather spend time, it’s less a matter of who we don’t like and more about prioritizing those who matter most in our lives.
In other words, discrimination is not a bad thing in and of itself.
Yes, some people can become hyper-fixated on distinctions like group identity, religion or even skin color to the point that their language or behavior becomes ugly.
Oddly enough, these are the folks who tend to weaponize discrimination.
No one has a right to force us to associate with individuals or things with which we are not comfortable.
In fact, the only authentic right we can properly claim is the right to be left in peace to make our own choices.
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