I had a very interesting discussion with one of the members of the RCMP in Carlyle last week. I was at the detachment to do the weekly report, and found myself talking about my one and only speeding ticket that I received last November. It had been a genuine mistake on my part, a momentary lapse of attention to the speedometer, but a mistake none-the-less. Unfortunately my 34-year safe-driving record with not even as much as a parking ticket, counted for nothing as the Manitoba-based officer handed me a massive ticket by Saskatchewan standards.
Afterwards I was hurt, offended, and angry at myself for messing up. More than that I was angry at the officer, and quickly that sense of affront changed my whole view of the police. Suddenly I was very negative in my thinking about the RCMP. They became a perceived enemy in my mind, people to watch out for instead of people to respect, or even just people. They had become an inhuman entity as perceived through the personal hurt to my pride that I was feeling deep inside.
All that changed after I started writing the weekly RCMP report for this newspaper. Within the first few weeks I was looking forward to my visits to the detachment, I have great fun there and really enjoy kidding around with Phil, Dan, Kelly, George and the others. Same in Kipling, I'm always crossing paths with Cathy and we love to joke about that. Now even my daughter wants to join the force, and I'm thinking of writing a book about the RCMP. Hey... Wait a minute... Is this the same guy who wrote the previous paragraph?
Something has changed. Can you see what it is? The impersonal entity has become human again, it wears names, it laughs and jokes with me, tells great stories and "it" has become a bunch of guys that I enjoy spending time with. They are no longer an organization without a face; they are people that I like to be with, who just happen to be part of an organization. Heck, I don't even see their uniform any more, just people, just friends.
So let's talk about this transformation, for it is a vital move that society has to take. I had stereotyped members of the RCMP based upon my own negative feelings, and only when I had the courage to get beyond my feelings, admitting they were MY feelings and MY responsibility, was I able to eliminate the stereotype and see the people. Does this mean I do not respect the uniform? No, it means I respect what they are, and I like who they are.
How many more stereotypes does society have? How many do you have? We so easily lump people together based on so many factors. Oh they are black, Oh he's from out-east, Oh she is special-needs, Oh he's first-nations, Oh they are Mormons, Oh they vote Conservative, Oh they are Gay, Oh this and Oh that. And along with that labelling, we bring all the pre-conceptions of our upbringing, our attitudes and societal thinking, and we rarely ask if all that "stuff" is correct or not. It leads to prejudice and division, it leads to segregation and hatred, it leads to persecution and war.
When are we going to grow up as a society? When are we going to take responsibility for our own thinking and see people as people? It does not matter what colour they are, what ethnic background they are from, the faith they hold to, or what career they follow. We are all the same, spiritual beings having a human experience; trying to do our best in a self-development course we call life.
As a student of the human condition, as a writer in the success industry, I was appalled at how easily I labelled the RCMP after my experience. I should have known better, I should have been more mature. I am so thankful that I get to do the RCMP report, this whole experience has taught me a valuable lesson that was worth far more than the price of the speeding ticket. It allowed me to look inward at my own perceptions instead of looking outward in incorrect negative judgement.
Society will only change to the degree that each individual changes. This week as you come into contact with people, open your eyes and see them as the unique individual human beings that they are, if you find prejudice raising its ugly head, remember this article. Let's grow together as we mature towards correct thinking and acceptance of the global community that we represent.
