1. sweeping statement: a statement presented as a general truth but based on limited or incomplete evidence
2. general statement: a statement or conclusion that is derived from and applies equally to a number of cases
3. making of generalizations: the making of general or sweeping statements
To me: Generalizations are...discouraging.
Really, they're discouraging. Every single day, people make generalizations regarding people and events that they may know nothing about. This is a discouraging view of our society. At our best, human beings are incomplete and fallible and our ignorant generalizations are proof of it.
At almost every low point in our history, a segment of society has made a generalization regarding another group of individuals that lead to some sort of loss, war, or genocide. Starting in our childhood we're exposed to Moses freeing the slaves from the Pharoah from Exodus. Then we enter into American history only to find out that whites and blacks were segregated and not allowed equal rights. By the time I moved on to world history and learned of Hitler and his leadership's genocide of Jews, I'm sick to my stomach.
All of these instances, as well as countless other that I have not mentioned, are based on a generalization. One group of human beings generalizes that they are better than another, and therefore the other segment of society has their rights reduced or is even killed. If man was made in God's image, how is one group of individuals less worthy than another? How can you deny that he made us all different, but equally important? How can you put someone into a hypothetical box and then label them based off of that assumption?
Well I cannot do it.
Just 4 days ago, we celebrated the birth of our nation. Just 4 days ago, Mike and I were sitting on the cough and he started reading the Declaration of Independence and I honestly got a little teary eyed. We are endowed by our Creator certain unalienable rights, and I'll be damned if I'm going to stop fighting for them. I believe that the authors of the Declaration of Independence saw generalizations to be dangerous as well, which is why they defined us as created equal. I believe that they were correct, and I hope that you will as well.
If you haven't read the Declaration in a while, click on that link above and go read it. It'll remind you that you live in the greatest nation on Earth, and I hope you don't need too much reminding of that very often.
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