MAYBE THESE WORDS HAVE NEVER CROSSED YOUR LIPS – BUT HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY CROSSED YOUR MIND?

Okay, so what’s the harm in just thinking these words, or others like them, especially when some guy cuts your off on the freeway, insults your mother, or lies in a business deal? PLENTY. Every time you verbally, or mentally use a racial slur you’re spreading a hideous disease plaguing our society. Prejudice.

Where did you pick up these rancid words anyway? The same place we all did. From our parents. Friends. TV. Social Media. Leaders. Society. We’ve been conditioned into prejudice. Not even Pavlov knew conditioning could be this powerful. With the flick of a word, we can degrade an entire race and make ourselves feel superior. Isn’t that wonderful?

Only problem is, the underdog will only be pushed so far before there is a reaction. Often times violent. Those of us in LA know all too well… So how do we avoid another riot? More looting? Hatred?

We have a choice: change or destruction. Since most of us prefer the former, the first step is to realize we are a multi-religious, multi-racial, multi-faceted community. And that means more than being able to eat bagels, tacos, fried chicken, egg rolls, and lasagna in the same day.

It means allowing others to have their own culture. It means no one culture is better. Above all, it means personally acknowledging our own prejudices. Which, in turn, means if you’re frustrated, mad, or just pissed off – direct your feelings in a non-violent way towards the individual – not his or her race. Or religion. Or sexual orientation.

Okay… what should we do now?

Well, since we are in the business of bringing people together, lets do more of what’s most needed in our communities – celebrate racial harmony. That’s right. It sounds pretty lofty, but its not. Go ahead. Jump right in. You could participate in a community building event in your neighborhood. Or in Koreatown. Or in South Central. Or hire experienced people from different races (After all, it’s not hard to see a great deal of our economic problems are directly related to prejudice.) Or next time you are with a group of friends, why not discuss the many problems of prejudice. Who knows, maybe you’ll come up with some innovative solutions. Most importantly, don’t pass this affliction onto your children, your nieces, your nephews, or siblings.

So, now the ad’s almost over and you have no idea why an event company spent this much time and effort to run an ad about prejudice. Well – because we believe before an ever-lasting economic recovery can succeed, and hatred will cease, we must move to end racial injustice.

But above all, we ran this ad because we felt it was time to awaken something inside all of us. We’ve seen the protests. On TV. Via Social Media. On line… But only by watching what WE say and think, as well as confronting family, friends, leaders, and business associates who are prejudiced, will we start to see people of different races, religions, and sexual persuasions as unique and individual human beings. And only then can we begin to heal ourselves. And then, we can celebrate as one loving community.