[Blindtlk] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's

[Julie J.]

Just for conversation...how do you guys define discrimination?

For me discrimination is when my ability to participate in the community, or 
shop, or eat out or whatever is hindered by the actions of another person or 
a physical barrier.  So if I wanted to buy a pair of shoes and the shoe 
store employees locked the door saying no dogs in the store.  That is 
discrimination.  Likewise if they only provided pictures of shoes and 
refused to give me any other information about shoes that would be a 
physical barrier and discriminatory.

If I go in to the same store and get my shoes and the employee tells me or I 
get the idea he doesn't like dogs, but I still get my shoes with the same 
service as everyone else, it isn't discrimination.  It's maybe prejudice 
though.

I think prejudice is what people are thinking and discrimination is their 
actions based on what they think.  I am of the opinion that it's a free 
country and people can think whatever they like.  I'm not going to stop them 
or try very hard to change their mind.  However if their actions affect my 
life, then we have crossed the line.

In my day to day life, I encounter prejudice somewhat regularly, but 
discrimination very rarely.   I think the last incident of discrimination 
might have been in college.  I'll have to think about it, but I'm not 
immediately remembering anything recently.

Julie