From Wikipedia
Dehumanization may be carried out by a social institution (such as a state, school, or family), interpersonally, or even within the self. Dehumanization can be unintentional, especially on the part of individuals, as with some types of de facto racism. State-organized dehumanization has historically been directed against perceived political, racial, ethnic, national, or religious minority groups. Other minoritized and marginalized individuals and groups (based on sexual orientation, gender, (dis)ability, class, or some other organizing principle) are also susceptible to various forms of dehumanization. The concept of dehumanization has received empirical attention in the psychological literature.[2][3] It is conceptually related to infrahumanization,[4] delegitimization,[5] moral exclusion,[6] and objectification.[7] Dehumanization occurs across several domains; is facilitated by status, power, and social connection; and results in behaviors like exclusion, violence, and support for violence against others.
Sometimes certain stories really make me wonder. At what point did the train tracks derail?
Just so we're all clear on what I'm talking about, I will provide a NSFW link.
It's not normal to treat other humans different than the way you want to be treated.
History has shown however, that groups of people, are indeed quite capable of unimaginable things done to others, so long as the other people are not viewed as equal to the original group.
Historical examples I guess would be a good direction for this diary at this point, but I worry that peoples eyes are just going to glaze over, because labeling a group of people as vermin, or cockroaches just doesn't have any historical relevance anymore for liberals who participate in the comment section of Dailykos.
Perhaps something more contemporary, or personal example would be relevant.
A contemporary example would be the "workshop" that the St. Louis Police Academy provided to the Ferguson police force on how to 'handle the media' in the wake of the Michael Brown Jr. shooting. It contained useful bullet points about how to "Meet the 900-pound Gorilla" and "Feeding the Animals."
The purpose of this workshop was to make it impossible for the police to be sympathetic to the journalists. They aren't equivalent to police officers, according to this Police Academy.
Personal examples would be being called a "porch monkey" in high school. Also, faggot.
I don't much care for calling immigrants "aliens" either.
I suppose calling a police offer a "pig" qualifies as well.
Do we really need to use this kind of rhetoric here at kos?
Should it be off limits to try and hide it from the view of people that aren't registered/signed on here?