It's that time of year in Columbia. Sororities and fraternities have initiated their annual Rush, a noble tradition to some, just another ritual of exclusion to many.
Human society is awash with opportunities for beautiful, rich and well-connected individuals, assuming they are of the appropriate race, gender, nationality, religion and political party. Discrimination and intolerance, ingrained in childhood, are universal, products of ignorance, fear, greed and mysticism.
While most of us support the concept that individuals should be rewarded for their talent, hard work and dedication, we despise the human tendency to selectively exclude persons based on traits over which they have no control. Assumptions derived purely from physical appearance are often false and one's personal beliefs, unless flaunted or injurious to others, should be of no consequence. Perhaps it is our tribal instinct that lies behind this ritual of exclusion; if so, we need to evolve beyond its influence if we hope to rid this planet of needless human turmoil.
