French Essay for Germany

My personal resolution “tolerance” in life, (cases of social exclusions followed by conclusions/solutions)

As far as my own experience with intolerance is concerned, I will first tell you about a story I experienced during my school life. Then I will try to analyze the causes. Finally I will expose my own solutions to fight against this phenomenon.

This is my story:

I was in 2nd year in middle school. My friends and I liked to sit on a bench between 2 buildings. One day, a young boy with Asian origins arrived and settled down on our territory. He looked suspicious ( he had just arrived !) My first reaction was « surprise », a stupid reaction because we had many friends with North African origins … He was introduced to at the beginning of our French lesson. His name was Nhan Tieh from Vietnam. His mother and he had come to France to live a better life. He didn’t speak French very well. He told us his father was dead. One day, a student asked him : < it is a good thing that you came to France, I need a new pair of shoes, mine are worn out.> All the students laughed of course! I was so amazed I couldn’t move. I couldn’t understand why he was so wicked! Nhan Tieh was so desperate, I decided to help him. All the other students turned their back on us and we were left aside for a long time….

The human being can be a coward. I think it was easier before to join a group and be wicked than to face mockery and help the victim. Causes of intolerance are diverse, the fear of the unknown, laughing at not to be a victim, feel stronger when the other feels weak. It has a different meaning like racism, social discrimination.

Later I decided not to be a mere witness but to become an actor and participate to the fight against intolerance. How?

  • Be curious: thus we accept the difference: the culture, the handicap…

  • Always welcome the new member

  • Have no prejudice: a boy from Asia does not only make shoes !

  • We have one brain, just use it !

  • Don’t be influenced, think about the victims the consequences of being rejected.

Cases of social exclusions are real plagues, I think there are many things to be done…