About 1980 I caught myself being prejudiced.

Early in the summer, I was geologist on a drilling job with a real Bully. He had an east-coast accent and a pile of curly, black hair. What a pest! He screamed at his young helper and sulked at me.

Later I went on a wonderful vacation held at what was usually a kid's camp. I very suspicious of its seeming-genial director. After a while I realized the problem was that the nice director had many characteristics of the nasty driller - white, tall, tanned, east-coast accent, and a pile of curly dark hair.

Every time I saw him, the primitive, fear-bearing part of my nervous system cried, "Beware! Enemy!" Fortunately, as soon as I recognized the similarity, the fear went away.

I think it's important to realize that prejudices can be subtle, personal, and complicated.