Stereotypes

Dawn seems to have gotten herself a lot of heat for this post on the blackout where she reffered to Michael Bloomberg:

I don't like to say this, but an extremely rich, selfish Jewish man should not be mayor of New York.

I commented at the time that she should have probably left the jewish part out but others who are less tolerant of her style have said a lot worse it seems.
Today she writes that some have said that she is an anti-semite and she tries to explain herself.
Dawn seems to say that because someone fits into a certain stereotype it is ok to refer to them that way.
It is NOT.

Especially where religion or race is concerned we should never perpetuate a hateful stereotype even if we have had personal issues with someone or several someones who fit that stereotype to a tee.
I don't think that Dawn is an anti-semite or hateful.
I do think that she and we all must treat each other as individuals.
Everyone should be judged on their actions and how they interact with the world they live in. They should not be burdened by the baggage that hateful people have heaped on their group over the years.
That is what stereotypes are and how they were started. They are attempts to stigmatize a group of people based on behavior they may or may not exhibit.
We can and must rise above this kind of thing and discourage other people from perpetuating stereotypes that build walls between people where none should exist.