Bias And Reality ~

Over 170 buses in Richmond, Virginia USA have one of three signs with Arabic writing promoting silly sayings like, "Paper, Scissors, Rock," "Paper or Plastic and the “I’m a little tea pot” rhyme. The bus company has been getting calls from riders wanting to know what the signs mean.

Sometimes when people see or hear a language they do not understand it scares them. Muslims stare fear and mistrust in the face almost daily. These bus signs are saying that even though we fear what we don't understand we are able to overcome that fear by learning about others. We can rethink bias, but it starts with learning about our neighbours.

This campaign is from Rethink Bias, a program of the Virginia Interfaith Center. It's meant to challenge people's biases and expectations.