4 What is stereotyping and Why is stereotyping a problem?

Stereotyping is when you take ANY group of people and assign or "blanket" them with ANY trait. By "group" I could mean an ethnic group, religious group, people in the same occupation or even people with the same vices i.e. smokers or drugs. To stereotype is to say things like:

"Cops are sadistic and abusive."
"Smokers are inconsiderate of other people's rights to breathe clean air."
"Oh! He's black? Is he a gang member?"
"Anyone who uses drugs of any kind are untrustworthy liars and thieves."
"Christians are morally superior to Atheists."

Stereotyping is a problem because it's a judgment made about someone without even knowing them. Really what you're doing is putting the sins of many onto the backs of many more who don't deserve it.