Does Hate Win?

When did we become divided? I realize this country has come so far in such a short time. However, in my lifetime, I cannot remember when we have seen so much dissent. It hurts. Labels hurt. Insinuations hurt. Alienation hurts. Hatred Hurts.

When I was a child I didn’t see differences in race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. I only saw people. From my point of view, we were one. We were friends. We were neighbors. We were a community. We were a nation. As I got older, I still didn’t give power to anything other than action. I judge people on how they make me feel. Do they edify me or do they tear me down? But these days scare me. I worry about what we are becoming.

This has been a rough few years. Violence and hate are increasing, culminating with political division causing mass riots around this once great nation of ours. How did we get here? How did we go backwards? This stuff did not happen when I was growing up. But here we are, making progress. Is that what we call it? Progress? I don’t consider hatred progress. I don’t consider segregation progress. Why are we grouping ourselves according to our religion, political affiliation, ethnicity, and sexual orientation? How is this progressive?

I understand that we must unify and stand up for our rights. I also understand that hatred is often expressed through organized sects. Honestly, hatred has no authority. If an organization promotes hatred, they simply have lost their credibility. No one should have to respond to organized hate. But we are responding. We are responding by splintering ourselves into human subpopulations and attacking each other. We are segregating and the hate is increasing in power. We are allowing hate to win. This is not working. We need a new plan.

We have an opportunity to respond differently. Let us not fight in kind, but instead be an example. Counter violence with peace. Counter hate with love. Counter intolerance with acceptance. Otherwise hate wins. Let us be the light that illuminates the path to unity. We can have differing opinions, beliefs, and values but we are all citizens of this great nation. We are all Americans. I believe that if we stand together in support and understanding of our differences, hate cannot win.

The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety... Felix Mendelssohn