Hate in the U.S.A.
When unbridled hatred spreads, it can do so like wildfire.
I hate you.
I hate them.
I hate.
Undeterred by its objective, this disease can and does, plague every aspect of our society. We see its exhibition every day in its rawest, purest form; cowards in cars driving through crowds of innocent people, school shootings, parishioners being shot at their place of worship, marches of polo shirt wearing tiki torch wielding bros, neighbors being attacked, and of course… police brutality. The basis for hatred toward people of different skin colors, as we all know, is rooted in fear — exacerbated by a lack of education and basic understanding of the unfamiliar.
A theory we hear all too often is, everyone is racist. I would dispute this although what we know from practitioners of this demonstrative ideology is that typically this mindset is at the core of who they are and controls almost all aspects of their lives. Exhausting.
The seeds of racist views are planted at an early age and can manifest later if left unchecked. Harboring such beliefs does not magically disappear with changes in our lives; for instance, starting a new job. You don’t suddenly become a different person once you sign the contract or don a uniform.
Accountants can be racist. Lawyers can be racist. Gas station attendants can be racist. Teachers can be racist. Doctors can be racist. Bakers can be racist. Politicians can be racist, and wait for it… police can be racist. Anyone can and does bring their hateful rhetoric and doctrine into their place of business. If this is truly who they are, it's not unheard of for an ideology to impact interactions with others in a professional setting.
To think otherwise is placing denial front and center of what the root problem is in this country.
As a Black man in America, I have experienced my fair share of hatred over the years. In school, at the office, on vacation, at the store, and of course by the police.
The frustration of being Black is that we see the danger and then we sound the alarm, and nobody believes us about the danger until we’re physically being impaled by the sword. — Van Lathan
We live in a turbulent time right now in this country. The dynamics of which do not seem to let up — but continuing to increase each time we face another injustice.
In the wake
September 11, 2001, was a day in this country’s history, many will never forget, and rightfully so. Most still remember where they were when this nightmare took shape. I know I do.
The ripple effects of that day lasted for months leaving a wake of unsettling hatred specifically targeting many in the Muslim community. Still reeling from a devastating day a month earlier, the focus was now on those, who many felt, were responsible for the cause of the September attacks. The fundamental flaw in this thinking, besides the obvious, is condemning a whole group of people for the actions of a few. This dogma I saw play out many times, especially as it hit close to home.
It was difficult to not be affected by the injustice placed upon innocent people now having to live each day with yet another form of animosity. The xenophobia at that time was thick and proved to be yet another cross for many to bear.
Once the racist sentiment across the country against the Muslim community began to form, the dynamic at my place of business at the time, became evident. The effects on a few colleagues were overwhelming, causing much distress. My co-worker Khan, a talented and quiet developer who, for the most part, kept to himself, encountered firsthand the racial hatred that had now become widespread.
He and his wife had just welcomed a new baby into the world, and he was concerned about his family’s safety. This affected him a great deal. The stress would often hijack his ethos to the point of him not wanting to leave the office for fear he would be attacked on his way home.
Even though this was a tough time for many, still distracted by what had happened in September, we were now facing another horror, this time directed toward innocent people — people we knew. This didn’t sit right with me and being a minority in a country that has seen much racism, I could relate to Khan’s uneasiness. For weeks, co-workers offered to, and did, drive Khan home from work. It was the least we could do. On those car rides home I had the pleasure of getting to know Khan better and understand more of what he and his family were going through. He would share with me how his family would regularly receive profanity-laced verbal jabs, threats, harassment, vile treatment, and general hatred from strangers on a daily basis.
Knowing what one of my friends had to endure, saddened me. I know; I’ve been there.
If you disagree with how I protest, that’s your right. If you dislike what I have to say, ignore me. If you feel my voice somehow impedes on your way of life — welcome to my world. America, with all its flaws, and there are many, is still a place some continue to believe is one of opportunity (as long as you have a certain skin tone).
The American dream, I would declare is not what it was a generation ago. Can this idyllic vision of oneself seeking a better life still be attained? The struggles we face today are far greater now than they were in recent memory. The progress we pat ourselves on the back for achieving so often is simply self-congratulatory and not put into practice every day. We need to come to terms with the reality that this is a divided country ready to explode. We’re seeing pockets of this happening now.
Collectively however we need to agree upon what is right and wrong, and how we can use this information to achieve civility. This is the only way we can move forward. A tall order indeed but one that can be filled.
Racism is illogical
Racism is like any other irrational behavior and it has developed distinct features because people are ashamed of acting alone in strange ways in public. Intense racism usually involves gangs or secret groups that act together reinforcing each other’s false awareness and undertaking racially motivated endeavors.
Not a day goes by without some dispiriting tale of bigotry infiltrating the public consciousness.
Hate is a complete waste of energy. Think of all the time spent, having negative thoughts that take control of who you are. Wanting to at every turn, direct this vileness toward others. To what end — to make yourself feel better? To purposely cause tension or harm — to feel superior?
For what purpose?
Is creating division and extolling your inability to accept others, not like you, important?
Hate is cancer, a disease openly infecting every molecule of your body, confirming itself over time, deepening its roots as it grows into an incendiary weapon. I could never stomach watching the injustices of extreme beliefs exercised — affecting people. Perhaps it was my upbringing that caused my discomfort with such behavior or maybe it was my exposure to the world around me, and the experiences I’ve had that drove me to a place of empathy.
For a prosperous, re-imagined society, we must consider the benefit of having a more inclusive country. To achieve this, coming to terms with who we are as Americans and what our true history is, acknowledging how this country was built, is a step to reconciling the past. Education is key in dismantling a firm belief in separation fostered by centuries of distorted views and prejudice, of oppression and racism. Throughout history, we have breathed air into causes that, on the surface, lit a fire on systemic racism. This is not enough.
Consistency in the fight is expected. Action must be taken.
Progress has been made but the fight does continue; however, there has always been opposition. How do we counter this? Head on. Getting to the root of the disease, identifying its causes. Understanding the mechanics of how it is spread, and how we can kill it at the source. Once this is addressed, we can work to establish equality for all.
Fixing this is not the sole responsibility of the minority community. This has to be the charge of everyone who shares foot space on this land. The White community must bear responsibility for the atrocities that were set forth in our country’s history but every community has connective tissue to the hatred (or resentment) we so desperately need to extinguish.
There has to be unity.
People have to believe there is value in a shared society that can breed prosperity. With the strength of many, equality can be a right realized. The idea that you don’t have to go it alone should be enough of a sell, but it’s not. What we need to channel is our inner decency, our inner respect for others and, I know it’s a tough pill to swallow, our participation in the perpetuation of this disease throughout our history. We must take ownership. Learn from our mistakes (and past) and WANT to do better as a society. Pie in the sky thinking, yes, but so wasn’t any true example of progress made from inception.
The work is difficult, dirty, unforgiving, desperate, scary, and at times, thankless, but it is necessary. It is right. It is just.
- Elevate your humanity
- Educate the young and break the cycle of hatred
- Rebuild the system
- Course correct priorities
- Honest reflection on our past
Taking action and not simply assigning hollow support to a cause is where we begin.
Where we end up, is up to all of us.
Thank you for reading!
