Hatred Spews Forth Daily

Something Needs To Change

The hatred which spews forth daily throughout the country is unbelievable. It can be seen on television shows of all types, including the nightly news. Hatred is exhibited in the racist rants hurled at people who are different than the perpetrator. It is displayed on videos of hateful acts which are readily available for view on any smart phone. People on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets spew hatred on a regular basis. Something needs to change.

The news coverage of debates in Congress often show a body of people which expresses hatred. These are leaders of the nation. They should be able to show more civility and understanding. Yet they spew hate toward those of the opposite party as they try to make their own points be known. Their voices are often exhibiting hate as they speak. Their comments to witnesses are often rude and hateful.

If you watched any of the impeachment hearings on television several months ago, you could see the obvious animosity which came out of the mouths of people who should be getting along as colleagues in the most prestigious of bodies. Former members of Congress have stated that the legislators used to be more civil in years gone by. They could debate the issues without the hatred and vitriol which we see today. They could be friends at the end of the day. That is seldom displayed now. Once in a while, they come to an agreement such as with the recent vote on Hong Kong, which was nearly unanimous.

It starts at the top. Bullying, which is a form of hatred and belittlement of others, has become common place. Instead of stopping bullying or reducing it in recent years, bullying has intensified even with adults showing the way on television news shows and other facets of life. How can children be expected to think bullying is a bad thing when they see the examples from leaders and other older people? Young lives are being lost because of bullying by other young people. Suicide because of being bullied is a problem in society. Older people are being bullied as well. Too much bullying still continues along with hatred.

Hatred comes out of the mouths of young children. They are sometimes heard to make racist remarks and to bully people of other ethnicities. Children are using words and behavior that they have heard from adults. They need to be taught that hate and racism are not acceptable. Parents, teachers, relatives, and friends have a responsibility to teach children with whom they are in contact. Otherwise, life as a racist may become difficult for them if they do not change their feelings and attitudes before they are ingrained in their lives. If they are doing it to other children, the victims need to be comforted and assured that life is okay.

Racial attacks and racist rants are from people spewing hatred out toward people who are usually strangers to them. They don’t know anything about them except seeing the color of their skin or their physical appearance. Racial discrimination is nothing new, and it is unfortunate that it has been allowed to continue to flourish.

There are ways that ordinary citizens can help the situation to reduce hatred and discrimination by making changes. Running for political office is not something many people would do, but it is a good way to become a catalyst for change. Volunteer to help. Donate to nonprofits. Go to the State Capitol or the halls of Congress and make your voice for justice heard. Go to meetings with elected officials and get involved in changing laws. Get involved in your neighborhood. If possible, help someone when you see a racist attack or report it to the authorities.

Racism and hatred have come to the forefront in a lot of conversations throughout the United states and the world. With outrage exhibited through protests, mostly peaceful, over the tragic killing of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, race has become a big item of contention. Inequality and injustice are big issues which need to still be addressed.

The coronavirus pandemic has also brought out racism and hatred. A couple were in a business area when they saw a man shouting at a young Asian American woman. It was a hateful racist rant blaming the young woman for the coronavirus. She was an American and wasn’t even ethnic Chinese, but it didn’t matter to him. He had found someone at whom he could spew his hateful rhetoric. The verbal abuse was making the woman upset and distraught as the white man told her to “go back where you came from.” The couple did not confront the man directly as he could turn on them. They did, however, try to get the woman away from the man and to calm her down. They took video of the hateful and racist attack which was reported to the police. It could be a hate crime.

Hate crimes sometimes are perpetrated against people of minority races, people who are or are perceived to be immigrants, LGBTQ people, religious groups, or others who may be different in some way. If it seems dangerous to get involved or to speak up, a bystander could call the police. Hate crimes are against the law and should be prosecuted if possible.

Racism and hatred of people different than the majority were the reasons that Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated in camps during World War II. Although a few people tried to help them, no one stopped the unfair treatment these innocent people received because of racist actions. Many people suffered greatly because of the hate exhibited toward them.

More love is needed. Just as most people will claim that they are not racist even though their words tell a different story, people will usually say they do not really hate. Hate is a powerful word which evokes strong emotion. Unfortunately, it is quite prevalent today. People must love themselves and then show love for others. More love, acceptance, and caring are necessary to make this a better world.

A change of attitude may be required. Unfortunately, those who are truly racist are unlikely to change or accept change. There may be no end in sight for the racism and hatred we see daily. It will take a lot of work to end racism.

It would be well to consider the words of Nelson Mandela: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” — Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom