Terrorists and bullies use fear, intimidation, random
violence and chaos to control and push self-serving agendas. Unfortunately when
these acts SEEM to involve specific
ethic groups, this fear promotes bigotry.
In recent times we’ve had terror
attacks under the names of Al Qaida and ISIS promoting Islamic radicalism and
Jihad. After attacks such as this weekend’s Paris horror there have been fears of
retribution and escalated violence. The violence and hatred multiplies,
resentments grow, tolerance diminishes, trust disappears, and suspicion rules.
Too often an entire ethnic group, race, color or religion Is labeled by the
actions of a mere minority.
When people live with all of these
negative influences, you begin to look at your neighbors, people that might
even have been friends, differently. Communities are divided – people are
divided. People react with the most extreme forms of racial profiling sometimes
to the point of unwarranted violence and always with derision, verbal abuse,
unfairness and animosity,
People who tell their children not to
trust Americans, Israelis, Frenchmen, the British, Christians, Jews, or any
group capitalize on the negativity displayed from these targets. Children are
not born knowing hatred, but they can learn it. Throw in some resentment and it
doesn’t take much convincing when hate spewed message is repeatedly broadcast.
When we react with undue suspicion, nastiness and anger we reinforce the
lessons of hatred.
Unfortunately we live in world where vigilance is a necessity, there
are times when we need to be suspicious and maybe even react to defend
ourselves. We need to find a reasonable balance of common sense and caution.
The day we let fear rule our lives, the day we reinforce the hatred, we are
helping the terrorists achieve their goals.
Let there be peace on earth… for once
and always.
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