Hate is Human

 Judging is part of the human condition.  Depending on our background, everyone has biases.  Most of us try to eradicate them.  We certainly don't act on our biases.  When one of us does, it is called a hate crime.

One of my town's writing community, jamele adams, has been a victim of a hate crime.  Jamele is the director of diversity, equity and inclusion, for the town of Scituate. A makeshift tombstone with jamele's name on it, was found on a beach in Scituate.

This is just crazy.  Jamele's motto is e “always we, never me” . Why would a town employee cause someone to do this, especially one whose job is to spread love?  As I said, everyone has prejudice to one degree or another, but to act on it?  That takes a higher degree of prejudice than is normal.

We're supporting jamele.  

A World Gone Amuck

 Warren H. Carroll's "1917: Red Banners, White Mantle," was a different view of history than I was taught.  This little history concentrates on a specific time, contrasting four cataclysmic occurrences.

   * Russia collapses and totalitarianism takes over.

    *A worldwide pandemic hits.

    *Europe becomes involved in a war.

    *Our Lady of Fatima offers hope in Portugal.

   Today, in 2020, the world is also enmeshed in natural disasters, terrorism, political dissension, and HATE.  I can't help but think Our Lord will send us another message of hope.  We can't wait for this year to end, this time to be over, and any succor Our Lady can offer.

    That's how Warren Carroll depicts the people in this history.  Pope Benedict XV offered to broker peace but his plans and ideas were not accepted.  (Reminds me of Fratelli Tutti, Lumen Fidei, Evangeli Gaudium

, and everything else Pope Francis wrote.)  The world did not listen to the Vicars of Christ then, nor now, and worse, 

Hate is Hateful

Pawel Adamowicz

The Master of the Order of Preachers has had enough!  Europe is crazy with hate.  Hate speech, hate media, hate actions and overall feelings of hate.  As an American who reads the contempt on social media, I can't imagine "the hate" being worse anywhere else.  But Europe is bubbling over in an atmosphere of poisonous hatred, so much so, that Master Cadore is concerned.  He has called for prayer this month of April 2019 through the intercession of the co-patroness of Europe, the Lay Dominican Saint, and Doctor of the Church, Catherine of Siena. 

He uses the words of Father Ludwik Wisniewski, O.P., in his tribute to Polish Mayor Pawel Adamowicz, who was assassinated January 14, 2019.

Lord of all, we ask your grace to stop the hate speech, contempt, and unfounded accusations.  Help us not be indifferent to the poison of hatred that is rampant in the streets, in the media, on the internet, in schools, in governments, and even in churches.  Remove those who exercise high responsibilities and who promote evil ideas and arouse incendiary emotions.  Call everyone to conversion so that we may be worthy messengers of the Prince of Peace.  Help the good people of Europe reflect Your image to the rest of the world, so that we too may become worthy to be called Yours.

Hate

Country singer, Eric Church wrote and sings “…I’d hang hate so that it can’t be heard.  If I could only kill a word.”  The lyrics to “Kill a Word” attempt to show all the words and actions that exemplify “hate.”

Hate is all around us.  It’s part of human nature.  It’s one of the earliest emotions children feel.  And hate is prevalent in all cultures.  It’s popular in literature, TV and movies.  In fact, the media promotes hate to sell its products.

How come?  It doesn’t make us feel good—the opposite, in fact.

But it’s a lie.  Don’t believe it.  Hate will destroy you.  It cause you to suffer, no one else.  The internal physiological effects of anger and hate actually put you into an emotional prison.  You are locked into a personal cell of rage—plotting revenge and thinking  it justice.  Counting slights and offenses that you have personally internalized.

No one knows what you are thinking and feeling.  Hate is your personal response to something you see as an egregious offense.  You have chosen to keep and nurture this harmful emotion.  In a perverse way, you enjoy it.  An old Indian tale explains my thoughts:

A Cherokee grandfather was teaching his grandson about life:

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.  One is evil—he is anger, envy, hurt and hate.”  Grandfather continued, “The other is good—he is forgiveness, peace, love, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, and compassion.
     The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute.  Then he asked, “Which wolf will win?”

Grandfather simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Hate is a choice.  You have to choose to stop feeding it.  You need to choose to free yourself from your own mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.