The more things change, the more they stay the same

[rockymountaindem]

Man, there's a lot of hate out there, and I'm not talking about all those people who are jealous of Kerry.

Anti-Semitism:
http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=l&board=37138445&tid=apreformjewsconservatives&sid=37138445&mid=1036

Xenophobic nationalism in Japan:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/19/international/asia/19comics.html?ex=1133067600&en=9964594384d84e63&ei=5070&emc=eta1

It never stops, does it? Not even WWII can get people to re-examine all the hatred and think about whether or not it's gotten us anywhere. But rather than be sad about it, we need to re-dedicate ourselves to combatting xenophobia and promoting, if not amity, at least tolerance. These dark forces can't be allowed to win.

[beachmom]

1. Oprah said something once that has always stayed with me

She said that if someone says something racist or prejudiced against someone it is our duty to call them on it. If you stay quiet, you're adding to the problem. For example, a friend of mine (who is mostly a good person) made a remark about how "even gays" are being allowed to be foster parents and that that's terrible because kids should be in a "normal family". And I gave it to her, even if it was not comfortable. I've heard stereotypes about Muslims, Jews, immigrants, Africans, and African Americans, and every time, I call them on their prejudice. Of course, I am trying to teach my kids that, too. It's not enough to not be prejudiced. You must always speak up when the language of ethnic or racial hatred rears its ugly head.

[rox63]

2. You know what I think is really great?

My Mom (who's in her late 60's) gives it back to people about their prejudice down at the local senior center. She goes down there to hang with all the other elders, and if someone says something hateful about gays, blacks, hispanics, jews, muslims, or any other minority, she calls them on it right there. She's a feisty old lady, and people know that she'll get in their face about this stuff.

[ray of light]

3. Coming back from the peace rally in dc

I was trapped at the airport waiting for the next flight.

There was a black man trapped waiting for it as well. I discovered he was from S. Africa...so we chatted a little.

He asked about how 'we' can tell a jew from anyone else?

He asked 'aren't all the jews rich?"

He talked about gays, but I'm not really going to describe his comments here. (They really weren't appropriate for being with a stranger.)

At anyrate...you see...if tolerance isn't taught we really will just drown in preset prejudicial notions. AND what makes it worse is this is the neocon agenda (and Republican neocon supporters too!) because it's a way to divide and conquer!

[_dynamicdems]

4. You're right. It is sad.

Love, faith, hope, charity, humility, unity...where are these values? I'm not seeing them anywhere out there. When people should be working to lift each other up, they instead tear each other apart. One group hates the next group. It's like a bunch of sharks destroying each other in a feeding frenzy fueled by the hunger of hatred.

Even hatred of Bsh, Chney et al, is still hatred. It is frightening. We use the word "hate" all too easily. Hate is a terrible thing to bond people together with, but the only unification I see lately is one of people joining together with a common hatred rather than a common goal.

The very idea of a war on terror is ludicrous. The irony is so obvious, but few seem to get it. It is all too mind-numbing to dwell on. The concept of a global community is a great idea in theory, but in practice we have a huge obstacle to overcome: ourselves.

Here, in this forum, we can leave the hatred at the door for a little while. In here, while we occasionally get angry, there is not the driving focus on hatred you see elsewhere in DU or in the world at large. This forum is like a little haven from the hate, a place to recharge fading batteries. From small communities grow large ideas. People seem to have forgotten the message that came out of the terrible destruction that was the Vietnam War: the message of love and tolerance. We have another war and another protest, but this is a protest of hatred against hatred. If we don't get our shit together, we won't have to worry about civil war in Iraq because civil war will be at our own doorsteps.