Being carefully taught

It seems more and more that rudeness, lack of empathy, and sheer hate are becoming major emphases in our society. From attacks on Asian citizens to African American profiling to literal attacks on the bastion of our democracy, so many of our “hotheaded” countrymen and women seem to forget exactly why this country was founded and what its example means to so many other countries of the world.

“Me first!” “My way or no way!” “Whites only!” These tenets, and many more, all seem to be the rallying cry of those who fear truth and are blind to accepting beliefs other than their own, and who are so often wrapped in a warped sense of the factual accounting of activities. They seem to have abandoned tolerance, compassion, and respect for others’ opinions, beliefs, and heritage.

How can we begin to turn around this legacy of hate and indifference to the opinions and rights of others? Many forces and beliefs, of course, fill the answer to this question, more than can be stated here. But I believe the core of the problem begins with our childhood experiences and beliefs, and most certainly those of our parents, and perhaps grandparents, whose influence is the overwhelming force in shaping our personalities and concerns.

There’s a song in Rogers and Hammerstein’s musical “South Pacific” whose lyrics sum up my thinking exactly: “You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught … to be afraid of people whose eyes are oddly made and people whose skin is a different shade. You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late, before you are 6 or 7 or 8, to hate all the people your relatives hate. You’ve got to be carefully taught.”

Think carefully about this. What are you teaching your children? RAY MOORE

Little Rock