Evil people use power of hate

The American philosopher Eric Hoffer once said: “Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of life unifying agents,” adding, “Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without belief in a devil.”

Hoffer’s statement has a profound truthfulness, not only as it pertains to the current regimes in such countries as Russia and Iran, but also to many other “movements,” both historical and extant. For example, Hitler appealed to the belief that Jews were the devil and needed to be eliminated. Iran’s leaders appeal to the belief that the West and Western culture are the enemies (the devil), and must be avoided.

And now, the U.S. has the continued influence of Donald Trump, who also has been breathtakingly successful in finding scapegoats to feed to his minions as devils, be they Democrats, the FBI, the Justice Department or President Biden. His tactic has continued to foment hatred and divisiveness among Americans, while accomplishing worse than nothing in terms of moving this country forward.

It is a sad and tragic commentary on the power of hate and of “them versus us” over the power of love, unity and the common good.

Marianne Phillips

Allentown