Last week we had mass shootings, here in the United States, in which many lives were lost. In countless communities around the world lives are lost every day through violence. Where there is hatred and vitriol spewed towards others based on race, nationality, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual preference, religion, or any other grouping, human life can be devalued on both sides of the division. We have seen how rhetoric and propaganda based on these kinds of divisions have led to war. The stronger the devaluation of human life, the greater the likelihood that war, slavery, homicide, mass murders, genocide, and every other way of taking or destroying human life will be employed.
It is easy to hurt someone who hurts you or someone you love. It is easy to hate someone who hates you and wants to harm you. Once you dehumanize someone, you can justify doing anything to harm them. If we are going to succeed individually, nationally, or in any of our separate groupings, we must find a way to diffuse the fires of hate, even in the subtle ways that we fuel the flames. I always say, “when you fight fire with fire, everyone gets burned.” Consequently, the world is in danger of being set on fire.
Life is short enough as it is, so let’s not waste it, or shorten it, with hatred, anger, or bitterness. Untimely deaths leave mothers, fathers, children, friends, neighbors, spouses, and communities heartbroken. The next time you think of any group with dislike or hatred, remember that life is precious, theirs and ours. The next time someone exhibits hatred towards you or a group you are in, remember them as human beings with families. The next time you have an opportunity to interact with another human being, savor the time as precious time.
