Catching Idle Butterflies

Stealing blog ideas

I was all set to talk about patience today, but then I decided to read David McClain ’s thought provoking (as if he ever does anything less!) blog entry "Invalid Entry"  and the subsequent responses to it first.

I could have added my own thoughts to his blog, but I don’t think it would compare to all the others already left there. So I decided to torture my own readers with it .

Racism isn’t just about race. It also extends toward religion, and has ever since there have been different religions. After 9/11, I’m sure we’ve all heard about what an evil religion Islam is, and how all Muslims are taught to hate Jews and Christians, and that America is the “Great Satan” and should be annihilated.

But what’s so heart breaking is hearing my own family members say things like, “I hate all Muslims, and they should be wiped from the face of the earth. And there is nothing they can say or do that will change my mind.”

I just want to grab their shoulders and ask them, “Does that mean all blacks, Jews, and anyone not of Aryan descent should hate all white people because of the KKK, or Aryan Nation? If you are bleeding to death by the side of a road, should a Muslim walking by keep walking since you’ve already admitted that you would not stop to help if the situation were reversed?”

As a bit of an aside, I remember watching “The Jefferson’s” back in the seventies, and in one episode, Mr. Jefferson gave mouth-to-mouth to a white man who was a racist. When he was told who had saved his life he said, “You should have let me die.” Even after nearly 30 years, it’s stuck with me and has been a reminder that all people have both the capacity for good and evil, and should be treated on their individual merits.

How easy it is to hate an entire group of people because of the evil actions of a few. But what race or religion hasn’t committed terrible deeds at one time? Is it fair for others to hold you and I accountable for those deeds we had nothing to do with, and in many cases weren’t even alive at the time? If not, then we should not count people guilty by association, but on their own individual actions, just as we ourselves expect to be treated.