Time to hate

There is something just sick going on in our country, something called "hate." Gays and lesbians are discriminated against, minorities, women, the disabled, the elderly, foreigners. The list goes on and on. How do people even have time to hate so much?

If ever there was an argument for sending everyone to college this would be it: you'd be so busy with your career and opportunities in life you wouldn't have the need or the time to hate. You'd also be exposed to a more diverse population which would aid in creating a sense of experience and empathy with those who are different from you.

I think hatred stems from feeling threatened. If you are secure you are more open-minded and less focused on tearing down those around you. It is no coincidence that some of the most disturbing hate crimes come from our more impoverished areas, inner cities and rural areas.

I don't think that familiarity is what brings contempt here. Instead, I think the lack of familiarity is the cause of so much of this hatred. It is easy to hate that which we really don't know, to dehumanize the object in order to prop ourselves up.

Our own president speaks of world leaders as "evil" and thinks of the world in black and white, no room for other perspectives. Thinking in absolutes make you certain, certain to hate, certain to be hated.

It's also interesting to note that our president says he doesn't read much. That would take up too much time, time he's apparently filling with hate.