I want to answer a simple question that continues to come up. In light of the shooting today we here why do we hate. My answer is simple. We accept hate and often celebrate it, until something like this happens.
We won’t admit it, but on almost a daily basis it rears it’s ugly head, and even I get caught up in the moment. Let’s start with sports. How many times have you heard or actually stated “I hate that team” or “ I hate that teams fans. They are all assholes”. You may not mean it in they way that would mean you would kill all their fans, but that is because your head is on straight. But how many times have you heard about fights in the stands, at games, hell even at youth sports where anger goes overboard and the incident goes out of control. If you have not, you are living under a rock. For some reason sports brings out the worst in some people, and over what, bragging rights. The following year, last years bragging rights don’t matter.
I’ll put everyone’s favorite topic up, politics. How many Facebook posts state I hate this politician or than one. I could care less what they do, but the attacks and anger is there. And the words are hateful. How many friends have you silenced their posts because of it. How many people have quit Facebook over politics. How many groups exists to that a pro anything and all the posts are hateful insights.
Worse, I hear people say they hate a type of music. Wait it’s music (well some of it is ) and you hate music? It’s not like music can punish you, just turn it off. I hear fans state well I hate that band because of this or that. And will spend effort blasting a hateful opinion. I may not like opera or country but I would never say it’s awful. The scary part is you listen to interviews and hear what artists say, they talk about influences and sometimes the influences are your favorite band, and other times they are the band you hate most (or style). Hell I just learned Tiffany was a huge ac/dc and sabbath fan. And that made her want to be a singer. Who can connect those 2?
Listen to musicians. They often tell you how the steal from other genres of music and make it their own. It is us the fans who are the ones with the hate. Artist can appreciate other artists, but we feel like it our place to demean something else, I guess needs better things to do with their time.
We accept hate in too many places and than decide where it shouldn’t be. Because we believe hate is wrong. We preach segregation from the highest mountain in the loudest voice than are shocked when hate goes to far. It is almost impossible to know who will go too far, and who will remain calm. I hope no one I personally know goes to far. But the only person i can control is myself, and I guess that is all I can do.
I am saddened when I hear about deadly attacks but I can say that I am no longer shocked. For the last 1000 plus years of teaching hate, there isn’t a way one incident or one law will stop it. I am not sure what the answer is to start the reverse this problem. Simply crucifying those who go to far isn’t working. I don’t ever think there will be a moment we are going to join hands and sing kumba ya. So I guess the only person I should ask to change is myself. Do what I always do, make a joke about certain things, and try not to use the word hate. And as I write one last thought, I keep finding that often the answer is becoming a better person first, and hoping all others will do the same.
World famous disclaimer – ah find it on other posts…