Ignorance is one of the greatest sources of danger known to mankind.  Men have engaged in all sorts of evil acts based on their ignorance. And, as William Hazlitt wrote more than 150 years ago, prejudice is the offspring of ignorance.  We tend to be afraid of the unfamiliar.  People who are different from us in any way cause some of us to become uncomfortable. Prejudice has existed throughout history and continues to be a serious problem throughout society. 

In 1825, Charles Caleb Colton wrote, "We hate some persons because we do not know them; and we will not know them because we hate them." There is far too much hate in this world, and every one of us can help to reduce it by spreading love whenever we can.  Why must we continue to fear those who are different from us?  In some sense, it is our individual differences that make for a strong and diverse society. We all have our own unique strengths and weaknesses, and we all have something to contribute to the well being of mankind.  If we could just find a way to work together in a team effort to improve life for everyone, how much better off the world would be. 

Prejudice is to a large extent a learned trait.  Many of us have accepted the prejudices of our parents, and too often we pass these prejudices on to our children.  In 1955, Edward R. Murrow said, "Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences.  No one can eliminate prejudices--just recognize them."  I'm not sure that I agree totally with Mr. Murrow. We may not be able to eliminate all our prejudices, but we can certainly diminish many of our prejudices through knowledge, understanding, and love. The problem for many seems to be an unwillingness to give up their prejudices no matter how much knowledge they have.  Some seem so determined to cling to their prejudices that they are unable to open their minds to new ways of thinking. 

Understanding and love can go a long way toward reducing prejudice. Some people are able to replace their hate with love and become transformed individuals.  But others are either unable or unwilling to give up their feelings of hate.  None of us are exempt from the need to work at replacing hate with love.  And too many of us fail to recognize the enormous power of love in improving our lives and the lives of those around us.  Let's just dream for a moment.  Suppose we could all replace just fifty percent of the hate we harbor with genuine love.  Wouldn't the world be so changed that we would barely recognize it?  . 

Copyright 2014 Allen W. Smith

TB-94—Posted 06/26/2014

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