Multiculturalism: The Rise of Hatred and How We Can Fix It

There has always been hatred based on race and ethnicity...since the beginning of time people have enslaved, beaten down, and killed those that they saw as different. However, I believe there was a very short time during the 1980's where that bigotry was almost erased in the West.

After the civil rights movement and the problems of the 70's a new era seemed to have dawned. Reagan and Thatcher worked their best to try and show us how much we could do if we put our minds to it and worked hard; of course there were always those in need and those less fortunate, but the opportunities to grow were there. We had Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney singing about ebony and ivory living in harmony. We had Live Aid, asking people not governments to aid the hungry around the world. We had a Hollywood that made movies making us proud to be American and able to work with different races and ethnic backgrounds. A generation of young people grew up seeing how things could be: blacks, browns, whites, yellows working together.

Of course you always had your far left and far right groups working the hate side of things and trying to create tension, but it just seemed that we respected others more. Then George Bush the first came on the scene, and the first gulf war. That's when all the would be hippies of the 80's came out and decided they didn't like war and wanted to protest like their leaders of old (of course they never matched them because while they didn't like war for oil, they sure liked their luxuries that came from that oil). The Gulf war ends, Bush raises taxes and starts talking about a New World Order, and multiculturalism begins to stick it's ugly head out of the mud.

Due to the recession brought about by Bush's broken promise of not raising taxes we got a "new" kind of President. Clinton, the man who brought us terms like "getting a Lewinski", "it was OK to lie because it was only about sex", and "I feel your pain" was the biggest bringer of racial tensions since the racist Democrats of the civil war and civil rights eras. Multiculturalism began being taught in schools. Instead of bringing young people together in their likenesses we began to teach them about their differences and of course blamed the whole thing on white men (oh and yes Republicans). Now we have a whole generation of young people who believe whites, blacks, and Hispanics never got along. A generation of young people who believe (falsely) that the only way to fix the mistakes of the past is to punish people who weren't even around during the time and have never had racist tendencies...

...Oh, but here's the rub; those of us who never saw color before do now. Those of us who grew up trusting our fellow neighbors now question what their intentions are. We are now taught to hate the rich, hate the whites, hate the blacks, hate the Hispanics, hate the military (but love them too--how's that one work?), hate the tin foil hats, hate the Democrats, hate the Republicans, hate, hate, hate. When was the last time any of our leaders actually encouraged us to love? ...not the fake love of "oh, give me something and I'll love you" or "give away your wealth or you suck" or "love only comes from sacrifice"...but the real love of "let's REALLY try and see each other's view" or "let me use my wealth to create jobs so you don't have to live based on what someone gives you but what you earn" or "I love you, but I have to take care of myself and my family too"?
 
Having wealth (no matter the person's skin color) does not make one hateful or worthy of scorn. Rich people (of all colors and creeds) buy/bought lots of things, and who makes the stuff they buy? Workmen, craftsmen, laborers (of all colors and creeds) who make/made a good living can't when no one will buy their goods because the"rich" don't want to be called "evil". Being poor or middle class (of all colors and creeds) does not make one lazy or worthy of scorn either. Having less than someone else and wanting more should be a catalyst for harder work or accepting that you can't have everything that you want. Some of the richest people in spirit are the most poor. If we could only come together and put aside our little boxes and learn we each have something to contribute and be happy where we're planted (or work our way up) we could get back to that place I remember--where I had  black, Hispanic, Asian, white and many other religions, and backgrounds of friends.

The bible says we all have a gift to use, and the Apostle Paul built on that by explaining that our gifts/talents are like a body. Each part of the body has a function, the smallest toe is as important as the whole leg. A brain needs a heart and a heart needs the lungs and the lungs need a nose and a nose needs the little cilia to catch impurities that go into the body. When the body doesn't work together then it gets sick. As countries, faiths, neighbors, governments, etc. we need to quit living in the past. What was is over...we need to build toward the future. 

If we are really the people of "tolerance" that everyone says (Muslims, Progressives, Christians, Americans, put your group here) then why can't we take what we have and let the others live in their own way? There is no such thing as tolerance because EVERYONE thinks their way is the rightway and will not "tolerate" anyone who differs from them. Individuals can be tolerant (not many) but not groups.

If we are resistance fighters, WE must put forth our beliefs, stand firm on them, and be willing to defend them (physically, spiritually, and mentally), remembering that our love not our hate will shine the truth into the world...that doesn't mean that everyone or anyone will agree with us or join us, but shouldn't we (if we believe we are right) not compromise or accept that which we know to be false or harmful? True freedom fighters want to conquer using the blessings that come from the truth; even if that means living with less, being treated unfairly and cruelly, and yes possibly even dying. The freedom brought by America shone brightly and the world desired it, but now instead of wanting that freedom for the world the world feels guilty for having it, and is trying (very successfully to undo it). There is nothing evil about having good things or living well. Instead of destroying the West, the West should be encouraging the rest of the world to build up. The devil (the real power behind all the conspiracy theories) doesn't want the light to shine in the darkness and those that live in the darkness do not want their deeds exposed. Truth is our most powerful weapon, and we must wield it with love and prayer.

Blessings and love!