FREE ESSAY ON VIOLENCE

VIOLENCE

Jake Thomas
Modeling Hate
In the ideal America, our celebrated, ethnically diverse populous would overlook
and not even recognize such socially developed stigmas such as race, sex, color, and
religion. The ideal American would not even look at another and classify that person as
black, white, Asian, Indian, Mexican, Irish, Jewish, Catholic, Jewish or; well, my point
is
made. 
But America is far from ideal. The ignorance that reigns in this country is
unfortunately passed on from generation to generation with little regard for what effect
it
may render on its audience. Sadly, fear is created from ignorance. Sadder still is that
hate
spawns from fear, and as represented by the staggering domestic abuse rate, violence is
handed down from previous generations as well. The probability and means to cultivate
hate crimes is now present and the formula is potent enough to guarantee that they will
happen. 
Hate crimes are happening in America at a disturbing frequency. That being a
given, it is time we as a society look to the roots of hate crimes in America. I believe
these roots lie in our society's notion and practice of family structure. More so in the
way
we pass down our ignorance, fear, unacceptance, and intolerance to future generations. 
A hate crime in itself is defined as a criminal act with intent to defame and
slander another person. At further introspection though, I think that we will find that
there is more underlying issues than just committing a crime with malice towards
someone different than ourselves. 
The human mind at the time of birth has no prejudice. A baby does not look at
another human being and feel afraid or angry with that other individual. The human 
infant has no predators in these times, therefore there should be no fear instilled
naturally. I would like to think that these minds could be viewed as "clean slates". So
where does the fear and hatred needed to commit a hate crime, and dirty that slate, come
from? All social science research has come to a solid conclusion that parents, or the
primary caretakers, of a child are the single most influential stimulus on that child's
development. The answer is that we as a society, both internationally and in America,
have found ways to continually and regeneratively brainwash and condition our children.
We teach them to classify humans with titles that have no real biological worth such as
Asian, American, Latin, African, and European among others.
One fairly publicized hateful incident involved some Texaco executives who
were caught slandering black and Jewish employees and making derogatory references
and actions towards them. One remark an executive made was " I'm still struggling with
Chanukah, and now we have Kwanzaa... Poor Saint Nicholas, they have sh-tted all over
his beard." What caused this person to have these points of views? How long has this
idea been in his head? Where does this idea develop if it is not genetically created?
The
answers lie with the majority of all non-biological dysfunction present today; the
individuals upbringing. These same questions and same answers can be applied to almost
any incidence of hate and violence today. Especially prevalent is the incidence of the
dragging murder in Jasper, Texas in which a black man was beaten, and dragged, and
decapitated. This was perpetrated by two white supremacists, making it a violent hate
crime. How does a person's inner frustrations become so great that they can control
behavior to the point of making that person take another life? It is directly related to
the
perpetrator's upbringing and the views and ideals that were passed on to him since day 1
in his life.
In many of these scenarios, justice has been dealt to the assailants or perpetrators
by our federal law system. But it seems that in just as many instances justice was not
dealt to all, or it was too little too late. In any case though, the legal system has
taken a
reactive approach. Justice in itself is reactive in nature, and consequently that may be
why hate crimes and crime in general continue to happen with great frequency. 
America has taken a reactive approach to hate crimes. As a country and as a
world we need to take a proactive approach to prevent hate crimes. Prevention is the key
to stopping further hate crimes in America and around the world, and it can be done.
People just need to stop the influential modeling and passive teaching to their children
and future generations that certain people are inferior, unwanted, or scary. Until we
can
become more complete and open to the human experience and start to see the big picture
of life, and realize that we need to shed the old and primitive assumption that one
group
is better than the next, we will continue passing on the hurting, fear, and hate to our
offspring. We are all the same species on this planet, we just need to realize it.
It may sound like too much to ask for a evolution in the world's upbringing of
their youth. But as with any evolution, it only needs to start with one person. One
person
breaking this chain of labeling and classifying people as anything else, will spawn
generations that will carry the same ideal. The process is a gradual one, but a
neccesary
process that needs to start now.
Bibliography
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