Letter to the Editor 100721

“Hate: intense hostility and aversion ... deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury”
– Merriam Webster

Dear Friends of Peace:

There was a time when we rarely heard this word or found it in everyday usage. Unfortunately, hate has become enmeshed in our modern lifestyle, hate speech allowed in common vernacular, hate actions allowed in Halls of Congress and Higher Learning, and even Places of Worship. We seem unable to shut off the torrent of vindictive that overwhelms the world.
In the Mid-20th Century, the World fought a horrific war to stop the annihilation of whole populations due to their racial, ethnic or religious origin. In the last half of that century, a non-violent civil rights movement expanded the reach of legal protections to more of our citizens.
We thought we had made genuine, irreversible progress until we entered the 21st Century when we found that hate had been hiding, below the surface, waiting to be released back onto the world scene. A few nudges from the likes of Putin, Trump, Bin Laden or Isis and it has ruptured like an abscess to infect susceptible groups and minds looking for evil guidance.
Good people must gather once again to stem the tide of ignorance and hate. That is the way it always has been and the only solution that really works. On Oct 10, the Anti-Defamation League is sponsoring a series of “Walks Against Hate” throughout the United States.
I am writing to invite you to join in such a walk in Melrose at 2 p.m. starting at Heritage Park. We are asking political leaders, faith groups, schools, community group, and citizens to join hands and affirm that we will not stand for Hate in our community. We will say “NO!” to intolerance, discrimination, and violence against racial, religious minorities and women here at home.
Please share this letter with your friends, family and other groups. We want and need as many people as possible to participate.
In Peace,
Cheryl Owen
President Democratic Women’s Club of the Lakes Area