How can we help?

Question

Alright, I've decided I'm doing my Persuasive speech on Matthew Shepard and the different Hate Crimes that have been surrounding the gay community for years. Basically, the persuasive speech is more on omitting hate from society. Any ideas, how or why, or what should be done to accomplish this? It's the holiday spirit, try to stay in the helpful, anti-hate mood. ^_^

I know that the goal is impossible. But think about maybe inspiring a group of kids to change their point of view. Not a lot of people around here have even heard of Matthew Shepard.

Answer 1

I believe we hate because we fear. We fear change, we fear the different, we fear ourselves. Because we don't take enough time to understand our true selves, we fear what we will find. Crimes of hate, against anyone are defined by their very nature as crimes of fear.

Self hatred is something that spreads like a cancer, eating away at the human spirit until only blackened emptyness remains. Its in that emptyness that fear blossoms. What exactly do we risk if we simply love one another? Will we lose our homes? Will we lose our jobs? Will we lose our children? Will we lose wealth? Will we lose the fear that we use to justify our hatred? Then what will be left? That is what we fear, the risk that we might not be who we think we are.

I say, risk love. Stop telling everyone else what they should be doing, to justify their existance in your eyes, and simply love. Stop defining your right to live in a culture or society by denying anothers right to do the same. Look at hatred and intolerance as something WRONG with you, not a normal response to something you believe is wrong with someone else.

I say, risk love. Really listen to your heart and accept everything with the simple grace of a child. Children do not hate until they are taught to.

I say, risk love. Don't make assumptions about the motavations and agenda's of anyone else until yours are pure. If you say you want to save a soul, start with your own.

I say risk love. If love is the light that eradicates darkness, then risk putting an end to the fear that blinds you to the value of every human life.

A society cannot legislate love. But it can raise its children to accept no less. There are those who say we, as a people, are lost. But every time someone refuses to accept hate, in society and in themselves, we as a people, walk alittle closer to the divine.

Answer 2

I don't think you can omit hatred from society. It is an unfortunate part of the human condition. People want to feel good about themselves, and one of the easiest ways to feel good is to put down someone else as somehow "less than" you are. And that's the beginnings of hate speech.

Sure, utopian societies would not have hatred. Gene Roddenberry's vision of our future in "Star Trek" and all is permutations seem to have eliminated the need to make oneself seem better at the expense of others. But these are ideals, and may not be achievable.

I suppose one way to eliminate hatred is to put greater stock in individual achievements, ie "I am the best because I've done the best I can do". Education has been at the forefront of the gay rights movement; educating people on what it means to be gay, how we're not a threat, how we are asking for equal rights not special rights. And each time a person comes out, they are working toward eliminating just a little bit more intolerance simply by being who they are. But I have no hope that we could ever wipe out hatred completely... there are far too many people with vested interests in protecting their spiteful little fifedoms (politics, religion, etc).

Answer 3

most normal people have wanted a world without hate forever. but that said, i don't think it's something we will ever achieve. as long as there is greed, ignorance, and lack of communication we as a society will always find fault in someone else