Replace hatred with tolerance

THE EDITOR: Not a day goes by without reports of violence, hate and murder in this once cherished land. As I strive like many other nationals to maintain an optimistic outlook on life, the sheer volume of negativity occurring in an average day is overwhelming.

For every positive news item conveyed to the public, whether via mainstream media, social media or word of mouth, there seem to be ten adverse occurrences.

All this negativity and violence are driven by hate in one form or another. I recall several decades ago, as a young boy, getting into many squabbles and scuffles with friends and acquaintances alike. But before you could say “Jack Robinson,” we would be revelling in each other’s company again, like there was no prior issue.

This is the childhood I knew, aspects of which should follow the average man or woman into adulthood. We never held a grudge.

Conversely, the nurturing of hate, vengeance and reprisals are today prosaic in our country. How did we get to this stage?

Of course, a myriad of fundamentals exist that procure hatred, some of which are rooted in politics, greed, envy, personal dilemmas/experiences, race, upbringing, the internet/social media. However, although loathing of our fellow man has been around since time immemorial, internet access appears to have exacerbated this dark emotion.

While the internet promotes efficiencies in just about every facet of life, primarily due to easy access to vital information and quick communication, it also serves as a critical tool for haters, opportunists, fraudsters and sophisticated criminals, in general. But hate is the core fuel that keeps societal negatives alight.

If you visit any recent media post on Facebook, for example, featuring a seasoned politician from the PNM or UNC, the related comments would likely be laced with racial slurs from supporters of both parties. Moreover, many tit for tats would include expletives, the frequency of which bears testimony to the level of contempt some of us harbour for each other, which is racially motivated.

If a man has enough for his family and himself and feels financially secure, will he still be inclined to pilfer for more personal gain? Yes, it is possible, but not nearly as likely as the man who goes to bed hungry several days a week. This hungry man will be an angry man, hating his predicament.

Similarly, the man who feels loved by his family and genuine friends seems less likely to commit heinous crimes as opposed to the man who grows up without love or any significant family ties or genuine friendships. Ironically, the latter man would hate not being loved. So, to this man gang membership may offer a sense of belonging where he’s a family member or in a brotherhood per se.

Aside from calling out our government/leaders on missteps and broken promises, we must also undertake introspection to identify our individual hate factors. There always exists an underlying hatred for something, someone, some group, or process, circumstance or experience that drives our negative actions.

Once identified, we have it in us to quell that hatred – to at least transform it into tolerance, even if we need help from the right people or proper authority. But do we have willpower?

DEXTER RIGSBY

Mt Lambert