It happens daily. The use of negative words and actions to hurt the undeserving. Why are they undeserving? No one deserves the damage hate can do.

I’ve seen it on social media, underneath photos of people with “controversial” viewpoints. I’ve seen it in the way people throw around the “R” word like it is a synonym for stupid when it has the potential to crush people who at one point in our history were deemed “unworthy of life.” I’ve seen it on the news, since there’s plenty of it to report, but perhaps worst of all, I’ve seen it in our country’s past.

This year I took a course at my school called the American Experience or AmEx for short. It is an in-depth history and English class that dives deep into our history. It is taught by two of the most intelligent and kind-hearted ladies I have ever met. This class changed my worldview completely. Let me tell you how.

Before this class, I never wanted to voice my opinion. I feared what others would think. I had close-minded friends who felt that their opinions were the only opinions that mattered, so I never had anyone to talk to about politics or controversial topics that would be willing to have an unbiased, intelligent conversation with me. I never wanted to argue, I only wanted to learn.

That is why I wanted to take AmEx.

We spent almost a month talking about slavery while other classes spent days on the topic. We watched documentaries and read first-hand accounts of what it was like to live as a slave. Without those lessons, I would’ve never understood how slavery evolved into the civil rights movement, and why discrimination is still an issue today.

I learned about the horrors of the Holocaust and how the prejudices that put millions of people into concentration camps still exist today.

I learned that a person’s ability to hate another person is not an innate trait such as eye color or the pigment of our skin, it is taught just like we are taught to brush our teeth and tie our shoes.

My sister has special needs. She is often treated differently, even though she’s not that different. She has similar interests to typical teens, but sometimes she just needs extra help. Why do people see her as less than?

Think about it: What really makes us different? Skin pigment, disabilities, ethnic background, religion, sure. But as human beings, what makes one person inferior to another? We all have hearts, and blood pumping through our veins. We all have lungs that require oxygen to breathe. What else is there to compare when those are the only qualities that truly define us as human beings?

It takes minimal effort to choose kindness and respect. You have to go out of your way to create excuses to justify hatred.

Can you imagine what America could be like if everyone took a class like AmEx?

A year ago I would’ve never imagined writing something passionate and outspoken about such a prominent problem in our world, but after taking AmEx, I’ve learned to speak up. I’ve learned why I need to speak up, and I already knew because of firsthand experiences with my sister why it is important to teach our children about love, respect, and understanding.

If you’ve ever asked yourself: Why should I speak up? I find that wise words of Elie Wiesel are the only answer to that question: “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Tags: American Experience, Hate, Holocaust, katie lynn, prejudices

Trackback from your site.