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There is an answer to hate

On a drizzly and otherwise peaceful morning in the Squirrel Hill district of Pittsburgh, Robert Bowers, 46, carried out one of the deadliest attacks on a Jewish community in this country.  Bowers, armed with an AR-15 rifle and three handguns, murdered 11 people and wounded four police officers and two others at the Tree of Life synagogue.

Before going any farther, we need to say the names of those murdered to ensure that we see them as real people, not just numbers.

Joyce Fienberg, 75 of Oakland; Richard Gottfried, 65 of Ross; Rose Mallinger, 97 of Squirrel Hill; Jerry Rabinowitz, 66 of Edgewood; brothers Cecil Rosenthal, 59 and David Rosenthal, 54, both of Squirrel Hill; Husband and wife Bernice Simon, 84, and Sylvan Simon, 86, both of Wilkinsburg; Daniel Stein, 71 of Squirrel Hill; Melvin Wax, 88, of Squirrel Hill; and Irving Young, 69, of Mt. Washington.

We know this about the killer.  Robert Bowers hated Jews.  He posted anti-semitic comments on social media, claiming a Jewish invasion, and reportedly shouted as he carried out his horrific attack, “All Jews must die.”

Behavioral researcher Patrick Wanis said irrational fear of “outsiders” is often a contributor to hate.  “Hatred is driven by two key emotions—love and aggression: One is love for the in-group—the group that is favored; and two, aggression for the out-group—the group that has been deemed as being different, dangerous and a threat.”

Also, hatred of others is frequently linked to a fear of something within ourselves.  Psychologist Bernard Golden said, “Acts of hate are attempts to distract oneself from feelings such as helplessness, powerlessness, injustice, inadequacy and shame. It is an attitude that can give rise to hostility and aggression toward individuals and groups.”

Most religions have long understood the destructiveness of hate.  The Jewish holy book the Torah addresses hate in several places, including Leviticus 19:17: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart,” and verse 18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Bible speaks frequently of hate as a sin and in the New Testament Jesus spread the Good News.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34.

Those are just two examples, but the command to embrace love over hate is nearly universal in religion.  Rejection of hate can also be found outside organized religion.  Secular Humanism’s Eleventh Principle says, “The principle of moral equality must be furthered through elimination of all discrimination based upon race, religion, sex, age, or national origin.”

We will of course have the debate about whether the heated rhetoric of our culture—from the President all the way down to the perverse postings of unhinged haters on social media—contributes to hate, intolerance and violence. I imagine I’ll join in that debate on Talkline, but I’m not sure how much good it will do.

I do know this; anyone who is sincerely interested in searching for answers to hate, regardless of their religious views, can easily find them.

 

 





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