On Hatred

I heard a couple of people chatting the other day when I was in a grocery store. They were mad and mad at Barrack Obama. Steam was emitted from the ears of one of those guys as he ranted about the evils Barrack is doing to the country. It struck me as being a bit over the top. I think it's not wise to be that upset that about people or the things they do when we don't even know them beyond an image.

So many in this country despise Osama bin laden. I mean they hate the guy more than the bad deeds he does. It makes me wonder what Osama is really like. Maybe he likes coffee, and football, believes in a higher power and sneak a look at porno on line..a regular guy side to him. I don't like the evil Osama does and think he is twisted, but I can't hate someone, the person him or herself, that I don't truly know. In fact I don't think that I have ever hated anyone. It's too negative and self destructive to hate. I don't believe in it nor ever feel hate in me. Better to just hate their behavior when that is bad than to hate the human being him or herself.

Perhaps some people need a symbol to hate, and people like Osama out of necessity are made into symbols. And it's easier to hate a symbol of evil than to hate a person we really know, even if that person is evil. Could that be why we stereotype those we feel a need "hate" (like the two guys in the grocery store did with Obama), to make it easier to hate them?

One odd thing about those here who used to hate George Bush (I also notice that since George left office so did much of the hate directed at him) or those who now hate Barrack Obama, is that they are hating someone who has much less influence on their daily lives than they think. In fact, the teacher of a child has more effect on the child than a U.S. President has. yet, few parents take as much interest in what the teacher is doing to his or her child every day in school, than take interest in some policy the U.S. president believes in and attempts to legislate. Maybe investing so much hate in the wrong direction is why our priorities get turned upside down.

I am amused by people who get worked up in a hate frenzy about politicians. Politicians are much less important than we think. The system in which they operate is the important thing, that which endures and impacts us the most. Shouldn't hate be directed toward inanimate objects, systems things..anything but people. We humans are allowed to live too little time to ever hate each other. We need support, encouragement, acceptance love, not hate.

Oh...by the way...I hope you don't hate me for wasting your time with my remarks.