Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - Those Who Are Different

[Guest guest]

Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - " Those Who Are Different "

How tolerant are you of people who look and think differently than you? With

global terrorism on the rise, this is an important question - one which

drives down to the very core of who we are as human beings.

I am deeply concerned about hate crimes (meaning crimes motivated by racism,

intolerance or bigotry) today. It's also very troubling that people under

the age of 18 commit more than half of these vicious crimes in the United

States.

A Poll some time ago indicated that over fifty percent of the high

school students had personally witnessed racial confrontations and four out

of ten said that they would be willing to either participate in or silently

support racial incidents. From the front pages of the newspapers, I don't

things have gotten much better.

Now, my experience has taught me that hate, fear, and violence only survive

where there is ignorance, and where a poor self-image makes it seem

desirable to see others as somehow beneath you.

I think that schools should teach tolerance and respect right along with

basic skills. After all, we live in a world where diversity is the rule

rather than the exception. If our kids are threatened by differences or

uncomfortable around others who don't look or speak as they do, they aren't

likely to grow or go very far.

I challenge you to join me in taking responsibility for supporting tolerance

in our schools and to help every child you know to realize that we are all

more alike than different. A first good step would to be to practice what we

preach by getting to know someone different than ourselves.

Lou Tice

The Pacific Institute

Blessings,

Charlene

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