Make a conscious choice to Stop the Hate

By Lori Freudenberg
Special to the Herald

September 19, 2006 10:15 am

— As our community prepares for the Stop The Hate Walk on Thursday, it is a good time for each of us to reflect on what we are doing or what we can do to stop the hate in our own life. Because, as Gandhi so eloquently put it, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
It is so easy to get caught up in the turmoil going on in our world — the wars, the terrorist acts, the reports of child and elder abuse — the list goes on and on. What is difficult is to step back, out of the madness, and realize that we each have a role to play in stopping the hate that causes the turmoil
It’s sometimes difficult not to hate the driver who just cut us off, not to hate the person holding up the check-out line when we’re in a hurry, not to hate the person with a different skin color or different religion. But where does hate get us?
It’s certainly not helping to create a better world in which to live. It’s certainly not going to bring groups of people together to create the peace we all long for. In order for that to happen, each of us have to set aside our prejudices and our hate, we have to decide what is our “ideal” world, and then we have to work toward it.
Of course there are many stumbling blocks and barriers along the way: People who won’t cooperate, extremists who think their way is the only way. But we must persevere. We must continue to show love, patience, tolerance and forgiveness, even when we think we can’t any more. It shows more character to forgive our enemies than to forgive our friends.
The YWCA is striving to make such a difference in our world. Our mission, “Eliminating racism, empowering women,” creates a monumental task. Sometimes the task seems ominous. But until we can change the “ing” to an “ed” in both words, we continue working.
On the local level, we sponsor such events as the Stop the Hate Walk and the Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. We organize the YWCA Week Without Violence; we plan memorial services for those killed as a result of violence; and we work with the Caring Tree and Halloween House of Wonders to give children opportunities to celebrate holidays that they otherwise might not celebrate in a safe or joyous way. We host our International Series each month, which brings women from different parts of the world to talk about their culture and their heritage — giving each of us a deeper appreciation for people outside of the United States.
Internally, every employee receives “Respect in the Workplace” training. This training includes video scenarios on workplace situations that promote enlightening discussions, making us all aware that how we talk, what we say and how we act may be offensive to others without our even realizing it. It teaches us to be respectful to everyone — co-workers and customers alike, regardless of gender or ethnicity.
On the world level, as well as locally, the YWCA imagines a world where peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people prevail. We work to eliminate racism wherever it exists. Through advocacy, leadership development and education, the YWCA works to create a world in which we all live as equals, where peace and love are a way of life.
Please join us on Thursday in the Stop the Hate Walk. Make a conscious choice in your life to stop the hate. What a difference it will make!
Lori Freudenberg is executive director of the YWCA of Clinton and a founding member of the Clinton Peace Coalition.