Expressions of hate

I’ve been thinking a lot about the recent incident of vandalism at B’Nai Shalom of Olney. I’ve seen many adjectives used to describe how different people feel about this incident, from ‘saddened’ to ‘horrified’. But I haven’t seen one person who appears shocked or even surprised that this happened. Is this what’s wrong with our society? Have we come to expect not just the hate, but the expression of hate in such a public way? I have tried to process how I feel about this incident. This kind of racist/religious hatred is a form of terrorism. The people who commit crimes like this want us to be afraid. They want us to think that someone is out to get us. It is both heinous and cowardly to act out in this way. I choose to believe that it is also an expression of fear on the part of the individuals involved. Fear of the unknown, fear of those who are different, fear that they themselves are not “good enough”. They seek to degrade anything or anyone that doesn’t look like they do. It makes them feel stronger, more powerful and in control. Now, I’m all about control – real control is power in its rawest form. But I also believe that we get to choose whether or not to give up our power and to whom. I don’t know how to stop attacks like these. I believe in peaceful coexistence with all people. I applaud the leadership at B’Nai Shalom for their quiet, quick and community inclusive response. When we stand together as a common people, united by a desire for peace and understanding, regardless of race or religion, we take back some of that power. We cannot live in fear; we will not be swayed from our beliefs by the hatred of others. We may not be shocked or surprised, but if we continue to respond as a peaceful, united community we will be stronger than those who hate.