Cleansing the Hatred From Within

Co-authored by Rabbi Marc Schneier

Yesterday's fatal shooting of a security guard at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. was an American tragedy. A tragedy that hurts every bone in the body of this country. Although we have lived through many tragedies before, each one hurts like it was the first one. But like every tragedy, there is always a lesson to be learned.

The start of this year marked a new beginning for this country -- the United States elected its first African-American president. While historic, a black man's ascension to our nation's highest office, of course, did not extinguish racism nor silence supremacists. We are clearly not yet where we had hoped to be. The reality is since President Obama took office, hate and hate groups in this country have been on the rise. Last month, the FBI thwarted a plot by extremists who claim to be Muslim to bomb synagogues in the Bronx and shoot down military airplanes.

Seven days ago, President Obama visited the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany and spoke about the continuing intolerance of those who hate otherness, whether it be racial, sexual, or religious, a hatred "that degrades its victims and diminishes us all." He could not have known that only days later he would have to issue a statement condemning an atrocity that took place practically in his back yard in the very space where such acts are studied and recognized as present day threats.

Let yesterday's attack be a wake-up call. For us to be any sort of beacon of hope to the rest of the world, we must truly change ourselves. We must take a deep look inside of who we are, and begin to transform our hatred to love. We do this by putting our foot down and saying enough is enough. We do this through painful, honest dialogue. We do this by working together.

Racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are alive and well in America. That we know. That is what is so painful. But, let us not let the pain cloud our judgment. We must work to let Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns' legacy be a renewed commitment to fight the abhorrent racism that continues to plague our country. Let us stop pointing fingers at others, and begin to truly examine ourselves and strive to a place of love and respect, rather than hate and tragedy.

Let us cleanse the hatred from within.

Perhaps in our eagerness to achieve the "post-racial" society, the harmonious bi-partisan governing, and all the ambitious goals we forgot that there is always effort that must be expended first. By coming together we are not already past or post anything; we are just beginning the process. What more can be done? The work is there waiting for us but maybe we can be less wary of it. We can change our trajectory and arrive at our destinations sooner, so long as the necessary steps of tolerance and understanding are taken.

The Holocaust Museum normally closes only on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day, but today it is closed in honor of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. But, our work continues long after the museum reopens.

Rabbi Marc Schneier and Russell Simmons are, respectively, President and Chairman of the The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting racial harmony and strengthening inter-group relations.

Comments

[vernbvb]

Since the election of President Obama, many have made a point to wear their hate more openly. Many of us were under the illusion that race relations were improving in America and that an individual had the right to choose whatever lifestyle they wanted. But, the "haters" are coming out of the closet, They previously were not making much noise because as long as their could feel as though they had the power, there was no reason to make waves. There have been several incidents of hate crimes since President Obama was elected. In addition, guns are being sold at record rates. There is a strong possibility that we are just witnessing the beginning of real home grown terror in America.

[Mdazes]

Hatred today, tomorrow and forever read your bible

[biscuits-in-the-wind]

i'm confused about simmons' comments about "isms" especially after he put a half-naked Lil Kim in a burqa and lingere. how thoughtless and "ism-ish" was that? a lot if you ask some people. it seems to me that simmons discussion needs to start with what has motivated some of his actions. and be honest about it with himself (first) and then the rest of us (to the best of his ability). but i dont expect it will happen.

[wyldthings]

But I guess the murder of Pvt Long by a converted Muslim does not count. By the way the wounded soldier that survived was an African American! I.m tired of people concentrating on what fits their agenda. Dr. Tiller, and the Security guard were both unacceptable but they get extensive media coverage here but since it does not fit your agenda nothing is mentioned about the Extremist Black Muslim. There have been hundred's of murders in this country so far this year but you seem to think it only involves right wing zealots. Sad commentary and actually proof you could give a damn about our military. But I constantly read on this post about DADT.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

Russell,

I thought the big three was racism, anti-semitism and homophobia, not "Racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia." Whats up with that?

What, you haven't noticed the war against gays, or the recent declaration of right wingers to lay off of abortion and re-focus on fighting gay marriage?

Maybe if you didn't notice that, you'd surely notice the Justice Department a few days ago, in the name of Mr. Obama, file an aggressive brief in defense of DOMA, in direct contradiction of his campaign promise to actually repeal DOMA? It's quite shocking. I mean, even I'm shocked.


http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/obama-justice-department-defends-doma.html

[Douglas Campbell]

I understand your point, but Russell Simmons has been very outspoken and written at least two articles against homophobia, although I was very confused when he gave a Ms. Botswana a bracelet after she attacked same-sex relationships as 'unnatural acts'.

[Enigmaticaluna]

Mr Simmons, it's the first time, I read something with sense of understanding of what we live today. Your words are wise, it's for imperative for the people to find a common ground to be UNITE as a Nation, not just to avoid violence, but to became again strong Country, this Country is in decay, even if some try to close their eyes, from reality, the fact is, that USA is not anymore what use to be.
To much hate and division. When the veterans go to war and they fight, they do it next to some girls or guys, that maybe share different idiology. but he don't care, he know ONLY one thing, THEY ARE AMERICANS !. Tomorrow if " Flag day " for some people mean nothing, but one should be proud for that symbol that around the world portrait the Pride of a whole Nation. Remember to thank's those that with their sacrifice make sure that you still have freedoms and liberties, to say and feel whatever you want, remember that the fight should be as AMERICANS against the enemy, within or abroad, because them it's against you, your family in all you love. Tomorrow remember those that serve and die for you, from the pass the present, and sure from the future, they are the brave of this Country, I honor them by fighting to make sure that when they coming home, THANK YOU if you serve in the military,.. . ( America is YOU )

[arjuna3guna]

Human thought and behavior is shaped through conditioning. There is pure and impure conditioning. Impure conditioning is a source of problems while conditioning of a pure nature are a source of problem free living.

[voodoomonkey]

and how do you determine what is "pure" conditioning, and what is not? isn't it a matter of being in a natural, spontaneous state of integrated consciousness which disallows impurities, which maintains its own balance and integrity, as opposed to a state that is weak and susceptible to impurities? if a person is not firmly established in their own true Self (the state that in comments below has been called "Yoga"), then any input whatsoever will overshadow awareness and result in stressing the person out.

[arjuna3guna]

Yes, when one becomes established in the Self, when one knows who ones Self is, then the process of conditioning has reached a point where the mind has been conditioned with the purest understanding and the best knowledge available.
In this state one can apreciate diversity within unity.
Voodoomonkey is a wise man.

[ejhickey]

As FBI Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism John E. Lewis told a Congressional committee in May 2005, "One of today's most serious domestic terrorism threats comes from special-interest extremist movements, such as the Animal Liberation Front, the Earth Liberation Front and Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty." Lewis said that this radical movement is responsible for more than 1,200 arsons, bombings, thefts and acts of vandalism committed since 1990. He recounted a recent statement by an unidentified radical animal rights activist: "If someone is killing, on a regular basis, thousands of animals, and if that person can only be stopped in one way, by the use of violence, then it is certainly a morally justifiable solution."

Extremists cme from the left as well as the right

[Bobby Kennedy]

Well said... Let's all take a look in the mirror, travel our thoughts, and challange our perspective, "Does it tear someone down, or does it build them up?"

[wyldthings]

Bobby Kennedy, Well said! Let's all step back and remember The people committing these vile acts whether Extreme right or left they represent a very SMALL amount of the general population. I lived through the 60's and 70's and there was a lot more domestic terrorists acts then than now!!

[Nick D]

Amen.

We really need to address the culture of violence that we live in. This isn't something that comes from the much-maligned media, but something much more widespread. I think part of addressing the hate is addressing the violence, and that comes from above, not just below.

We, as a people, through the civil rights movement in America and the India's non-violent revolution, have been able to show the possibility of change through peace and non-violence - why haven't our leaders?

World leaders continue not just to wage war against each other, but on their own citizens as well. I really hope that Senator Webb's bill on re-examining the criminal justice system in America. So many innocent, non-violent people have been condemned to second class citizenship through a system that favors punishment and retaliation over peace and forgiveness.

Sorry for the rant. Really great article.

[wwwyourcampdaddycom]

Hmm, do you know what more wars on the planet are fought over, Food, yes Food. You know, if you don't let a peron get too angry, lonely, tired or hungry, we would have world peace (a simple plan, see life is not complicated). I know, we would all have to be human and equal.

[GrainOSand]

Thanks. It is just that simple, but there is profit to be had by keeping it complex and tilted.

[truthartbeauty]

thanks Richard. Your heart is in the right place.

[LaughingCrowSpeaks]

laughing crow: russell & rabbi marc are right: hatred must be cleansed "from within." what does this mean & how can this approach be practical? the real problem is: we're accustomed to addressing problems on the level of the problem. yes, hatred has always been around (so we believe). how do we "cleanse it from within"? talking about it? becoming aware of it? studying it?

einstein said: "problems can't be solved at the same level of mind that created them." this is the principle of the "second element." to solve the problem, introduce a second element, one that exists on a different level of consciousness from the problem; to remove darkness, switch on the light, as opposed to focusing on darkness. instead of focusing on the problems, bring the solution.

[LaughingCrowSpeaks]

hatred, intolerance, degrading others are the product of a state of consciousness. a lower, more limited, lesser evolved state. the wisest response to all this is the comment below about meditation. it is the state of consciousness that must be changed, of individuals and society. meditation changes it, individually & collectively.

changing the state of consciousness isn't just a process of thinking, talking, becoming more "mindful" of the problem: it's about accessing deeper potentialities, dipping into latent values of comprehension, creativity and intelligence that are deep within every single person regardless of race or creed. people who meditate (every day!) access these deeper fields of consciousness & awaken this potentiality in themselves, & in doing so awaken it for the whole society. individuals meditating affect everyone around them simply because that's how the world is made: consciousness is fundamental & connects us all, & enlivening it's deepest, transcendental nature (pure inner silence, "Atma") awakens that harmonizing field of silence in collective consciousness.

this was echoed by the founder of Yoga Philosophy, Patanjali: "In the vicinity of Yoga, all hostility disappears." yoga doesn't mean the physical exercises, it means the experience of pure consciousness, which is the very opposite of hatred. as we infuse THAT into collective consciousness, we're seeing real changes.

[voodoomonkey]

Excellent response. Patanjali established the Yoga Sutras a couple thousand years ago, and that one sutra telling how to dispel hostility is more relevant than ever!

"Infuse THAT (pure awareness) into collective consciousness." Well put.

What else can eradicate the hatred, violence and small-mindedness in society? Nothing else has ever worked. It's important to talk it all out and address the issues, as Russell is doing, but negative behavior is based on stress, and meditation dissolves stress. As long as the epidemic of stress is there, violence and hatred and greed will be there.

The cool thing is, now there's scientific research showing that meditation can lower the crime rate. Collective consciousness is shifting. The many articles in Huff Post lately about meditation and self-development are expressions of the emerging paradigm - - recognizing the value of transforming consciousness DIRECTLY through meditation techniques that work.

[BrotherOrchid]

Tell the civil rights, and black power martyrs, that they should have just meditated ,to achieve a higher consciousness, to end their misery, disenfranchisement, and poverty , and tell them how peaceful, silent meditation would have quelled most the violence and hate that engulfed them, the hate and violence that took their lives, tell those words of “wisdom” and peace to them !!! they lie shallow unmarked graves all over the south > tell them.

[LaughingCrowSpeaks]

had there been enough people meditating, it would have been a different world; had those " martyrs" been meditating & transcending they might have found more creative, effective solutions to deal w/ tensions & ignorance. but it's useless to look back & bemoan the darkness. bring the light & darkness is gone. if you haven't personally experienced this through meditation, it's just empty meaningless words.

if you've experienced, through meditation, that deep within is a field of pure intelligence, creativity & bliss, that this inner Self is the peaceful, harmonizing field that interconnects us all, then you'll get it. neuroscience is discovering that all violent behavior has it's correlating state of imbalanced, underdeveloped brain function. meditation changes the brain & makes it more coherent. through the "field effect," meditation changes society. only in the presence of stress, incoherence & rising tension does small-mindedness and hatred erupt into violence.

this is a new paradigm, so there'll be resistance to it, as always when new knowledge dawns. to deny the power of human consciousness is to deny the dignity & potentiality of human life - - to deny the power of good.

this approach comes from Vedic Knowledge, the oldest & most venerated cultural tradition on earth. we can dismiss it because it's from another culture, because we don't understand it, because it's a new idea for us, because it's different. but isn't such bias, ignorance & prejudice what got us into this mess?

[voodoomonkey]

BrotherOrchid, your sincere, eloquent sarcasm is well taken: it may seem ridiculously naive to tell a people who have undergone tyranny at the hands of ignorance that all they need to do is "meditate" to avert denigrating or violent behavior.

But think about it: people behave according to their state of consciousness. If you can change consciousness and comprehension, you can change behavior. Perhaps there's never been, in recorded history, a proven, effective way to change individual or collective consciousness. But there is now.

Meditation has come and gone in various forms, yielding varying degrees of effectiveness; teachings get lost and revived throughout history. Now we have science (historically, a new development) to verify the effectiveness of meditation practices according to how they impact brain patterns, biochemistry, physiology, behavior and quality of life indicators showing effects on society.

The science is showing us that meditation can transform a single person or a society. But the catch is, not all meditation techniques are equal. Different practices have different results. This is what the peer-reviewed research is telling us. Sitting and contemplating your navel, or ordinary relaxation, might not be as life-changing as a technique for diving deep into your limitless inner reserves of energy and self-knowledge at the core of human awareness. Now, that's more powerful than a mob of angry slobbering racist white folks! The simple truth is: the greatest power resides within, it's just a matter of whether or not you can tap into it.

[CynicalTony]

I think any generalization based on race, like from the two commenters below me, are absurd and dangerous. The fact you've decided to pinpoint African Americans specifically as the target of your comments to a post that's speaking about racism generally is very telling. But let's talk about African Americans then.

I too am tired of polarizing news and celebrities, gang violence, ebonics, gangsta rap, etc. But there's an underlying suggestion in your comments which says this happens simply because they're black. That's dangerous because if that's the very first conclusion you come to then by definition that would make you a racist.

Instead, suggest this happens because they're two generations removed from lynchings just to get civil rights. Or because, even after civil rights they've been marginilized and isolated by a society which doesn't want to integrate into or invest in their communities. Or because, if you're trapped in the poverty cycle of ghettos then all you've known is the hopelessness of an environment dominated by drugs, violence, failed schools and the absence of viable job options.

Many of your Irish ancestors were gangsters metzlerooo, many Italians like me too. But I would say that's a product of the poverty of immigration before I'd say it's inherent in our culture because that doesn't encapsulate me just like it doesn't encapsulate you.

I think there's plenty of change to go around for all sides but I think this is the type of empathy and understanding Simmons is talking about.

[metzler000]

First, hate always has and always will exist...it cannot be "extinguished", but to lower hate you must acknowledge that this issue is not as simple as saying we need to get rid of hate and haters and you must not follow the path of those who ignore the reasons behind this hate. This is not simple hate for no reason, as many naive people make it out to be or wish it was.