Adopt a positive attitude of caring, understanding and compromise

By Letter to the Editor on April 10, 2019.

I’ve read many interesting letters to the editor but so far no mention of the fact we’re all descendents of immigrants or refugees. Unless we can trace our heritage to an Indigenous tribe, we are all descendents of foreigners.

The horrific massacre in New Zealand recently is a prime example of hate-filled, negative ideology based on people’s religious beliefs. The people who carry out these terrible acts have never thought that they are a result of people who, for whatever reason, decided to relocate to a different country – or they completely ignore that part of their own past.

No matter how many generations have passed it does not obliterate their past, it just relegates it to history.

Facts are still facts, which some choose to ignore due to their hatred or fear of those who are different. We are not born with hatred; we learn it or it is taught to us as we grow up. It’s up to each of us to choose a positive or negative way of living. It’s unfortunate a few allow negative feelings to fester until they deem it necessary to take violent action to (in their mind) rectify a wrong.

Sadly there is no way for us to know what is in someone’s mind or when they might take some sort of action. They leaves us needing to be vigilant, thoughtful and understanding of our surroundings. Mental acuity doesn’t decide what people decide, it only allows them to reason things out depending on their attitude. We make choices every day that affect us, and often those around us. Therefore we should adopt a positive attitude of caring, understanding and compromise.

This in one of the only reasonable ways we can contribute to a more peaceful, safe and comforting world.

Living with truth, honesty, understanding and clarity is desired by most of us. It’s an ideal we should all strive for.