“hatred bounces”

— e.e. cummings

The hatred lives on.

photo credit: Sister72 via photopin cc

The hatred that manifested itself on a sunny, September morning twleve years ago; the hatred that fueled an unimaginable human tragedy; the hatred that led directly to two wars costing even more lives; the hatred that gave birth to programs and policies which continue to take lives still lives.

In us.

It lives in every misogynistic tweet, every bigoted post, every selfish taunt, every racist joke, every bullying word, every derogatory label, and every homophobic slur.

It finds strength in turned heads and blind eyes, the silence of closed mouths, the isolation of homogeneous communities, the segregation of neighborhoods, the obsession with self, the safety of inaction, the disdain of the different, the fear of compassion, and the ridicule of kindness.

We are the hatred that we purport to fight.

And until each of us turns the fight inward …

… the hatred will live on.