The World of Grandpa Don

An email cancer 

This past week, I received many email messages which related to the tragedy of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Many were prayerful and/or constructive. A few were not. One in particular was meant to be funny and my first reaction was to laugh. But then I wondered if it really was meant to be funny or was intended as a slur against all people who were Arab, Middle Eastern, Moslem, or people who just looked like one of these. Regardless of intent, the latter was the impression left with me. I quickly deleted it.

I remembered the evening of Sept 11 when on my way to St. Julie Church for a special memorial Mass. Many people were panicked to buy gas for their cars, fearing an increase in petroleum prices due to the attacks. Two service stations that I passed were overflowing with cars. A third, managed by a Middle Eastern man, had one car at the pump. His prices were no different from the others. He had become the enemy, ... for no reason at all!

In contrast, the Chicago Tribune of 10/11/01 carried a story of a group of girls from Maria High School who went to the Moslem School in Bridgeview. After presentations by the Moslem girls, explaining their beliefs and customs, the girls intermingled and socialized. They went away in the knowledge that there were more similarities than differences in the two cultures. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE work to promote understanding and love among the diverse cultures that combine to make America great. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not promote distrust and hate among the diverse cultures that combine to make America great. 

When a derogatory or hateful email reaches you, do as I did and delete it immediately. Do not pass it on! IT ISN'T FUNNY! ... It is a cancer! When we  participate in the spread of hatred we become partners with terrorists. The first job of these extremists is to turn people against each other and build a hate so great that people are willing to kill and even to die for their cause. It all starts with promoting distrust and hatred of those who differ in beliefs or customs.