Why the hatred?

There are things we teenagers may never understand. Taxes, mortgages, student loans - all of these have explanations of varying but present rationality.

There is one thing, however, I have yet to understand, and I know there is no rational explanation for it: hatred. Not against ideas or injustice, no, but against our fellow Americans themselves. If one were to read about our past, they would know peace and kindness are generally exceptions to the rule of history.

But, for seemingly no reason at all, we have toiled against ourselves again and again for centuries. No, I am not referring to open warfare, but hostility to people of color. To people of the LGBTQ community. To people of Asian descent. Just…why?

Why are we grabbing pitchforks and torches against other people, and not dire issues such as pollution and climate change? Why must we always substitute sympathy for hostility? It just pains me to see our willpower and our sentience be used to make people suffer rather than to bring about good change in the world. If there is one thing that no class nor lecture will ever help me understand, well, you just read it.

Carter Tabino

Spokane