When Did We Begin to Hate?

When did some people make the decision that hatred, violence, cursing, and name calling were really the adult way to handle everyday life?

When did people think it was okay, and so brave to make any scurrilous remarks about people they hate? For that matter, why do they hate others ?

Was it because of the impact the Covid closures had on the nation? Was it because people can hide behind Facebook or any of the other social media platforms and feel safe saying whatever they think will get them attention?

Is it because so many people are using words, they don’t even know the real meaning of?

Or is it because people simply read some things and refuse to see that in every instance, there are always two sides to a story.

In speaking of Charlie Kirk, there are those accounts of his being a, xenophobe,  homophobe, transphobe, misogynist, Fascist, a Nazi, a hatemonger, a racist. Yet no one can point to any of his statements or actions in their full context that spewed anything that would describe any of those names.

Perhaps part of that is because the people screaming Nazi or Fascist did not live through World War II, ergo, do not even know what a Nazi or a Fascist is. They do not know what people who lived through that war and lost friends, family and neighbors fighting so it would not come to the United States have gone through.

But now, it is down to the local level. There was a time political parties could argue their sides of an issue at a council meeting, agree to disagree, split the vote, end the meeting, and go out to the local bar for a nightcap and a rehash of the latest high school play or basketball game or the new family that moved in up the block.

No more.

Today, in so many cases, there are not two opposite parties running a borough expressing opinions from residents who might have two different viewpoints. Or if there are, the two sides don’t always talk to each other, let alone socialize after a meeting.

There are people like Cameron Fish who came out of a bar, made a scene and screamed while a youngster was trying to make a public speech and an outdoor peaceful gathering. But then, later he seemed calm and docile when talking with the police officer who had to be called because of the threat to a peaceful gathering.

What prompts actions like that?

When did we sink to public rudeness and insults to a youngster to show hate?

There are administrators of the social media pages who simply shut out the writers whose opinions they do not like. Are they so fearful of readers hearing both sides of issues and perhaps being able to think for themselves?

Why do people insist on perpetuating the hatred one person spews by adding fodder to keep the comments going? As an example, one story on the Atlantic Highlands peaceful gathering honoring a well-known deceased man on his birthday was read by thousands, not unusual.

What was unusual was the more than 100 comments in response to a straight news story. Most news stories draw considerably fewer comments. But to this story there were comments to comments and comments to comments to comments and on it goes.

Then there’s the vitriol of another man who hides behind whatever he can. Gus McD lives in Highlands. Or Atlantic Highlands. He has a lot of comments to make on Facebook, and even has a special page to spew his venom,” Sometimes it’s shady in Highlands.”

In a recent bit of balderdash or venom, he wrote about the current Highlands Mayor words so despicable loathsome and detestable Veni Vidi Scripto could not include them here, with or without the obscenities apparently permitted on Facebook. Clearly, Mr.- lives- in- Highlands- or- Atlantic- Highlands doesn’t simply dislike, he really hates the Highlands Mayor. “ I thought I might back to make sure you lost” was the start of his venom and ended with “ So here we are.. I’m on a mission ….”

That is simply evil, hateful, sick, and its author is worthy of the disdain, not support of his neighbors.

Every day, it seems, there is more hatred being spewed and released for public viewing. It will continue, unless we do something to put a stop to it. Facebook users need to scroll right past all this venom, need to ignore the sickness that is being written, need to put an end to perpetuating hatred.

It was an Atlantic Highlands police officer who said it right at the Blue Mass this week: “We need more prayer.”If we tried it, maybe that would work.

To use a well-used term these days….it is deplorable, hatred needs to stop, and people need to turn to a friend and offer a hug, turn to a neighbor and offer a hand, and turn to a stranger and offer them love, understanding, and an open mind.

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