let's change that

  As long as there are differences among people there will be hate, bigotry, prejudice, resentment, intolerance and phobias. That is what needs to be understood and accepted. It is just a natural fact and will never change. The only thing that can possibly have any effect is the threat of punishment for displaying any of that. You are not going to change what motivates others to those behaviors. That is what Jesus attempted to do, along with every other religious leader in history. Some religions teach the only way to do that is by force! Yes, we have all learned about that if we have been paying attention to history. The truth is all major religions in the world have taken that route at some point. Onward Christian soldiers, Jihad, self-defense, freedom fighters, whatever you wish to call any of that. It is what happened and will continue to happen. 

 The United States of America, a nation unique among the nations of the world, with our constitution, our forming of a Republic, is an attempt at that utopian society where all men are equal. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Lincoln proclaiming that nation shall not perish from the earth. Today many calling our government a democracy simply because it implies majority rule. If we all agree, it's a law. What is not being taught is that it is a Republic that protects the minority from the whims of the majority. That doesn't happen in a simple democracy where the majority simply makes law. It was a Republic that freed the slaves! That wasn't democracy in action that was a Republic in action. Remember it took a war to get that done and it was the southern democrats that pushed the issue to that end. They are called democrats for a reason you know, just as Republicans are called republicans. An oversimplification you say? No, just a fact. Same as my opening statement is just a simple fact.

 Now I'm not saying we need to accept any of that. We all agree, we all know, we all would love for all of that to end. It isn't going to. So, the only recourse we have is punishment. The problem being, what is punishable? Oh, there are the obvious actions, violence, slander, offensive language and that sort of thing. But what of those things that we can't prove but just assume? 

 If a person of one race commits a crime against a person of a different race is that the basis for the action? We don't know that for certain but seems likely doesn't it. Can you prove that in a court of law? No, you cannot unless the accused provides the evidence to convict. Today we can check their social media accounts or something like that as evidence. What groups do they support? Guilty by association. And in that lies the problem with punishment. 

 The preponderance of the evidence is applied in a civil trial, not a criminal trial. And can we really make bigotry, prejudice, resentment, intolerance and phobias a criminal offense? We have done so with what is called "hate crimes." They are prosecuted by "perception" and is that really justice? That is what the witches at the Salem Witch trials faced, guilty based on a perception. It's just a very slippery slope when you start legislating perception. I've been told because I do not have a college degree that means I'm less intelligent than others. I've been told because I am white, I enjoy privileges. I've been told I was too skinny, too fat, ugly and handsome. All others' perceptions of me. Valid and prosecutable? Only in a court of public opinion, not in a court of law. 

 The bottom line in all of this is a simple one. As long as there are those that disagree with your opinion there will be conflict. Are we ever going to get everyone to agree on everything? Nope. Will we continue to place blame on others for that? Yup. It is always the other guy that is at fault. That's how it looks to me, my perception of the problem. You most likely feel the same way. Funny how that works isn't it? Let's change that. Of course, it is you that needs to change, not me.