Outrage, Fear in Coping With Violence, Hate

The Orange County community has again been battered by violence and hate. This time the victim represents each one of us whether we be gay or lesbian, Asian, black, Latino, Anglo, immigrant, or longtime resident.

We have been assaulted by hate, intolerance and a growing, frightening phenomenon of teens acting out hate and intolerance with violence and problem-solving with brute force.

We, all of us, must be outraged and concerned, not only for the actual act but for our society itself.

We have brought this on ourselves by being silent when the politics of fear and hate are heralded; by being silent when jokes and comments, at anyone’s expense, are made; by diluting our attempts at cultural understanding; by not listening and acting to understand and respect those who may be different; by holding fast to the self-righteousness of crusaders; and by not accepting that someone else may have, probably does have, a valid point.

The struggle and challenge is not to become a homogeneous society, but rather to become a just society, with equal treatment and equal access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for every one.

LIBBY COWAN

Costa Mesa