Who are the Bad Elements in our Culture? Follow-up to Hate the Most Heinous Evil we face

Follow-up to “Hate” the Most Heinous Evil we face

Overheard from a commentator on TV; “As soon as different cultures move into the neighborhood our traditions go out the window”  (not verbatim but the meaning is still real).

Here is my perspective on this view by too many so-called reporters that may be spreading a darkened pattern which could become gospel to the weak.  

Many years ago, immigrants from Europe entered the harbor of New York and settled in this Land of the Free.  Nationalities of all the new people broke off into their own little neighborhoods.  German, Italian, Irish, and others felt secure with members who were the same.  Church worship, family and neighborhood celebrations, schools, and all activities common to each ones’ culture were the rule of the day.  Years came and went and the children followed their parents traditions.  

But, soon the Italian daughters came home with English boyfriends, the German girls found love with Irish boys, and before you knew what happened we had the children inter-marrying with nationalities outside their own.  My mother’s parents both came from Italy and my father has roots back to the Mayflower.  Mom married an Englishman and I am married to a German woman.  

However, now groups are moving into our country from Iraq, Mexico, Russia, and many Asian countries.  Here is where the commentators’ comments are going to feed negative food to some unsuspecting listeners.  These people may join with those who spread gossip about “how it was in the early days”.  Have they forgotten that most of them come from families with parents of already mixed cultures.  Do they feel that their parents’ choices were fine but their childrens’ direction is wrong?

Even our President has said that the people coming across our southern borders are murderers, drug dealers, rapists, and who knows what else.  Because a person speaks differently than us, has a different color of skin, and eats food that at one time was foreign to us, is no reason to boycott their desire to be here, legally?  

My concern is maybe some of the radicalized shooters killing innocent worshipers in Synagogues, Mosques, and other churches may be recipients of the gossip from their families, peers, and media expose’s.  The so-called innocent put-downs by a lot of people has corrupted the thinking of these radicals and make plans to eliminate what to them is an infiltration into their peaceful life.  

It only takes one negative thought heard or read by someone who can not discern realism from radicalism and unleash a monster into the world and the results occur over and over.  

Even our Catholic Church has had some negative thinking regarding the priesthood because of the recent Scandals.  I have heard how some want to march to the Diocesan Offices and demand the removal of Bishops and others who may not have any complicity in cover-ups.  But, their thinking is eliminate those at the top and all will be healed.  This too can be a radical decision.  No guns, but the tongue is able to destroy reputations and sometimes weaken the very tenets of our faith.

To use discernment in every walk of life when the opportunity to kill by guns or the tongue should be paramount in what the next step anyone will take when attempting to correct what we may deem as wrong.

Ralph B. Hathaway March 2019