Teaching Our Kids How Love Trumps Hate in the Trump Era by Wendy Sue Noah

I was planning to write this blog prior to the inauguration, but then allowed myself to be taken away on the chaotic ride of our new president. All of a sudden, I was literally speechless (which is very unusual for verbal me). Tears formed in my eyes on a regular basis and my heart ached, as I tried to continue to live my life as “normal”. But there is nothing normal about what is going on today. And I’m not talking about politics. I am talking about basic human rights and decency. I’m specifically talking about how love trumps hate.

So I am back intact, and ready to discuss the special care we need to share with our children. The good news is that we have the right circumstances to discuss what is important, which is to love and accept one another, differences and all. The not-so-good news is that the new president of this great country is not practicing love and acceptance. And due to this discord, hate crimes have risen at an exponential rate (for more details, please go: https://www.splcenter.org/news/2017/02/15/hate-groups-increase-second-consecutive-year-trump-electrifies-radical-right). And due to this discord, people are coming together more than ever before, to support one another, differences and all.

We even have reason to celebrate, as the Women’s March on the Saturday after the inauguration was the largest one-day protest in Unites States history, and we haven’t seen anything like this since the Vietnam protests!

We are waking up as a nation, as a diverse population. Embrace diversity, and do so with your children. Take them to a new ethnic restaurant, visit a cultural area (like one of my favorite, China Town), attend a multi-cultural event or volunteer to serve another community than your own, outside of your church and your specific community. Spread your wings and share the love!

My friend, it is our responsibility to look at our own lives and to acknowledge our own prejudices, so that we can help guide our children to be lovers, to be compassionate leaders of the new age. It’s time to get our heads out of the sand and leave our ostrich self behind. It’s time to care about others, who are not just a part of your immediate family or friend circle, and let your children witness your compassion and mercy for everyone who is suffering, regardless of their religion, skin color, nationality, etc.

For example, when we were growing up, we were taught things from family and from religion that may not hold a personal truth for us anymore, even though it may still linger in our hearts. Like believing that gay people are sinners, and shouldn’t be allowed to get married and experience love with their same sex partner. Why not?! Who are we to judge two people who love one another?! Isn’t love what we want more of…? Of course it is.

Where I grew up in New Jersey, I was one of two Jews in my elementary school. I didn’t feel any different from anyone else in my class, and had many friends. Until the fateful day where my female friends gathered in a circle and held hands, to declare that we would be a special group called, “The Sisters.” I was ecstatic, until one of the girls exclaimed, “Wendy can’t be a sister, because she is Jewish!” They all looked at me and agreed with the girl, asking me to leave the circle. I was devastated! It made no sense to me, and still doesn’t. The only way these girls knew that I was “different” must have been from their parents / church. We are the ones responsible for bringing up our children to accept all people, as we all share the same traits of being human and being a magnificent creation of the Creator.

And so it is. May peace prevail on Earth. May love trump hate. May we grow and transform as a diverse nation.

AMEN