Ben Stein on Hatred in America
Ben Stein stated his Declaration of Conscience on CBS Sunday Morning today in response to the plague of hate that seems to be growing and increasingly accepted in our nation. I thought it was fitting.
“This is a big country. It is a great country, filled with opportunities. It is the magnet for those all over the world who want a better life. And while we face grim challenges from many directions, we make this pledge:
“We became a great nation because we are an open, loving nation. Most of us believe in a loving God. Whether we are believers or atheists, we believe in the rights of all. We welcome all who respect the rights of every other American. We welcome and respect all who want the same opportunities and legal protections for all Americans.
“We are a busy people, we Americans – rebuilding our economy, defending ourselves, educating our children. We are far too busy to hate. We will not preach hate, sell hate, try to get elected by hate. We will follow our forefathers’ example and only stoop to hate those who try to kill us. For those within our borders, unless they preach hate, our motto is always “Love thy neighbor.” We can and we will disagree about almost everything, but we will not do it in a spirit of hatred based on religion or race or sexual orientation or wealth or poverty.
“If our enemies want to live by hate, that is their loss. But we are not going to imitate their hatred. We live by love of our fellow man, and they will not stop us.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/17/sunday/commentaries/main6966357.shtml
