Ignorance, Hatred, Love, & Cartoon Network

I was startled into consciousness this morning by the sound of Cartoon Network. Momentarily, I forgot where I was. It didn’t take long, though, to remember that I was on the Civil Rights Trip and soon to be leaving for Sunday morning mass. We arrived just in time, even though many of us were very lethargic. The music commenced and like a footprint in the sand, my tiredness washed away.

I was hit, entranced, by the power of the harmonies and rhythms I was hearing. The sounds that seemed to fill every corner of that expansive room rang beautifully. The sermon that followed was just as melodious as the music, both in delivery and sentiment. And this time, the room rang with sentiments of love and welcoming. In particular, I was left wondering — and Andrew Young helped me with this formulation — how can we counteract the sickness of serious ignorance? If only those with hatred in their hearts could enter this holy room, I thought, then their ignorance might be washed away, abruptly and simply, like my fatigue.

It was later on, this afternoon, when I slipped headphones over my ears and closed my eyes to experience a fraction of the hostility and hatred the Greensboro Four experienced many years ago. I was left with ringing remnants here too, but they were remnants of horror as opposed to remnants of hope and love. Words cannot describe how startling those soundbites were to me. I was reminded then, once again, of the difference between knowing something and feeling it, even if one is only feeling a fraction of what that reality was. 

All of this, and I have many questions. Is it harder to hate, or is it harder to love? How can we cure those who suffer from serious ignorance? 

-Xandi