Tag: Hatred

Confronting a Life-Long Hatred of Mississippi

When it came to where I was born, no one gave me a choice. The incorporeal essence that would soon become Brad Stennerson was never given a globe and asked where, specifically, he wanted to appear. There was no listing of pros and cons. There was no populating of Excell spreadsheets with snippets of...

On Loving a Jew, Being an Atheist, and Fearing in a Time of Hatred and War

Of course I knew my husband was Jewish when I met him. Perhaps he didn’t actually come right out and say, “Hey, hi. I’m Jewish,” but he joked. He’s funny and charismatic, part Dangerfield, part Seinfeld, without the money or fame. He’s born and raised in New York...

How to Free People From the Gravitational Pull of Hatred

Ifound Ryan the mechanic slumped over his workstation and I felt a sharp stab of concern. We’ve developed a friendly banter over the years even though I only see him when I get my oil changed. “Are you okay?” I asked in a friendly tone. “You look tired.” “I ...

You So Black: The Internalized Hatred of My Students

Although it has died down a bit in recent months, the fear of Critical Race Theory has impacted the curriculum of many schools. I’ve received more than a few messages from angry parents if we read a book with a Black protagonist. The fear, supposedly, boils down to the belief White c...

How Trickle-Down Hatred Impacts and Dehumanizes Your Co-Workers

“Why don’t you relax? Obviously, I was only joking.” This is a phrase that’s often thrown out by abusive people who get called out on their hurtful behavior. At some point, our society has to recognize that calling something a “joke” doesn’t make it right...