The author did not know what to title this story, sorry.  Still, which ever one, it sounds like a strange title, doesn’t it?

Well now, almost everyone in the world knows of or has heard of the K.K.K. or Ku Klux Klan.  The K.K.K. is basically an anti-almost-anything organization, that decries Black, Colored, Jewish, Catholic, Northern and foreign peoples.  (Sounds familiarly like a certain enclave in Northern California, doesn’t it?)

The author is a Jew, and his mother and father were Jewish.  All his known blood kin before his blood parents that were not dead when Herr Hitler ascended to dominance and power, were exterminated in “the camps”!

Despite this (or because of this?),  he has developed a pride in is Jewish roots and religion.

Whenever people tread the path of racism they tend to forget that no matter who they hate, or for whatever reason, they are universally hating members of one race!

You may have heard of this race—it is called the Human Race!  

So, in reality a racist is really a misanthropist (that’s a big word for a “nut-case” who hates everybody—presumably including him or herself.)

Some people may have been surprised to hear about the Deputy who sodomized the Jewish inmate with his finger and said:  “Have a nice day Jew,” as his female sidekick watched—they were “Redneck-Antisemetic-Racist,” or misanthropist; as well as being “Sodamite-Rapists.”

People who knew about the dastardly deed and did nothing, or ignored it branded themselves as “accessories” and/or “accomplices,” and earned themselves the same names (Redneck-Anti-Semitic-Sodomite-Rapist-Racist) by association.

Yes, the author is referring to Captain Van Buskirk, who has ignored repeated complaints; D.A. Scott, and D.A. Benito, who have ignored repeated complaints; and, of course, Sheriff Jim Pope who has ignored repeated complaints.

Now—the author experienced shock, horror, and minor surprise when Sheriff Pope and his Scurvey Crew (sans their white sheets), instigated their “persecution of the Christians” on Christmas Day.

Minor surprise because persecution is like hate and follows “natural progression;” And because persecution, like hate, feeds upon itself, and consumes all in its path.

Not a pretty picture is it? — —But true, unfortunately.

One asks the questions—How??

How does hatred start?  How do people become like this?
How can people be so cruel?  How is it that others permit it?
How can others ignore it?  How can we stop it?

Six how’s to start with.  Shall we start?

How does hatred start?  

Well, hatred is a base emotion; it is the antithesis, or expect opposite, of love.

Hatred starts with a lack of love, and a lack of caring.

We can fill volumes describing various interpretations of the word “Love,” but truly, Love is an “outgoing” emotion, like respect.  In reality, true love is the giving of love.  If your Love falls on fertile ground it is returned tenfold.  If it does not fall on fertile ground, then one must move on, but never fall into the trap of reciprocating ill feelings, because hatred, like love, can also return tenfold.

That is how hatred, bigotry—and yes, racism start!

How do people become like this?  

Some people feel unloved and alone, resentful and jealous.  These emotions ARE fertile ground for hatred to grow and bloom, and to multiply.  Weak people lack the strength to rise above their problems, and follow the easiest path—downhill.  Little realizing that the brambles and thorns are thickest in the valleys!

How can they be so cruel?

Cruelty, sadism, “mean-spiritedness,” anger, hatred and racism are a cornucopia of evil, or the antithesis of love.  We can all remember that hideous creature back in grade school, the “Class Bully,” (using hideous in a figurative sense, of course.)

You remember that individual don’t you? — The one who used to pull the wings from frogs, and pull the legs off the “daddy-long-legs”: Don’t you recall the revulsion that caused you?  Those fiendish individuals try to use anger, cruelty, etc.  to fill the void where love should be!

How is it that others permit its?

Others permit it for the most part, tacitly, or by failing to disallow it.  They are the weak in spirit, lacking the courage to cry: “ENOUGH!”

These weak people seldom stop to think that they are, in fact, by their inaction, accessories and accomplices to the evil!

How can others ignore it?

Some other people experience a psychological disorder called “denial.”  (Sort of like an Ostrich Syndrome, they stick their heads in the sand with their butts elevated invitingly.)

That makes this one easy to answer then—They ignore it because they are psychologically disturbed!

How can we stop it?

For most this is the “Bigee,” the impossible, the insurmountable problem—

But, it is really extremely simple, we must answer bigotry and prejudice with wisdom and understanding; answer hatred and persecution with love.

Yes!  Love! — Not carnal love, but Love of God our Lord, and our fellow man.

Because, you see, in an environment of benevolence, love, understanding and knowledge—evil will wither and die!

The bigots, the sadists, the racists and the Rednecks will either change or wither and fade away.

In closing, this day, I ask everybody, Christian, Pagan, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Shinto or Shao-lin to pray that Sheriff Pope may find enlightenment and the way to God and Godliness.
 

Moshe I.  Stein
Shasta County Jail
1655 West Street
Redding, CA 96001