The ability to intelligently converse and avoid unnecessary emotional hurt and physical conflict. This is a great, unique gift we have. Would it not be a good idea for the Library of Congress to offer online and in all our libraries a fact-based information section on the differences in the cultures, religions, and types of governments that make up this world”s populations.
Having lived in many parts of this country, I have seen and experienced the lack of understanding and knowledge of so many of our citizens, about the views and lifestyles of cultures that differ from the majority culture in their immediate area. We can”t comprehend and appreciate those ideas and values we know nothing about. The lack of diversity in so many smaller communities does not adequately prepare their youngsters, when they leave the area they grew up in, to go to college, enlist in the military or just find employment elsewhere. We can greatly lessen the tensions so many of us have to deal when a family has to relocate to a new geographic area of our nation or world due to job changes, humanitarian ventures, military needs, or just the desire to move from one type of daily living to a different type. A simple example of how such factual information would have helped in my own life, and there are many others, when it was my desire to reward a friend of mine from a different culture with a great steak dinner. I didn”t know or understand that in his culture, he did not eat beef. He would always politely find a way to turn my invitation down. While no big deal, this happens in so many ways to all of us in this globalize world, as we live this gift of life we have been given. We have little problem with learning how to cook, do laundry, manage our money, do the different types of jobs where we earn our livings. It would be a positive to learn as much as we can about the folks we live with on a daily basis. This would increase out ability to accept others right to diversity and lesson our tendency to take for granted or assume things with no factual basis that cause unneeded extra relationship problems. In the past, so many folks feared that learning about human”s differences would cause family members to turn against the family values or beliefs they had learned at home. Bigotry is learned around the dinner table at home more than anywhere else. A wider understanding would lessen many of the issues that keep so many of us from enjoying each other and enriching our lives, at a much higher level. And let”s try to elect our representatives more for their education, intell-igence and humanity and less for being able to pay enormous amounts of money for advertising. When we can depend more on informed conversations with others, we can solve many of the world”s problems without animalistic destruction.
The ability to intelligently communicate!
What a great, great special gift we have if only we can empower ourselves with education and learn to use it more effectively!
Jim Hall
Clearlake Oaks
