Are we really going to fight hatred?

I ask this question as we enter day 3 since U.S. Representative Giffords was shot and 6 innocent people, doing absolutely nothing wrong, were murdered. In these past few days the rush to judgement has begun. And in the political give and take, in the endless ceaseless cycle of TV talk shows, loosely disguised as news, we see that we just can't help ourselves.

Everyone agrees that the hatred needs to end and the tone of debate and the venom and vitriol being spewed should cease. But unfortunately, it seems these same talking heads are only seeing hate and anger from those who they disagree with.

Words matter. In the political rush to curry favor with those you believe are like-minded, you use words that inflame, images that de-sensitize and accusations that are baseless, groundless and careless.

The left, whatever that is, needs to scream from the rooftops that hatred and anger spewed at the right is wrong. Have we forgotten a Presidential inaguration in 2001 where the President's motorcade is assaulted with rotten eggs thrown from a crazed crowd. Sure, protest if you must, but do so without anger and violence. The right, whatever that is, needs to scream from the rooftops that hatred and anger spewed at the left is wrong. Have we forgotten how our first black elected President is caricatured in ways that are totally wrong. Disagree with him if you must, but do so without insults and racism.

Not until we all can agree that taking anger and hate down can we even begin to work to minimizing violence. I am not saying that Saturday's tragedy would have been prevented if we saw less political anger, but can't we work on changing the culture?

This is about what I can do; what we can do in light of Saturday's horrific act of violence. I may not be able to physically stop a killer or predict the mental stability of the 50 or 100 or 1,000 people in a crowd. But I can reject hate speech, anger, violent and nasty language, and encourage others to do the same. I can tune out any organization, be it Fox, CNN, MSNBC, or whoever, if they are only interested in ginning up the insanity.

I can treat everyone I encounter with respect. I can work harder to see the human dignity in everyone; even those who don't like me. I can remind myself daily that we are all children of God; yes, we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are called in Scripture, children of God. And God is Love. We are children of Love.

If we all would only understand this, perhaps we could arrive at that day where violence like we witnessed Saturday, and unfortunately, everyday in our communities and our nation, will end.

I pray everyday in the Divine Office: God come to our aid, Lord make haste to help me. Now more than ever, God come to our aid!