Never Hate a People
By Seth Brown

Throughout history, the Jewish people have dealt with a lot of generalizations ranging from the benign ("Jews make better comedians") to the unpleasant ("Jews are cheap") to the downright atrocious ("Jews are an inferior race"). While there is an inherent contradiction in attempting to say that all generalizations are bad, the fact remains that most generalizations about a people are harmful.

Why is this? Because any large group of people is comprised of persons, many of whom will likely not fall into your generalized category. When someone says, "the Jews really want so and so...," they are probably covering only about half of them at best. It is foolhardy to presume that just because people share a religion, they will share the same feelings on everything. (There is even an old saying about asking two Jews about a matter and getting three opinions).

The point is, generalizing about people can lead to problems. When you meet someone and they seem disappointed to find out that you are a Jew, what is your response? Likely, you are unhappy that they have written you off simply because of your race or religion. Perhaps, like me, you think, "Hey, that's unfair. You haven't met me yet, give me a chance. Get to know me as a person before you go making assumptions about me just because I'm Jewish."

This is a very large problem in today's world. But it's not just about Jews, and it's certainly not one-sided. Since September 11th, and the subsequent terrorism in the Middle East and elsewhere, there has been a lot of talk about Arabs. Maybe you've even talked about it, or at least thought about it. Ask yourself if you have made hasty generalizations about Arabs, and be honest.

As Rosh Hashanah approaches once again, many people are planning their resolutions for the New Year. Some will make the usual slew of oaths to be kinder to their friends, call home more often, etc. Others may be resolving to pledge their support to the struggle that Israel is now engaged in. But while making this year's resolutions, consider resolving to judge people as individuals. A blind hatred for Palestinians just because many are currently warring with Israel is counterproductive.

It's all too easy to fall into an "us vs. them" mentality. But that's precisely the kind of thinking that causes these problems in the first place. Children are inculcated by racist parents and taught that Jews are evil. All Jews are to be hated. Maybe, and this is not something you often see on a Jewish website, there are some Jews that deserve to be hated. Maybe a Jew killed their grandfather, and it makes sense that they would despise that individual.

The problem develops when they are taught to hate YOU. You, you who have not wronged them in any way, you who will be hated simply because you share a race or a religion with an individual who did wrong them.

Seem unfair? It is. And it's precisely the kind of thinking that keeps age-old hatreds alive in the Middle East. But now ask yourself how you feel when you read the word "Arabs". Do you have negative associations with the word? With the people themselves? Maybe there are some Arabs who you should hate, ones who have killed innocents, caused terror, taken the lives of many without remorse. It makes sense to abhor these individuals.

But do not hate other random Palestinians you have not met, the THEM. They, they who have not wronged you in any way, are they to be hated simply because they share a race or religion with some individuals who did wrong you?

There are Arabs who are terrorists, murderers, and rabid anti-Semites. There are also Arabs who are not. There are Jews who are cheap, racist, and even murderers. There are also Jews who are not. If you believe that people should be judged as individuals, and not by their race or religion, then do so, and encourage others to do so as well.

And if you realize that you have made hasty judgments in the past, it's not too late to change. Yom Kippur is a time for atonement, so cover your past prejudicial generalizations, and resolve not to make more in the future.

Seth Brown is a freelance writer specializing in humor. He is a frequent contributor to the Washington Post's 'Style Invitational', and like everyone else, is working on a book.