MISSISSIPPI

I wrote this brief essay in 2009 and recently revised a phrase or two, but the message remains the same:

Extreme cases of hate and violence towards that other person who belongs to a different group (racial, ethnic, sexual, linguistic, religious) are the result of underlying ideas and attitudes that are formed, to some extent, by what we know or not about ourselves, the "opposing group", our own intentions or those of larger forces. A murder cannot be compared to less violent acts, like certain actions or words, but the latter can add to the conflict. What we consciously do or say will determine if we want to stop or continue reproducing the hate, simply allowing it to take place. My years as a lecturer, not in Mississippi, but at a liberal institution in one of the CUNY campuses, brought me in contact with people who were dismissive of people who "were different", and could not wait to make derogatory remarks about Puerto Ricans or gays, some of them dressed up as pseudo-intellectual constructs, but offensive nonetheless. The consequences are not the same as a murder, but can often lead to very destructive ones. To stop the violence one needs to face the roots of the ideas and actions behind it. 

This blog, personal history and work as a teacher and lecturer on bilingual education led me into being very attentive to the issues discussed in the following link, particularly now with the rise of the ultra right in the USA. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/us/23jackson.html?hpw

Como decía un eslogan durante los sesenta, y el título de una película: "O nos liberamos todos o no se libera nadie"; "Prohibido callar".