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Dvesh

If there is one thing common to all of us, all over the world, it is hatred.

French people hate English and  the feeling is mutual and genetic. Americans hate Russians and Russians hate Americans. Indians hate Pakistanis and vice versa. Israelis hate Arabs and Arabs hate Jews. Christians hate Jews.

Hindus hate Muslims. Muslims hate Hindus. Bangalore Kannadigas hate Tamilians and all outsiders. Poor hate rich. Villagers hate city people, who have it all so easy. And all of us hate politicians.

Once they reach or cross teen-age, children hate parents. But parents do not hate children. They in turn, are unhappy with their own parents.

So my list is going to be endless. But the question is, why do we hate. Do we hate people who have power over us - like children hating parents or we hating politicians. Or do we hate people who we think will some how harm our existence? Is hatred a form of phobia? A fear that these people will occupy our nation and we will have to flee or be their slaves.

And how much of this hatred is internal and how much is external - due to the propaganda we hear so much, that we start believing it.

Again though all of us love to hate some one or the other (except for few people like me who hate every one equally), most of our hatreds are rarely harmful. Not to others. When will the hatred - which is like a small irritation, becomes a mob violence? Who should stop this? And how?

Stopping is essential because none of us want our children and their children to grow up in a nation, where walking out on the street is unsafe. None of us want our country or any other country to be civil war ridden.

Children at very young age must be taught to be less sensitive, more tolerant (sorry for using the word). Children should be taught to neither become power hungry nor fearful of others. And they should be taught to love and respect others. These children may then grow up to be less hateful or ajatashatrus.

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