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"Prejudice is a great time saver.
You can form opinions without having to get the facts."
—E. B. White
E.B. White was a writer’s writer. Known for his books of prose and children’s books, Stuart Little, and Charlotte’s Web, he also wrote 
for The New Yorker and numerous newspapers. During the 60’s, at the height of the fight against racial injustice, bigotry, and prejudice, E. B. White wrote the words above.
But prejudice isn't limited to racial differences.
Again, people are furiously chanting in the streets, this time it is against Jews or Muslims—take your pick. It is so easy to take a side, but so damaging when we do. A child born into a Jewish household learns to love God through his or her religion, as does a Muslim child. The heinous and godless acts of some cannot blithely be applied to the whole. Let’s face it: From the beginning of time there have been atrocities committed by people representing every country, religion, and race, and atrocities start wars. It doesn't take a scholar to know that if we hadn't responded to the Nazi barbarity in the 40s, the world would be a much different place. But we must remember that every German was not a Nazi and every Muslim is not a Hamas militant.
Consider these facts: Over the years, more than 300,000 Muslims worked with and helped our service men and women in Afghanistan—many who later lost their lives because of that association. Famous Muslims you might not shun if introduced include Shaquille O'Neal, Dave Chappelle, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Muhammad Ali, Omar Sharif, and Malala Yousafzai, who at the age of 17 became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate for championing education rights for girls.
Some other facts: Countless Jewish Americans have brought beauty, life-saving medicines, literature, and technological advances to the United States and the world. Consider the impact of Albert Einstein, Milton Friedman, Steven Spielberg, Joseph Pulitzer, Elizabeth Taylor, Jonas Salk, Lauren Bacall, Irving Berlin, and Emma Lazarus who wrote “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
This is a country founded on the freedom of speech (not to mention religion), so of course you can say pretty much anything you want. But the wisest among us will use some self control to keep from jumping in the pool with the angry mob. Hate is not the answer. This is the time for all of us to show love to our neighbors and to use our words to heal, not divide.
You know, E.B. White was right, prejudice is a great time saver, and I might add it is an easy reach for the hot-headed, stupid, or lazy among us.
Remember who the Judge is,
Jim
