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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N
The power in numbers Among the truest truisms are the state- ostracize them from society. At the time, these were the opinions of ments: “there is power in numbers,” and the majority, and the majority “the pen is mightier than the believed in the rightness of sword.” their beliefs. History offers ample exBut when we look back on amples. The problem is that these times, we rightly feel those examples may illusashamed that our country trate successes by what we could have been so backward, (or others) might consider good or moral causes, as well so prejudiced, so caught up in as successes by what we (or mass hysteria. others) might consider bad We might say to ourselves or immoral causes. that we would never have sucNot so long ago in this FROM THE cumbed, even under the most country, there were substan- PUBLISHER intense peer pressure, to join tial numbers of Americans By Stuart P. Rosenthal the lynch mobs, reject friends who shared racist attitudes, for their political beliefs, or propagated ugly beliefs and acted on them. remain in the country clubs and schools For years, black, Asian, Catholic and that kept others out due to their ethnicity Jewish Americans were kept out of many or their religion. desirable neighborhoods, private schools Some of us would go further and say, and clubs, and workplaces. were something like this to happen again, Those who were gay were terrified to be we would stand up and fight — with words known as such, and remained in the closet and possibly even our fists — to defend their whole lives out of fear of losing their those who were being so unfairly attacked jobs and even their friends and family. for their ancestry, their religion or their Americans have also been persecuted beliefs. for their political beliefs. Even the barest After all, we might add, America was suggestion that someone was a card-carry- founded on the principles of tolerance, ing member of the Communist Party was freedom of speech and religion, and belief enough to cost them their livelihood and in the inherent dignity of all humankind.
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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Readership exceeds 400,000. Subscriptions are available via first-class mail ($36) or third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. D.C. and Maryland residents: add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President of Operations ....Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................Dan Kelly, Cheryl Watts • Publishing Assistants..................Rebekah Sewell, ..................................................................Kate Petersen
Are you with me? If so, you might not realize you’re being set up. For my intent in this column is not simply to point out how much more enlightened we Americans are today than our ancestors, but also to suggest that perhaps, as the tables have turned, we may actually be reenacting some of the biases, injustices and hypocrisy of our forebears in the name of enlightenment. While our culture has come a long way since the prejudices I mentioned above were commonly expressed and accepted, let’s take as a given that not everyone has internalized contemporary mores. Some were raised with prejudicial attitudes and haven’t moved beyond them. Some realize times and attitudes have changed, but aren’t so happy about it. Others have really come to accept current views, but when asked about the past, will admit to having had prejudices in the past. And some are fundamentalist believers who take the Bible at face value, even when that conflicts with modern notions of rights. When some of these attitudes come to light nowadays, especially when the people are famous or rich or both, the public reaction can be furious, and the result can almost instantly cost people their reputations and their livelihoods. While I understand the logic of denying prejudiced national figures a bully pulpit, I worry that we are becoming less and less
tolerant even of each other within our communities. It seems to me that a significant number of Americans are developing a reflexive rush to judge, dehumanize and penalize those whose beliefs they consider offensive, and to refuse to accept even penitent apologies. Are these not the very behaviors of those in the past whom we claim to so despise? Yet, we now see online lynching of reputations, and mass hysteria against, and stereotyping of, groups and political parties based on the behavior of individuals. We may think we have come a long way from the backwardness of the past, but in some ways, we have just become those we used to hate. If we truly believe in freedom of thought and freedom of religion, we should be able to live with differences of opinion and belief, as long as everyone’s rights are respected. And when we think someone’s beliefs are backward, we have the right to try to educate them and change their attitudes. It may take time and effort, and it may, in some cases, not succeed. But if we believe in human dignity — that of others as well as our own —- we must agree to treat each other with basic respect.
Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: I am over 80 and have been purchasing items from dollar stores for years. Regarding last month’s article, “Items you shouldn’t buy at dollar stores,” many articles are the very same brand as at other stores and in same packaging, so I know they are not fakes. This includes paper towels, foil and plastic wrap, paper goods and small tools. Flashlight batteries are the same brand and same type of battery as at expensive
stores. Their birthday cards and other cards at two-for-a-dollar are just as nice as anywhere. Cheap small kids’ toys do not last long, even if from top toy stores. I hope you will print this rebuttal to the article. These dollar stores are a bargain for all of us. Like all stores, they do have their junk also. Robert Campbell Springfield, Va.
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