Published in County Neighbors – 2022
Dear Editor:
The recent posting in the Jeffersonian Democrat’s police report of May 12 describing one woman’s ethnic slurs against another woman, shows that our area is not immune from hatred toward “the other.”
As the demographics of our country and even our rural areas change, we must change as well. Understanding “the other” means learning about different cultures and sharing the many things we all have in common. It means talking with a person who expresses fear of “the other” to learn why that fear exists. It means helping our children understand our similarities and reading with them some of the excellent children’s literature about “the other.”
The PA Department of Education has many resources available to help school districts provide a healthy and safe environment where students thrive, and where every student, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression is provided the opportunity to learn—free from discrimination, fear, or bullying. If you have children, talk with them about bullying.
“The other” may be Black, Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic, or a mix, yet we all have much more in common than we have in our differences, and we all share in the benefits of getting along. President Biden cites national unity as the remedy for “the hate that remains a stain on the soul of America.” That remedy begins in communities like ours. It’s time to give that “other” person a smile the next time you see them.
Carole A. Briggs
Brookville
