Sunday, June 27, 1999 | 1:48 a.m.
Prejudice, fear, and ignorance are the oldest political tools used to control people. The pogroms (ethnic slaughter of Jews) in Europe were commonly started with false rumors of Jews sacrificing and eating children. The Watts riots were started by false rumors of a white policeman throwing a black baby over a bridge.
How many lives could have been saved, destruction stopped if only enough people had asked, "You say this is true, but can you prove it is true? Can you name the time, place, people and witnesses?"
Adolf Hitler started research on atomic weapons before we did. He was very close, but then decided to "cleanse" his research teams of Jewish scientists and their ideas. We accepted these scientists, including Albert Einstein.
With their effort and ideas, our own atomic research program was able to leapfrog Hitler's, making the United States the first atomic superpower, not Nazi Germany. Those two acts, prejudice by Hitler and acceptance by the United States, changed the political course of the world.
As we ask more questions and demand more answers of ourselves, our fellow citizens and our leaders, we replace blind belief and prejudice with knowledge and understanding. Next time you hear, "Those people want to starve children," or "You can't trust people of their ilk (stereotype)," realize you are dealing with prejudice and challenge it.
Demand proof, dismiss rumors and cliches. The bigot may not change his mind, but at least he will have not gained any power over yours.
RODNEY K. SMITH
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