"We must learn to meet hate with love."

--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

If I could change the world, I would change the way people treat each other.
 

Society's lack of tolerance is caused by other people's differences.  The mistreatment of others because of this lack of tolerance happens everyday, whether we are aware of it or not.  Sometimes, while I am standing in the lunch line, someone will say something like, "Hey, move over, Mexican," but what he doesn't realize is, I'm not Mexican.  They (people) just label others with nationalities, based on what they look like, but that isn't right. 
 

Not only does society tag others with nationalities, but some of our society also snubs others because of their physical appearances, class, and how they talk or have learned manners.  People look down their noses because you're fat, you're not perfect looking, you have a funny accent, you wear the same outfit too often, and because the way you eat is despicable.  But is it nice to just judge others based on your own opinion, or maybe your friends' opinions?  Is it nice to take a person that you've never even gotten to know, and place him in a category?  Classifying another as "oh, she's fat, so I don't like her, she's just one of those fat slobs who eats eats eats--and would you look at her hair?"   People, sometimes, can't help what they look like or what kind of world they have been born and raised in, so is it your right to just smush them together in a sardine can, thinking them all identical and all alike, as if they aren't really people and don't really have their own personalities or feelings?  No, I think not.  It's not ok.  Deep down, you know that.  Just ask yourself: would you like to be labeled?  Nobody wants to be classified, but everybody is classified and everybody does classify, and though we may do it all the time, that still doesn't make it acceptable.
 

I think judging by religion is definitely one of the biggest challenges that today's world cannot seem to conquer.  People just cannot acknowledge the fact that there are other humans out there in the world who have completely different religions as they, making these people extremely narrow minded.  They get it into their heads that they are right, and everybody else is wrong.  But they shouldn't do that.  Who are they to say that their religion and beliefs are ab-so-lute-ly, pos-i-tive-ly correct?  Many of our worst disasters have been caused by religious differences.  For example, Osama bin laden and all the terrorizing he has done to us, the Americans.  He says that we deserve what he is and has done to us because we're not following his religion.  But there we go again-- Osama bin Laden clearly believes his religion is superior to all the rest.  Some use their religion as an excuse--twisting it around to cover up their deeds.  I don't think religion should control how you act around other people, or what you think of other people, and especially what you DO to other people.  I mean, ok, your religion is your own private belief of something sacred, but that should not get in the way of relationships and your behavior.  I remember, when I was in 5th grade, I told someone that I didn't have a particular religion and she called me a "nothing."   It does hurt, just to let you know.  But we're not a hopeless cause!  In fact, all we is need is a new beginning, a fresh start.
 

We need to improve in our open-mindedness, I know it and you know it.  But to progress forward in our path of mending differences, it will take time, patience, and love.  I quote Eleanor Roosevelt, "Learn from the mistakes of others.  You can't live long enough to make them all yourself."   You are never too old to relearn or rethink what you may have always believed or lived by.  I can't tell you how to accept others--this is something that you must learn on your own.  But once you have come to an understanding, you are ready.  Ready to teach the younger generation about peace and what it means to be friends and not worry about what your friends look like or where they come from.  Younger children don't care about this stuff.  Younger children are able to look past your face and into your heart.  They are the ones who must begin a neverending cycle of diversity.  And we--the youth of today and the old of yesterday--must educate them.  It is never too late--NEVER.  There is always time to start again.  So start we must.  The question is:  
 

Can you?