Art imitates life – We generally hate that which we don’t know, that which we don’t understand or that which we fear. And in particular cases certainly, where “our” people have been harmed – often in appalling circumstances, the group responsible becomes a natural and even generational target for our hate – I get that. I was a part of that specific phenomenon.

But who amongst us was born hating anyone? Who emerged from the womb of our dear mother hating another people? Not intending to cast blame, but let’s face facts; We hate because of what we have been exposed to and taught by influential people in our respective impressionable pathways of life; parents, grandparents, teachers, community leaders, politicians, media, the friends we make along the way – you get my drift. But why did those who precede us hate? They too were exposed and taught etc. etc. etc. We have all been trapped in this vicious, and sad and seemingly unending cycle of hate.   It is a malady that has afflicted humankind for millennia. Where will it all end?

Nothing more aptly depicts this absurdity and insanity of hate and postulates where it might all end more than the fictional Star Trek third season episode entitled, “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield”. In that memorable show, Bele and Lokai are the last survivors of their planet engulfed in war. The racially motivated hate that rages in both of them and has wiped out all but these two remaining warriors is not apparent to the Enterprise crew. Both Bele and Lokai and their respective “races” have black and white sides of their face, divided equally down the middle of their face. Bele and his people have white on the left side, Lokai and his people are white on the right – on this point Bele and Lokai are clearly and racially aware. Their rage continues to the end of this uniquely educational episode. Lt. Uhura asks Captain Kirk if hate was all they ever had and Kirk’s reply is, “No, but it is all they have left”.

Hopefully we on earth can avoid Bele and Lokai’s fate.