Coexistence a worthy goal for mankind

I’m a Facebook addict, just can’t get enough of it sometimes. Recently, an image popped up on my “wall.” It was a simple graphic banner under the title of “Coexist.” A series of seven symbols filled it. Each was symbol for a given faith and one for science. It went like this: Islam, Buddhism, Science, Judaism, Paganism, Wiccan and Christianity.

Religion is a major divider of humanity. The message of the picture is very clear, but I feel it didn’t go far enough. There should be symbols for race, politics, gender and sexual orientation. All these differences are sources of humanity’s divisions, unrest and war.

We must find ways to lay down the blame, as in lay it aside and strive to find ways for all of us to coexist. Why? That should be obvious. The human race has had the means to wipe itself out of existence since the end of World War II. We currently have enough nuclear weapons to fry the entire planet to a cinder.

There are other weapons of mass destruction that could render the race extinct. Those are chemical and biological weapons. These are hideous in their lethal effects on the human body. There are even more of these evil things out there than nukes. If this sounds like science fiction, believe me it is not.

So how can the human race survive the threat of self-induced extinction? Well, that is a hard one now isn’t it? Maybe not. We just have to start out small and work our way up, much like Edison’s electric light bulb. Look at how that single invention changed the entire world.

This can also apply to coexistence. Start out small and with some nurturing, it could spread around the world. Will that be easy? Good God no. It will be hard, never a doubt about that. We have a lot of prejudices, fears and misconceptions to overcome. For many of us this may be the hardest to confront.

Start at the local level. Attend an interfaith gathering, an event designed with the intent that all faiths share something in common — a belief in the spirit or God no matter what he or she is called by the believer. Oh, and food. Most of these gatherings also center on the love of food, something most people enjoy and are willing to share with others.

Respect for those beliefs even though you may not agree with them is another. Agree to disagree in discussion or debate. All to often, especially in politics, a good debate looses control, boiling down to a heated, angry exchange of insults, blame and name-calling. This has led to conflict and even war in times not too long past.

Try looking at people not as labels, but as fellow human beings. Lumping people into so-called groups or social labels is far from accurate or logical. This has been the source of the tactics used by so many hate groups and media shock jocks on the radio and TV that remain a national curse.

Celebrate our differences instead deriding them. These are just suggestions, but as our world shrinks and the population rises, we need to find ways to coexist in some kind of peace. The price for ignoring that could spell disaster with a capital D.

If you think I want people to sit down and sing “Kumbaya,” you’re correct. I would rather have people sit in circle singing an old spiritual than standing apart shooting each other in the face. By the way, the term kumbaya means “come by here,” followed in the song by “my Lord.” It was sung by slaves converted to Christianity in 18th and 19th century America.

OK, maybe you believe I’m so naive to even think of such a thing as coexistence could ever become a reality. It may be asking too much of anyone. We all have our prejudices and misconceptions to overcome. I know I do. Think about this: at one time it was thought to be impossible for a man to land on the moon or to make a single electric light bulb.

Like I said before, it has to start out with small steps. I believe we can confront those obstacles like racism, different religions and cultures, even that of differing political opinion. They must be discussed in a rational, respectful manner. And who knows? A solution or two may rise to the surface. We can learn to coexist with each other. We have that potential. Maybe not in our lifetime, but it doesn’t hurt to try. To do nothing is a recipe for folly.

Finally, try this one on for size, something I know Alaskans are very good at. I know this as fact because it was done to me when I moved up here. Walk up to a stranger, hold out your hand and say this: “Hello. Welcome to Alaska!” That is a great place to start, a perfect first step.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.