As I sat and watched the opening ceremonies from Athens, I reflected on how the world is changing. Countries with names unfamiliar to me represented by young, eager faces not yet blinded by man’s inhumanity to man.
I hope that someday our society will become as inclusive as those athletes gathered in Greece. Truly celebrating differences is tolerance and acceptance of all – without respect to ethnicity, culture, religion or politics. I hope that there will come a day we can all express our views and opinions and feel accepted for the people we are and our contributions.
We will achieve this when we are all respected and valued for the unique people that we are: a Jew, a Catholic, a Muslim, or no religion at all. We will achieve this when everybody is heard and not criticized because he or she is passionate. When all peoples of this world are respected for being themselves and involved in life in their own way.
Maybe this is really idealistic and dreamy. I want our 6-year-old son Nicky to love and be tolerant of all. To learn about the world and all it has to offer. To learn about religions of the world and let him decide for himself. To teach him we are the world. To touch the globe and say, “Here are our people and they live in Africa.” To see a Muslim woman walking down the street and accept her for just another human being, nothing more or less.
Nicky doesn’t see skin color or race, religion or political preferences.
I want to be just like Nicky when I grow up.
Donna Scheldt
Everett
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