Examples Of Hope Is Like Peace By Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel once said, “Hope is like peace. It is not a gift from God. It is a gift only we can give one another”. Every individual is responsible for their own actions and these actions define who we are to the world around us. If these actions help those around us, we positively impact the world. If not, then we only destroy it further. Each person has beliefs, whether they are religious or simply standards of behavior that one wishes to live by. Beliefs such as racism, sexism, and being cruel to others negatively impact every society in which these exist. These beliefs have led to numerous conflicts and even wars and have showed how inhumane people can truly be. By respecting other’s beliefs and simply being kind to one another, we give
The conflicts previously mentioned were caused by a lack of respect. The victims of these crimes were unable to respect themselves; therefore they blamed others for their misfortune and tried to find ways to bring back their confidence. Before World War II, the German population was extremely angry and embarrassed for their country and they were prepared to do anything to regain the pride that this country so desperately needed. This embarrassment was due to their loss of WWI which forced them to pay large reparations. This anger was directed towards the Jews by Adolf Hitler. This caused an extreme hatred for a race that did not do anything to deserve it. This hatred dehumanized the victims. This dehumanization is similar to what was seen in the slave trade. People were completely used by selfish individuals only looking to profit. In my own lifetime, I have not seen such genocides first hand and I hope that this does not change. However, racism is still an extremely prominent issue today. Although we have not murdered millions based on their race recently, we have begun to dehumanize the victims of racism. The negative comments towards different races bring us backward in time to the darker days of our past. As an American, the foundation of the country in which I live is based on freedom and equality. However, the comments I hear daily only contradict this. I overhear various racial slurs and in our society where these comments are almost a normality. However, I believe that we should make such things completely abnormal. It is our obligation to eliminate such words from our vocabulary and to stop those who believe in the negative generalization of a group of people. When Vladek in Maus by Art Spiegelman calls a black man a "shvartser", his true colors are shown. Due to Vladek’s mistreated, he felt the need to be racist towards others in order to give him