Islamophobia, hate crimes, and a test of your virtue

 Over the weekend, a Muslim student at Stanford was assaulted via hit-and-run in what appears to be a hate crime.  I am sickened enough to forgo any Stanford-bashing.  (Did that count?)  Some weeks ago, a six year old Palestinian-American boy was stabbed to death.  Step back, and test your virtue.  Are you as sickened by these events as by any other attack motivated by bigotry?  If not, your moral compass has ceased to point true north, and remember why we have a "hate crime" category.  It is not merely an attack on the person or people targeted, but a direct threat of violence to an entire group.

Your reactions to all such events, whether Cooper Union, the 6-year-old, October 7, or anything, regardless of who was targeted, should be these.  In order, (1)  Some combination of sadness or empathy.  (2)  An understanding that wrong is wrong, and evil is evil.  (3)  A correct assessment of the root and motivation, as hate and dehumanization, seeking to excuse no one, regardless of your politics, your alignment, or whether or not you feel the need to justify or express solidarity with anyone.  (4)  An understanding of the laws, structures and philosophies that work, and that permit those of us of different beliefs to live side-by-side.  Observe what happens when they break down here, and observe more importantly where those beliefs never existed.  (5)  Accept that nobody is obligated to think like you.  Understand that once we accept this, we have peace, but without it, we have nothing.

Test yourself.  Every day, test yourself.