Racial Intolerance

As a fourth-generation Californian, I do not forgive Americans of Japanese extraction for the bombing of Pearl Harbor. How can I forgive anyone for something they were/are not responsible for?

I feel that it’s time for all Americans to start acknowledging (and acting upon) the difference between those who actually commit acts and those who belong to a racial or religious group, some of whose members commit acts.

Iranian-Americans living in the United States during the hostage crisis were not responsible for what was happening in their country of origin. Americans of Japanese extraction were not responsible for what Japan did to the United States, and Americans of European descent are not responsible for the injustices done to Americans of African descent.

We are responsible for what we do today. It’s time that we all start taking responsibility for each action we commit and put our hatreds and prejudices aside.

As a nation, we are facing difficult times. It’s too easy to find scapegoats to blame our problems on. Not a week goes by that the Los Angeles Times does not report on an act of racial or religious hatred. We are all Americans, and we must work together or we won’t survive as a nation into the next century.

Whether we are religious or not, we have a moral obligation to be tolerant and care for others. Please, can’t we start today trying to be better persons than we were yesterday?

KATHRYN M. TURPIN, San Clemente