Editor:

Travel to other countries, being exposed to their history of conflicts and hearing their opinions about current events, has caused me to want to share my own views.

We must all remember that throughout human history, wars are started for religious reasons or monetary gain. Domination equals making others believe as you do or to be able to take their assets. All other reasons are just excuses. Subterfuge to fool the masses. Carnage and destruction are done in God's name for money! Pretty much sums up the dark side of the human condition.

I am wondering if mankind would be capable of speech if they were denied labels. I believe God created a world to balance within itself. All the things we used to label, however benign, cause a difference between people. Because labels express opposites, therefore opposition, and thereby "not like me." God created all the people of this world. We are all unique, no two are meant to be the same under God's plan. So how can we deride someone else's looks, opinion, religion, any difference, when one God created us all?

Someone recently told me "to hate all Muslims because of 9/11 is the same as hating all Midwestern white men because of the Oklahoma City bombings." That statement deserves some thought. Hate deserves careful consideration. Does the Bible or any other book attributed to the word of God, encourage hate? I know Jesus did not. I feel very strongly that any use of hate comes from the devil, or our dark side, our baser instincts. Hate is not a good thing. It can poison your soul as its strongest, or cause you to miss out on God's gifts, i.e., I hate broccoli, at its silliest. God does not make junk. To hate any of God's creations seems like blasphemy to me.

I do not preach tolerance without freedom, we all deserve the right to think for ourselves. But we must be vigilant, those who use labels are taking short cuts, denying us careful consideration of our own thoughts. If someone encourages you to hate, question whether you wish to be lead down that path of human weakness.

MARY HUNNICUTT, Casper