Spring Break
Even Klan members can replace their hate with love
Cindy Luo
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Commentary
Hate is a powerful word. Hate is an even more powerful action. For Elwin Hope Wilson, hate played a powerful role in his past. A former Ku Klux Klan supporter, Wilson, now 72, had committed many atrocious acts in his life, including everything from hanging a black doll from a noose to attacking a 21-year-old seminary student at a bus station during the Freedom Rides of 1961.
Some may have heard of this story, covered by the Associated Press, as Wilson went directly to the office of that seminary student, now Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, a civil rights leader, in order to apologize. His decision to seek out those he had hurt in the past and apologize has garnered mixed reviews. While some accepted his apologies with open arms, others were wary and refused to meet with him. On a wider scale, he has received messages of thanks and gratitude, as well as threats of hate and death. One such example is a phone call Wilson received accusing him of betraying the Klan. Unfortunately, hate does still exist and it probably always will.
Nonetheless, the hate has disappeared from Wilson, and for that we should be grateful. His story brings attention to a topic that is often glazed over or ignored. What happens to the people who, just 40 or 50 years ago, were the ones who made the racist remarks, the ones who instigated the terrible hate crimes? Many of them are still alive. Although our society is not perfect, we have slowly become more accepting over the years. Not only are we more accepting toward people of different races, but also toward people of different religions and sexual orientations. These people, who have experienced a different era, now find themselves in a generation where we hope to move beyond hate. No matter the origins of hate, there is never a reason to continue hating. A mindset is difficult to overcome, and it is much more challenging to move on from hate than it is to not hate in the first place. For this, people like Wilson ought to be commended. They have realized that hate can only hurt, and they want to move on from their past. While they cannot erase the consequences of their hate, they can eliminate the hate itself.
Some may have heard of this story, covered by the Associated Press, as Wilson went directly to the office of that seminary student, now Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, a civil rights leader, in order to apologize. His decision to seek out those he had hurt in the past and apologize has garnered mixed reviews. While some accepted his apologies with open arms, others were wary and refused to meet with him. On a wider scale, he has received messages of thanks and gratitude, as well as threats of hate and death. One such example is a phone call Wilson received accusing him of betraying the Klan. Unfortunately, hate does still exist and it probably always will.
Nonetheless, the hate has disappeared from Wilson, and for that we should be grateful. His story brings attention to a topic that is often glazed over or ignored. What happens to the people who, just 40 or 50 years ago, were the ones who made the racist remarks, the ones who instigated the terrible hate crimes? Many of them are still alive. Although our society is not perfect, we have slowly become more accepting over the years. Not only are we more accepting toward people of different races, but also toward people of different religions and sexual orientations. These people, who have experienced a different era, now find themselves in a generation where we hope to move beyond hate. No matter the origins of hate, there is never a reason to continue hating. A mindset is difficult to overcome, and it is much more challenging to move on from hate than it is to not hate in the first place. For this, people like Wilson ought to be commended. They have realized that hate can only hurt, and they want to move on from their past. While they cannot erase the consequences of their hate, they can eliminate the hate itself.
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