Weekly THIS AND THAT for June 3, 2007: Gillian Vincent on the Power of Ignorance

This and That:
Gillian Vincent on “The Power of Ignorance”

During the month of April the Hereford and Jacksonville Optimist Clubs selected sixteen participants from all sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students to participate in each of their local competitions. As a result of their local competitions, three students from Our Lady of Grace School were chosen. Brittany Martin and Scott Novak were to represent Jacksonville and Gillian Vincent was to represent Hereford at the Cockeysville area competition. Scott is in our seventh grade; Brittany and Gillian are in our eighth grade. This is the second of three essays being published in the weekly bulletin. What a joy it is to share the marvelous skills our boys and girls have developed at Our Lady of Grace School. Congratulations Brittany, Gillian, and Scott, we are very proud of you!

Fondly,
Father Nick Amato


The definition of the word ignorance, according to the Miriam Webster Dictionary, is “The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed.” It is when one acts on ignorance that ignorance becomes the most difficult challenge. What so many fail to understand is that ignorance harms the next generation and that we are left with our ancestors mistakes. Another thing that makes ignorance of the world so challenging is the harm it inflicts on others. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Dr. King’s statement is correct in the fact that we harm others with our uniformed ideals on certain subjects and beliefs. Ignorance begins as a state of unawareness and being ill advised, but such lack of knowledge can grow to a hate that is based upon non-existent principles. Ignorance causes pain for everyone and comes in many forms.

Environmental and global destruction are forms of ignorance. We are uninformed as to what the effects of our, at times, immoderate lives will be upon our environment. Earth is being destroyed and one of the terrible effects of our pollution is global warming. What could ignorance have to do with the warming of our Earth? Our own ignorance is that we ignore the warnings of our earth, this way avoiding the inconvenience of cutting down on our industrialized lifestyles. There are many effects of global warming which include a decrease in polar bears and the melting of the icecaps. However, what is to come surpasses the destruction of now. Scientists say that, because of global warming, the temperature of our Earth will rise by three to ten degrees in the next 100 years which will cause a great disturbance in ecosystems, weather patterns, and agriculture. This devastation of the Earth affects me as well. I, or my descendants, will be the ones forced into cleaning up this mess caused by the past communities or I will be alive during world’s end. The vast majority seems uninterested in fixing this issue.

Throughout the nations of the globe intolerance is found in different forms. There is sexism and ethnic intolerance among lands. I must now overcome the intolerance of others towards my own culture and intolerance of those around me so I may keep a nonjudgmental mind. During the early 1920’s, suffragists strove to gain female equality and abolish sexism. Suffragist Susan B. Anthony once said “It was we the people; not we, the white male citizens.” Anthony is right, this nation was built upon equality, but it was a limited equality that only applied to a select few, while separate cultures fought for their rights. Even now, some eighty years later, men still receive more pay than women. Religious and ethnic intolerance frequently leads to hate crimes, wars, and genocide. As I address you ladies and gentlemen, the Sunnis and the Shiites of the Middle East battle because of their different religious beliefs. Thousands of Sunnis and Shiites of Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia have killed, and continue to kill, each other simply because they disagree as to who the leader of the Middle East should be. One of the religious groups claims a government leader is best while the other says that a descendant of Muhammad is a better choice. The terror of this example of religious intolerance is that no one is spared and the government supports it. Abdul Rahman al-Barak, a top Saudi cleric, said that Shiites are worse than “Jews or Christians.” The hate in the words of these government leaders inspires much of the killing. Intolerance is blind as is the hate that is built on it.

Ignorance is the first spark that lights the fire of hate and destruction. Throughout the rest of my life I will have to overcome the judgment of others that may be prejudiced towards my race, gender, or my religion. I will also have to overcome the ignorance of others, as I try to better the world and myself. Dr. Elie Wiesel, an author and Holocaust survivor, once said in reference to genocide. “A destruction, an annihilation that only man can provoke, man can prevent.” Wiesel is right. We, not our government leaders, but the populace alone can prevent hatred and gain equality. The difficult and sad truth is, few people are willing to, and will stand and be proud. In order to succeed, we might have to stand alone. That is my greatest challenge.