The Unifying Factor

Diana Hochman, May 2024

It is difficult to remain silent in the face of injustice. Silence is complicity, and thus, tacit endorsement. One wonders if humanity will ever get to a place where the fundamental basis of discussions is our commonality.

Differences in opinions are in every sense merely distractions, that is, they are divisive ideological renderings that at once keep us as captives in the cave of fear. That fear, in fact, is the precursor of all the malevolence that abounds in the world. Is it possible for us to agree that it is never in the best interest of humanity to appease those who perpetrate violence, and commit acts of terror? I dream of a day when what we collectively seek as a human race is a common understanding that stems from what we share in common as the starting place for open-ended dialogue. The differences, do they really matter? Celebrate them. What we have in common transcends those differences, and is the only attribute that is uniquely designed to unify our diversity. Will we ever be brave enough to confront our fears, our hatred, our imagined differences, and introspect? To put down the weapons of war, as it were, and take a good look at ourselves in the mirror? Will we ever dare to have compassion for ourselves and each other? Commonality is the unifying factor, our human birthright. I pray for peace for all people, and an end to the endless wars.