Teaching Tolerance

"Data-Gathering by Militias, Neo-Nazis Sets Off Violence Alarms" (Sept. 11) spotlights the activities of Aryan Nations and the militia movement in intelligence-gathering operations with some ominous overtones. Those of us who feel deeply that America was meant to be a nation of tolerance are surely troubled by the suspicion, hate and agitation being stirred up by some of these groups. One bright beacon of hope for me is the excellent Teaching Tolerance magazine and education program sponsored by another arm of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

It's always a sunny day on Sesame Street in the West Bank, where the neighbors are friendly and the muppets never see an Israeli army checkpoint. "Shara'a Simsim" teaches Palestinian children they can achieve an independent state through tolerance, education and national pride -- and not anti-Israeli violence. "Our problem is that for so long, we've been focusing on resistance, and we gave up on other things like culture, education and tolerance," said Daoud Kuttab, executive producer of the Palestinian version of the TV show.

Re "Tolerance Is Stressed, Educators Insist," March 13: Although Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook insists schools need to do a better job of teaching respect for diversity, it's clear that it is the responsibility of parents to teach respect for diversity, and the responsibility of the schools and churches to support parents. In fact, schools are required to suspend students who commit hate crimes as defined by the California State Education Code. Cook states, "We don't teach [tolerance]

The fatal shooting of an Oxnard middle-school student who told classmates he was gay serves as a sorrowing and urgent reminder that all kids need a safe school environment, free of threat or harassment. That's best taught to children through everyday interactions in the classroom and on the playground, by observant teachers, stern principals and strong school leaders.

So much has been said and done in reaction to yet another unexplainable, senseless act of violence against innocent people in our community. My overwhelming fear causes me to reach deep inside, where I know the answer to how we move forward lies. What I find are questions that must be answered by those of us who mean well and call ourselves leaders. Two questions that this Granada Hills shooting have made me answer for myself are: Am I really doing all that I can to make things better?

Paul and Mary will not be there. But Puff the Magic Dragon may make an appearance at Peter Yarrow's benefit concert in Ventura on Tuesday. Yarrow, of the trio Peter, Paul and Mary, is best known for such songs as "Puff the Magic Dragon" and the new Hanukkah favorite "Light One Candle." He has long supported causes that promote social justice.

"Word Garden Needs Weeding to Blossom," by R. Venable de Rodriguez (Commentary, April 3), is another ethnocentric tirade against "Americans" of the U.S. regarding the name of our country. It charges racism, imperialism, arrogance and ignorance. How tired I am of these ethnic studies majors, history- and geography-impaired, perpetrating petty anti-American propaganda disguised as teaching tolerance. I'll continue to think of myself as an American until Brazil, Chile, Argentina, etc., unite to form the republic of the United States of (Latin or South?

At the back of the Irvine Fine Arts Center's current exhibition, "Teaching Tolerance," 12 tiny aluminum houses stand shoulder to shoulder. Identical, each is centered on a velvet-topped pedestal. The pedestals don't touch, and each is an identical distance from its neighbor. From across the room, artist Nick Adid's installation, "Racism," seems the picture of uniformity and equality. It isn't until you're upon it that its differences become disturbingly clear.

"Have you ever been punished for something you didn't do?" the boy asks. "We were." So begins "Remember the Children: Daniel's Story," the powerful exhibit at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. It's designed to help older children begin to understand this horrible chapter in history through the eyes of a Jewish boy growing up in Nazi Germany.

Re "Tolerance Is Stressed, Educators Insist," March 13: Although Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook insists schools need to do a better job of teaching respect for diversity, it's clear that it is the responsibility of parents to teach respect for diversity, and the responsibility of the schools and churches to support parents. In fact, schools are required to suspend students who commit hate crimes as defined by the California State Education Code. Cook states, "We don't teach [tolerance]

A thousand households in this quiet Boston suburb woke up over the weekend to find anti-Semitic and racist leaflets scattered across their front lawns. Police said the vicious propaganda was the work of the National Alliance, a West Virginia hate group. But in targeting Sharon, the organization that is believed to have helped inspire Oklahoma City bomber Timothy J. McVeigh may have picked the wrong town.

"Word Garden Needs Weeding to Blossom," by R. Venable de Rodriguez (Commentary, April 3), is another ethnocentric tirade against "Americans" of the U.S. regarding the name of our country. It charges racism, imperialism, arrogance and ignorance. How tired I am of these ethnic studies majors, history- and geography-impaired, perpetrating petty anti-American propaganda disguised as teaching tolerance. I'll continue to think of myself as an American until Brazil, Chile, Argentina, etc., unite to form the republic of the United States of (Latin or South?

As an elementary school counselor, Pam DeBoer occasionally settles disputes among the 1,200 ethnically diverse students at Canterbury Avenue Elementary School. The disagreements, DeBoer said, mostly arise from students' misperceptions about each other's culture. To promote tolerance and unity, DeBoer asked students, teachers and staff to create squares for a unity quilt that will go on permanent display in the school's auditorium.

Stimples love to shriek. Blimbers think they are weird. Megmazoids take their dislike for the imaginary creatures a step further, silencing the Stimples and forcing them to be like everyone else. Then, the skit goes, a young Stimple named Gilbert discovers that strange sounds actually frighten away his oppressors. "Quick, quick, make a noise!" Gilbert--played by Eldon Cline--exhorts dozens of St. Thomas the Apostle students, who eagerly join him in chasing away the abusers and saving the day.

So much has been said and done in reaction to yet another unexplainable, senseless act of violence against innocent people in our community. My overwhelming fear causes me to reach deep inside, where I know the answer to how we move forward lies. What I find are questions that must be answered by those of us who mean well and call ourselves leaders. Two questions that this Granada Hills shooting have made me answer for myself are: Am I really doing all that I can to make things better?

"Have you ever been punished for something you didn't do?" the boy asks. "We were." So begins "Remember the Children: Daniel's Story," the powerful exhibit at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. It's designed to help older children begin to understand this horrible chapter in history through the eyes of a Jewish boy growing up in Nazi Germany.