Who Are The Teachers Of Hatred? Part I

Fresh out of Law school with honors and passing the bar with flying colors, Maeko Samoya was accepted into the prestigious all-black law firm of Clinton and Barrett. She was ecstatic and hugged her grandmother at home when she got the news.

“And a journey of truth shall begin,” her grandmother said.

“Not in that line of profession,” her mother threw out.

Maeko’s eyes touched her grandmother who nodded.

Three months later Maeko was shocked when she was pulled into Clive Barrett’s office and was relieved of her duties.

“But I just heard about him choosing me to represent him in his appeal of the death penalty, and I haven’t even responded to him as yet,” she defends.

“Sorry,” Mr. Barrett said. “But we want no link to him.”

“You are relieving me of my duties because of that?”

“We are a black law firm, we can’t handle the repercussions of what the black community will do and think,” was his defense.

Nodding in shock, she asked, “Why would he think I, a black lawyer, would try to save the life of the killer of my people?”

Clive Barrett stared at her, then said, “We are sorry, but you are on your own with that one.”

Maeko sighed deeply, then went to her office, packed her computer and other stuff, and walked out all eyes trailing her. She stepped out to meet flashing lights and various media personalities. Maeko smiled as various journalists questioned, “Why would you choose to represent the murderer of five of your people?”

Her smile extended, as she eased through the crowd to her car saying nothing.

At home, her mother cried out as she entered, “If you decided to represent that murderer you can’t stay in this house!”

“This is my house and my granddaughter stays here!” her grandmother defends.

Maeko sighed, then walked to her grandmother sitting on the sofa in the living room.

“They murdered your husband and son! My husband, her father and you forgave them. Now you want my daughter to fight to overturn the death penalty for a man who killed five black men!”

“Hatred is a learned behavior, daughter-in-law,” her grandmother said. “Someone or something taught them to hate. And when we return it to them, they win.”

“What about our people, when do we win?” she argues back.

“Winning for some is a gold medal, a trophy, money, position, etc. But for me, it’s a peace of mind. A night’s sleep. The chance to live without pain and regrets. The opportunity to live with a level of freedom adding nothing hateful and cruel to a world already in pain,” her grandmother elaborates.

Silence roared as Maeko’s mother wept as the memories of the past trauma of racism pressed the pain button in her heart.

“When hatred meets hatred, nobody wins,” her grandmother said hugging her. Then easing her away to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Two days later, Maeko sat inside the warden’s office at Statehood Super Max Prison, after fighting through the crowd of reporters demanding to know why would she, a black lawyer, chose to represent a racist and murderer of her people. Researching Steven’s life, he was a racist who hated blacks, Chinese, Jews, and Indians. Someone taught him to hate.

Who was his teacher?

She wondered why no one asked her if she wanted to represent him. She was led to a secured room with thick plastic glass separating them. Hand and feet cuffed secured him in place. Speakers installed to microphones allowed them to communicate.

She dived in quickly, “You are not a smart man Mr. Hashenberg. You choose an inexperienced attorney of the wrong race and sex too.”

He smiled, then said, “What, you thought I put your name on a piece of paper in a box along with other lawyers and picked yours?”

Maeko’s brows shot up and she asked, “Why would I represent you?”

“I don’t want an experienced lawyer. I want a lawyer that has tasted, lived, and knows hatred and their teachers.”

“So you want a lawyer who won’t allow hatred to win,” her grandmother’s words circled her brain.

“Your thesis on ‘Who Are The Teachers Of Hatred? Why Do We Punish The Students and Praise The Teachers of Hatred,’” is what pulled me to you!” He notified.

Shocked tied Maeko’s tongue and he went on.

“I was taught to hate by parents who were taught to hate by their parents and laws their country created and enforced.”

Sighing heavily and blinking as reality made it clearer, she said, “Hatred had many teachers. Some of their teachers are laws that are enforced that discriminate against certain races for various reasons.”

“I am guilty of that, not murder!” He said.

Hatred is indeed a learned behavior, and yes, laws are some of the teachers of hatred that are created and enforced by humans. Many, are unaware of the destruction that they contributed to helping to add pain and suffering to our world. — Annelise Lords

If your heart could speak, what would it say?

Someone wise said, “Hatred does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored, than unto the object on which it is poured.”

Hatred destroys us from the inside. Below is a heart filled with hatred and one filled with love. Which one is yours?

Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoy it and will savor more from a few inspiring writers on this platform whose links are below.

https://vocal.media/earth/beneath-the-smokestacks

https://vocal.media/poets/the-all-heart-derelict