In the ideal America, our celebrated, ethnically diverse populous would overlook and not even recognize such socially developed stigmas such as race, sex, color, and religion. The ideal American would not even look at another and classify that person as black, white, Asian, Indian, Mexican, Irish, Jewish, Catholic, Jewish or; well, my point is made. But America is far from ideal. The ignorance that reigns in this country are unfortunately passed on from generation to generation with little regard for what effect it may render on its audience. Sadly, fear is created from ignorance. Sadder still is that hate spawns from fear, and as represented by the staggering domestic abuse rate, violence is handed down from previous generations as well. The probability and means to cultivate hate crimes is now present and the formula is potent enough to guarantee that they will happen. Hate crimes are happening in America at a disturbing frequency. That being a given, it is time we as a society look to the roots of hate crimes in America. I believe these roots lie in our society's notion and practice of family structure. More so in the way we pass down our ignorance, fear, unacceptance, and intolerance to future generations. A hate crime in itself is defined as a criminal act with intent to defame and slander another person. At further introspection though, I think that we will find that there is more underlying issues than just committing a crime with malice towards someone different than ourselves. The human mind at the time of birth has no prejudice. A baby does not look at another human being and feel afraid or angry with that other individual. The human infant has no predators in these times, therefore there should be no fear instilled naturally. I would like to think that these minds could be viewed as clean slates. So where does the fear and hatred need to commit a hate crime, and dirty that slate, come from? All social science research has come to a solid conclusion that parents, or the primary caretakers, of a child are the single most influential stimulus on that child's development.
