Reflection 12

Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing seem to have somewhat different definitions. Genocide is the want or desire to completely obliterate a certain group of people for whatever reason. Ethnic cleansing, on the other hand, is the desire to remove a group of people by genocide or by simply making them leave society. Despite their differences, I believe that they are both one in the same in which they are acted out based on hatred and anger. Whether completely demolishing a group or simply removing them, they are both incorrect in their ways. What makes you, or anyone else for that matter, better than someone? Why is it that people feel they need to victimize or harm others based on the way they view that particular group?
I am aware of the fact that atrocities such as these have occurred in the past, but it always catches me by surprise when I hear of such stories. I am always in shock when I hear and see the things that human beings are capable of doing to others. The scariest part of all of this is that there is a possibility we can revert back to these ways. There is so much hatred being built up on people who are culturally different that someone is bound to react in an absurd manner. It is not only based on the way that the community and society act towards each other, but it is also the way that the government has acted. The way that we “resolve” problems now-a-days is embarrassing. I feel like we are always settling for less than what we should be settling for. The first thing that comes to mind is what most of us believe to be a sure way of getting out. There is little effort put into the ideas that we generate as a society and it will backfire on us one day.
Reading this article has only made me realize what can happen once again. It also makes me appreciate and accept people who are different than I am because this is always the first step in refraining from such a tragedy from taking place again. All this is based on the way that we think and the way that view other people. It is crazy to think that this can all change if we were only to be able to agree as a whole. All we would have to be willing to do is not hate each other and respect everyone regardless of their differences.