Gray Column: We should learn from tragedy

The other day my wife and I were doing what most parents do: talking in code around their children when they don’t want them to know something.

The conversation went something like: “Did you hear what happened today? Oh you mean that thing downtown?”

It was at that point my daughter interrupted and said, “Oh, are you talking about the shooting at the Holocaust Museum.”

I realized two things then. Number one, we have to come up with better code language, and two, we can’t protect our children from the crazy world around us because they know as much as we do and
sometimes even more.

There really is no sure way to protect our children from the hateful ways of some people in the world. One way or another, either through hearing the news or meeting certain people, they are going to
encounter hateful people.

The shooting at the Holocaust Museum was just the latest example of them seeing hate, or should I say, the results of it.

I expected my daughter to react with some fear about what had happen. After all, this was what some would call a random act of violence.

However, she seemed to handle things a lot better than some adults I have seen could. Often we adults become consumed with hate for the person committing a crime such as this.

I realize now that we cannot keep the craziness of this world from our children and in fact, we probably shouldn’t want to.

Kids need to learn at an early age that hate exists in the world. Not only that, but some people take there hatred to the next level and act it out. It consumes them until all they can do is hate.

Unfortunately, last week, it cost an innocent man his life.

Our children, while sparing them the gory details of events like last week, need to know about people like the man who went on a shooting rampage in the Holocaust Museum.

In fact, the shooting last week only exemplifies why we need a facility like the Holocaust Museum.

There is a distinct need to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and the subtle drumbeats of hate that allowed it to happen over the course of time.

Not only that, but our children and adults also need to face the reality that some people would gladly like to carry on beating that drum if given the chance.

So in the end, this little encounter with my daughter helped me realize that I need to let her see the world a little bit more for what it really is: a life filed with love but also with some people who choose to
hate.

The only way to counter that is to know about it and recognize the dangers of hateful people. Unfortunately, the shooter at the Holocaust Museum built up his beliefs during a lifetime of radical hate. Thank
God most people don’t live their entire lives that way, but even casual hatred and racial and ethnic stereotypes can lead down this type of tragic road.

I plan to take my daughter to the Holocaust Museum now. Not so much because of what happened last week, but rather to be more aware of the hateful environment that caused the Holocaust and to be
aware that some people want to demonstrate that caliber of hate even today.

This is a reality that can only be described as sad but true.

Davon Gray works in Washington, D.C., and resides in Woodbridge. Contact him at davongray@verizon.net.