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JANUARY 19• 2023 | 7

continued from page 6

Solidarity for 
a Healthy 
Community

Like the late Martin Luther 
King Jr., I have a dream. I’s 
that my country, Canada, and 
the United States will each 
come together in unity of 
spirit.
Nothing less is needed 
today. The forces of disunity, 
distrust, decay and destruction 
are operating globally to tear 
down liberty and replace it 
with some form of tyranny. 
Only the spirit of love and the 
power of love, expressed in 
action, can prevent it.
But how? What can each 

of us as individuals do? 
Besides what we are already 
doing in our own individual 
lives? In my dream, we will 
reach out to groups already 
organized, already diverse, 
with a history of constructive 
accomplishment. We can 
urge them at a leadership 
level to build an association 
for solidarity and a healthy 
community.
Occupational unions, 
religious congregations, 
police associations, business 
associations and others can 
give the lead and example of 
solidarity by coming together 
publicly to promote unity of 
spirit. Unity of spirit — not 

uniformity or conformity. 
None of us has to give up our 
political, economic or cultural 
preferences. But we are united 
in unlimited brotherhood and 
sisterhood in the spirit of love.
First, we express this in 
joyous public demonstrations, 
utilizing the uplifting power of 
music. Then we move forward 
to put our faith into action in 
each community. There is no 
limit to what can be done to 
make our communities better. 
Some examples are projects 
to end homelessness, food 
insecurity, school failures, 
dropouts and bullying, 
shortages in the healthcare 
system and damage to our 

small business sector. What 
unites us — brotherhood, 
sisterhood and patriotism — 
is so much greater than what 
separates us — the particular 
forms in which we express our 
preferences.
That is what the late 
Martin Luther King Jr. saw 
and urged us to remember. 
If we do, and act accordingly, 
putting our faith into action, 
we can preserve our heritage 
of liberty against the forces 
of decay. We can — united 
in spirit — go on to a better 
future.

— Sylvia Berk

Windsor, Ontario

letters

figures modeling values 
conducive to forming close, 
caring attachments to other 
people who might be different 
by virtue of status or religion.” 
Parents of rescuers 
generally disciplined their 
children through non-
physical means. Physical 
punishment was more 
frequently experienced by 
non-rescuers (Shofar, Winter 
1990, pp, 16-34). Such 
physical and psychological 
abuse has been found to 
foster future depression and 
violence perpetration (Blum, 
Adverse Child Experiences, 
Journal of Adolescent Health, 
2019, 65:86-93).

HOW TO FOSTER 
MORALITY
Clearly, studies now show 
how the paths to helping 
benevolent behaviors can be 
fostered and malevolence 
avoided. The former involves 
authoritative parenting, 

modeling of helping 
behaviors inside and outside 
the family, early literacy, 
reading stories with a moral 
and that teach a lesson and 
human relations programs for 
children.
To avoid a tendency for 
both verbal and physical 
aggression, psychologically 
and physically abusive 
parenting, with its multiple 
untoward consequences, must 
be prevented.
Taking into consideration 
the information garnered 
from studies over the last few 
decades, recommendations 
can now be made for 
initiatives by organizations 
that work to prevent hatred 
and violence. First and 
foremost is to foster positive 
authoritative parenting by 
partnering with and helping 
to expand the resources of 
parenting organizations. Such 
counseling can actually start 
in the prenatal period with 

recently proven results. 
Psychological and physical 
abuse of children, with its 
dire consequences, must 
be prevented. Early literacy 
to expand the capacity of 
children to understand — 
through reading stories 
with a moral and human 
relations — the importance 
and rewards of pursuing 
virtuous behavior is critical. 
Such an expanded program 
has a very high likelihood of 
bearing fruit in the future. 
Increased resources to initiate 
these programs and train 
the needed personnel is 
vital. This is an area where 
organizations devoted to 
reducing hatred and violence 
could contribute monetarily 
and through advocacy.
Lastly, I believe there 
is a need to correct a 
misconception that seems 
to be prevalent. Any 
conclusion that whole 
societies and individuals 

pursue unempathetic violent 
behaviors due to authoritarian 
abusive upbringing is viewed 
as an excuse. Such an etiology 
of genocide should not be 
mentioned. It is thought 
to be disrespectful of the 
victims. Modern studies 
indicate it is no such thing. 
There is the recognition that 
authoritarian abusive growth 
and development produces 
violent persons and societies. 
This is an understanding, 
not an excuse. From that 
understanding could come 
a solution to the problem 
of hatred and violence. We 
only need to optimize the 
growth and development of 
all children for a more caring 
and peaceful world. 

Dr. Katzman of Farmington Hills is 

a retired pediatrician who has been 

focusing on understanding and 

promoting initiatives that are most 

helpful in optimizing the psychosocial 

and academic development of children. 

