My father was born in the last decade of the 19th century in Austria. His parents at first thought he was perfect and treated him accordingly by central European standards (“tough love” existed then, too). However, as he grew his mother became increasingly disturbed with her son’s behavior. By the time he was five it was undeniable: he was different.

His parents bound him to break his unacceptable actions. What if the neighbors found out? The family would be in disgrace! They tried as best they could to change him, hide him, and make him not be different. His problem could lead to ridicule, shame, the scorn of the whole neighborhood. They did not want to face that, or him to be confronted by the inevitable prejudice (though in their minds he would deserve it if he didn’t change).

What was so awful about my father’s trait? He was left handed. Superstition fostered the notion that left handed people were sinister and potential tools of the devil. By tying his left arm to his side he learned how to use his right hand; in fact he became ambidextrous,which suited him just fine.

Superstition is often the basis for hatred and hatred breeds prejudice. Prejudice is based on false assumptions, careless acceptance of the portrayal of difference as sinful, wrong, “not our type.”

Please be aware of your prejudices and examine the validity of ideas underlying them. Perhaps you can change your mind about others who are “not like us.”