A Message From the Co-Editor

by Ephraim Belete
 
        Throughout the course of time and through many of its modifications, the notion of schooling has posed as the students’ introduction phase into society. In being so, the school environment has attempted to simulate the outside world. For instance, in many schools including our Galileo Academy, student government is practiced to instill the grains of democracy within the students. Also, the different assortments of students varying from race to economic status helps in representing the mixture of the real world societal structure where racial and economic diversity is very much prevalent. It is with these attributes of the school environment that we may argue, the framework of schooling provides students with an atmosphere conducive to both intellectual and social learning. So it is with this in mind that I ask, we as students and future adult leaders learn that tolerance to the differences our student body and perhaps even our world represents is an absolute must. Whether our classmates may be of a certain race or of a certain religion, we as students must learn to understand, tolerate, and accept that difference. One of the most pressing issues that many are deeply concerned about in the world, is our difficulty to understand and to accept the differences that makeup our many cultures and societies. 

        Going back in time, one can notice that most conflicts, disagreements, and wars we have endured are due to the misunderstanding of differing values. As two different people who have been isolated by some means show a difference in their customs, traditions, religions, or even interests they are almost immediately repelled from each other because they represent two dissimilar entities. When two worlds are unable to find a common denominator through this meeting, a great wall of fear is built. By building  this wall of fear, the two worlds are kept in isolation unable to, at the very least, acknowledge that unique new learning. They insulate themselves within these walls growing more fearful because they are threatened by the difference that they do not or cannot understand outside the walls. 

The answer to solving this growing tension in fear from the forces insulated within these walls is for them to first recognize that difference exists. Then, they must find methods in which their fear can be eliminated. We must not build great walls of fear to what we do not understand, rather, we must find means in which we can better understand to ultimately accept those matters that may seem foreign to us.        During the Crusades, men fought for years in a battle to determine whose ideals would be implemented in society. Neither force truly understood what the other force stood for except that their religion as different. This particular difference, without further study, was a threatening factor to them. Fear to the unknown difference that each side represented was the driving force that led to the culmination of war.

        In essence, we as students have an obligation to fulfill here at Galileo Academy. We must take this opportunity that we have here at school to acquaint ourselves with the many diverse customs, values, 
and traditions that are represented by our student body. In doing so, it is important for us to understand that difference in any all its forms is a necessary constant in our society. In acknowledging this, we must make an effort to learn and ultimately accept difference as an integral part to our worldly order. After all, we are all human beings. We are all inherently different; we are, in that nature, unique. The excitement and thrill of life is to see and appreciate difference in all its shapes and forms. We must not fear  difference. We must if anything, promote difference that will bring about individuality. For the best of mankind let us not fear what we do not know or what we cannot understand, let us instead attempt to 
tolerate difference if not affectionately welcome it.