The controversy over the building of an Islamic worship center in New York City, the threat to burn the Quran in Florida, the vile divisiveness in political discourse in preparation for this week’s elections, and other daily examples of intolerance and bigotry accentuate the ugly realities of prejudice, discrimination and hate, which contradict the core of United States Constitutional principles and Christian precepts.

These incidents demonstrate the dangers and consequences of demonizing others based on creed, economic status, gender, political affiliation, race, or sexual orientation, as well as the immorality of people who twist religious beliefs to justify bigotry, violence and the coercion, persecution and killing of others. This ultimately contradicts and mocks Jesus’ greatest command in John 15:12: “Love one another.”

In my graduate research, I discovered a particularly relevant article entitled “Bigotry is Un-American” by the former Archbishop of New York, Francis Joseph Cardinal Spellman, which addressed the insidiousness of bigotry, especially for a country at war.  With striking similarity to our present circumstances, Spellman described an increase in the prevalence of bigotry in the United States, which he found a blatant contradiction to the soldiers of different “racial origins and of diverse religious beliefs” fighting abroad against racism and bigotry.

He wrote of the home front: “Race riots, assaults on groups and individuals because of racial and religious differences, desecration of synagogues and churches, attacks on foreign-born, are tragic symptoms of (bigotry).”

Spellman further stated: “It is not the vocation of Americans to allow the elements of racial and religious prejudices to poison and prejudice and pollute.”

Spellman’s article from 1944 reflects a tradition of mid-20th century civic and interfaith religious leaders and people of good will who worked across civic, racial and religious boundaries to pursue justice and charity for the common good by addressing the social issues of the day.  They understood confronting selfishness and injustice in others requires eliminating bigotry in one’s own mind and heart.

Their examples challenge us to confront and address stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination with the virtues of justice and charity. Working against the building of a church, mosque or synagogue based on prejudice, stereotyping or ignorance is un-American, un-Christian and wrong. Equating the tragedy of 9/11 or any grievous crime or stereotype to a whole race or religion is, too.

Bringing harm to others or desecrating their human dignity based on any form of bigotry is un-American, un-Christian and wrong and violates Jesus’ greatest commandment to love one another.

The right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and freedom of religion — to practice one’s faith without fear, coercion, prejudice or discrimination — are rights given to us by God, grounded in the dignity of every human being and granted as an integral part of the United States’ Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

In this century, we are called, as other generations before us, to replace hate with charity, ignorance with wisdom, division with discussion, accusations with collaboration, and problems with solutions to address the needs of others, our country and the world.

Which path will we choose? How will future generations judge us?

Anthony Bonta is a historical theology doctoral candidate at Marquette.