Beyond Hate
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”
Our present moment in human history will be remembered as a time of struggle, marked by political and religious division, leaving many feeling frustrated and leading to hatred. While these emotions may feel uncomfortably new, they are familiar from my youth. President Richard Nixon and the Vietnam War were divisive within my family and many other American households. It was a moment in time when we felt the sharp blade of distrust and anger slicing through the fabric of our society.
The Watergate scandal led to the downfall of Richard Nixon’s presidency. Amidst the political distrust, both Democrats and Republicans came together, to some extent, to force Richard Nixon to resign from office. He was granted a presidential pardon before being brought up on criminal charges for obstruction of justice and other abuses of power. Before the scandal, Richard Nixon expressed deep-seated hatred for his opponents and others in the secret White House tapes.
Listening to Nixon’s venomous language made him sound so hateful. Apparently, he understood the hate residing within himself and struggled to control and overcome his thoughts. In listening to Bob Woodward, who, along with Carl Bernstein, broke the Watergate scandal, in September 2025 told a story of Richard Nixon. Woodward quoted Richard Nixon thusly, “Always remember, there are those who hate you. But those who hate you don’t win, unless you hate them. And then, you destroy yourself.” Woodward said Nixon shared this statement two years after his resignation. Richard Nixon knew that hatred destroys the self, rather than the one toward whom you direct your hatred.
I do not believe Richard Nixon set out to be a hateful person whose anger led him to do unethical and illegal activities. Richard Nixon invited and then nurtured his anger, which turned to resentment and hatred. It would be easy to demonize Richard Nixon. Instead, it is essential to recognize that all of us are vulnerable to rotting our minds and souls through nurturing hatred. Pray, each day, for the courage to face our emotions, so we do not let hatred take hold. God calls us to love and hate, and love finds it difficult to coexist in the same mind, heart, and soul. Addressing hate requires daily vigilance, so we do not end up vicious and destructive.
