One hundred years. From the initial wound to the death of the wounded's generation, and the death of their children: that is what it takes to heal the wounds of racial and ethnic violence.

With the grandchildren, as adults, there is hope.

If the wounding continues, be it by physical injury, by neglect, or by other systemic forms of abuse, the hatred and violence will continue until the wounding stops, or until some larger force intervenes. That force can be a natural disaster, a more powerful nation, or the rise of leadership based on such a moral imperative that it cannot be denied.

With the American Irish, it was the passage of time, combined with moral leadership that came in the persons of two women from Ireland itself, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, who declared that enough children had been killed. Clinton made an important effort, but it came when the people were ready to hear.

The Israelis and the Palestinians continue to kill each other. Until there is some recognition of the humanity of the other side on both sides, and the wounding stops, the hatred will continue.

The exposure of Muslims to Western culture is not enough. Westerners must be exposed to Muslim culture. We need not embrace it, but we must respect it with understanding, so as to give the Muslims who are not fanatic the sense that they have our respect, and so that they may see the example of tolerance practiced towards them that they may reciprocate. In other words, the wounding must stop. Only then can the hatred fall away.