Letters

It does not matter where we get the definition of the hypocrite from, and it does not matter how many of them are out there. If you pretend that you are a different person than you are, you are a hypocrite. Some of us may object to such a description of ourselves, and we might be upset to be called this name, but the best way to find out if we are one of them is to look in the mirror. Some of us may say: No, it is not true — it is not me, the mirror is lying. Well, look closely.

Let us forget the big hypocrites and focus on small, everyday ones.

We all drive cars. A lot of us consider ourselves as the best drivers if not in the world then at least in the neighborhood. What’s more, we think we can teach others how to behave behind a steering wheel.

But how many times do we exceed allowed speed limits? How many times do we not let other drivers know that we are intending to make a left or right turn? How many times do we park our cars in a wrong spot? Our disappointment and dissatisfaction we are expressing by not only swearing under our noses but also using one of our fingers in an offensive gesture if others do all these things.

Another everyday hypocrisy seems to be a request addressed to people who do not speak English to learn it. Of course, it would be very convenient to both sides. However, in this situation, there is a little “but.”

There are more than 350 languages used in the U.S., and although English is the one commonly used to communicate, the U.S. does not have an official language. So why is there so hard a push to make everyone to learn it? If an American goes to another country, he or she does not learn the language of that country. They always ask local people if they speak English. Why? Nobody tells them: “You are here, so you should learn our language.”

Hypocrisy is everywhere but it seems that some of us do not see it or what is worst do not want to see it.

But the rest of us? Well, it is obvious that we do not see hypocrisy in ourselves, because we think that we are perfect. And this kind of thinking is hypocritical itself.

With eyes wide open and ears ready to hear even a whisper, it is impossible not to notice the hypocrisy that like lava from a volcano flows in each direction and covers everything on its way without any exception.

Ryszard Krasowski

Hampton Bays