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Martin Luther King Jr. By Kayla Sharp In the novel “Strength to love” Martin claimed that fear was the number one cause of violence, hatred and prejudice. As King averred, "Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight vigorously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit." This brief classic holds the key to that transformation. Violence committed against individuals because of their race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation remains a serious problem inAmerica. The number of hate crimes reported has consistently ranged around 7,500 or more annually, or nearly one every hour of the day. Victims may be fearful of authorities and may not report these crimes. Or local authorities do not accurately report these violent incidents as hate crimes and then fail to report them to the federal government. In 1992, the American Psychological Association reported that prejudice and discrimination were the leading causes of violence among youth. Failure to address this unique type of crime could cause an isolated incident to explode into widespread community tension. Eliminating prejudice requires that Americans develop respect for cultural differences and establish dialogue across racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious boundaries. Education, awareness, and acceptance of group differences are the cornerstones of a long-term solution to prejudice and discrimination. Hate crime laws and effective responses to hate violence by public officials and law enforcement authorities can play an essential role in preventing or possible eliminating these crimes, creating a healthier and stronger society for all Americans.