Joe Kainz

            We all know of Albert Einstein. Whether we know him for his discoveries concerning space and time, or as “that one smart guy,”there is no doubt about the genius of the man. What most people do not know about him is his humanitarian side. The National Public Radio’s “Speaking of Faith” delves deeper.

            Krista Tippett is joined by both Tom Levenson, an Einstein scholar, and S. James Gates, Jr., a black physicist from the University of Maryland. In the first portion of the program, Tippett and Levenson discuss Einstein’s view on war. As a Jew in Germany during both World Wars, Einstein experienced first- hand the evils of war. He put World War I in terms of school children: neighboring schools are going to fight neighboring schools. It is the same for nations unless there is a power above them to prevent fighting. To try and connect with non-Jews, he made this power Jesus Christ, and he summarized his idea for preventing war: “Honor your master Jesus Christ, not only in words and songs, but rather foremost in your deeds.” He also believed in a non-violent approach to things, much like his admired contemporary, Mahatma Gandhi. In a letter to a German nationalist, Einstein said, “Suffering is indeed more acceptable to me than resorting to violence." However, when Hitler came to power, he recognized that wishing and persuading would not be sufficient in stopping him. Some force needed to be used. He even encouraged Churchill to use force, and Roosevelt to build up nuclear arms. He regretted his encouragement after these new weapons after they were dropped, these weapons that, he believed, gave a whole new meaning to war.

            Not only was Einstein known for his humanitarian efforts in war, but he was also a renowned promoter for racial equality. At this point, Tippett talks to Gates about Einstein’s racially accepting side. Upon Einstein’s arrival in the United States, he continually noticed a “somber point in the social outlook of Americans.” America was under the misconception that white people were more deserving of human rights and dignity, and as Einstein felt himself become more American, this deeply saddened him. Gates also talked about one of Einstein’s most beneficial qualitites: the ability to ask the “What if?” questions. This ability opened the door to the greatest quality of humanity, that being empathy. In Einstein’s later years, he was constantly asked to come and give speeches at universities. He eventually turned down an offer from Harvard, but when Lincoln University, a historically black college, asked him to speak, he promptly accepted. At that speech, Einstein made clear the problems with America racially and his view on the matter: “There is a separation of colored people from white people in the United States. That separation is not a disease of colored people. It is a disease of white people. I do not intend to be quiet about it.” Finally, at his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, his words seemed to echo that of a metanoia or standard of morality. Einstein calls for “a courageous effort, for a radical change in our whole attitude in the entire political content,” in order to solve the ethical problems that plague our world.