It’s tempting to see the United States as stumbling down a path of civil unrest. Rather than seeing the violence in Charlottesville, Va., as an anomaly, to some it reflects a scary, new normal in America.

But here’s another way to look at the societal ferment.

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

The late South African President Nelson Mandela wrote that in his autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom.”

This weekend, former President Barack Obama tweeted that Mandela quote. It has received more than 2.5 million “likes,” becoming the second-most popular tweet of all time.

Why? Perhaps because Mandela was both a victim of and a victor over racial bigotry. He proved that statement: Hate can be unlearned because "love comes more naturally."

And Mandela’s wisdom offers credible hope for progress in America.