) (left) and Al Green (
Bruce Edwards) in their office ) comforts her husband Al (Bruce Edwards) after he is transferred because he is Jewish Joe, Beth, and Joey Hanson settle into their new home in Springville, where Joe has found a job as production manager for the Baker company, and befriend their neighbors, the Greens. When Joe reports for work, he discovers that Al Green has been running the division until his arrival and, if Joe determines him fit, will earn a permanent position. Joe gives Al a lift home and when his car is blocked by the stalled car of a black man, they hear derisive calls of "nigger" from other drivers. Joe tells Al that he is a Scandinavian-American Protestant and is not prejudiced toward anyone. Al reveals that he is Jewish and often encounters intolerance. At home, Joe tells Beth that her new friends are Jewish and she should be careful what she says about them. When Joey asks, "What's wrong with Jews?" Joe tells him they are just like any other people. Pamphlets warning against the influence of "Negros, Jews and foreigners" appear in the town and the minister delivers a sermon urging his congregants to treat others with brotherhood and love. At work, Joe begins to feel that the talented Al is going to take over his job. He begins putting in a lot of overtime to take care of everything himself. During a home visit from the minister, Joey comes in after a fight, saying that he and his friends beat some "wops". Joe is horrified by Joey's behavior, wondering where it came from. The minister explains that prejudicial attitudes begin in childhood, and urges Joe to think of his own youthful experiences. Joe now remembers his mother complaining about foreigners competing for his father's job, and how he also lost a delivery route to a Jewish boy. He further remembers being tackled by a Jewish classmate in a football game and being convinced by the others that the "dirty Jew" cheated. The minister now explains to Joe that all prejudice and
scapegoating stem from personal insecurity and fear. When Joe's boss asks him about Al's work performance, Joe replies that although he himself doesn't feel this way, others in the company might not be comfortable working with a Jew. The boss decides to transfer Al to another division for the good of the company. In the Green home, Al's wife consoles him but he maintains that Jews will always suffer prejudice. Meanwhile, in the Hanson home, Beth realizes to her horror that Joe had something to do with Al's transfer. Joey comes in crying that other children are calling him a "dumb Swede". Joe realizes that prejudice is everywhere, and can play both ways. The minister delivers another sermon in which he advises that to overcome prejudice, one must strengthen his faith in Christ, who loves all men equally. This will imbue him with personal security and dignity, and eliminate his fear of others. Joe drops off Joey and Ellen Green at their school and watches a group of children taunt Ellen, calling her "Jew". Joe drives away with conflicted feelings, hearing the minister's words in his head. Finally he works up the nerve to admit his prejudicial statement to his boss and ask him to reinstate Green as his assistant. ==Cast==