Last
week, I wished you a week of reflection on what you can do to remember the
images and remember the message of what coming together looks and sounds like
EACH AND EVERY DAY!
I
will preface this week’s blog with the recognition that these are my thoughts
and my opinions. You may or may not agree with me and that’s ok. That’s my
point. Can we read, listen to, and have conversations on topics where we may
have some common agreements but also disagreements?
I’d
like to explore further what I feel is happening all around us - that is
labeling. My first question to myself is, “How do I choose who I want to surround
myself with whether it be on my business team, socially, who do I follow on FB
and even Twitter etc.? Have you ever put any time into asking yourself that
same question?
For
me, it boils down to who is a person of integrity, who has a positive and
uplifting spirit and is a pleasure to be around? Who do I observe treating others
with respect and dignity? Who am I able to have a serious conversation with and
not just talking about the weather? Who can I have disagreements with, explore
our differences, and come away with a sense of understanding not necessarily
agreeing. Who asks questions and is not manipulating conversations with it
being all about them? Who can I learn from? Who is learning and growing and
excited about new things? Who is a person who embraces the concept of being the
best they can be in all areas of their life?
I’ve
taken time to think about the above characteristics. NO WHERE in my personal
list do I EVER think about the color of a person’s skin, their political
affiliation, their religious background, their financial status, or their
sexual orientation. EVER!
When
I look at individuals in my life and in my life with Jon, there are people of
all colors, all religions, all sexual orientations, and all political
affiliations. We are friends with people who have different racial backgrounds than us, we have friends who are in a mixed marriage, we have friends
who are married to someone of the same sex, we have friends who are of a
different religious background.
I have
purposefully blocked people on my Twitter page who are only negative and
condescending, I have hidden Facebook with negative entries; usually
dealing with their political agenda. My mindset is not to entertain the
negative, toxic tirades that have no substance other than to berate someone or
something. There is NO place in my life for this!
I am
tired and frustrated with listening to the young people who are not informed. Labeling
is running rampant! Racist, white supremacist, violence when speakers come to
campuses with a different perspective, name calling has become outlandish, and
shouting down other’s right to talk in townhalls is becoming the norm. SAD!
Martin
Luther King’s message in his “I Have a Dream” speech was one of peaceful
protest and he said, “I have a dream that little children will one
day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin
but by the content of their character.” Instead of inclusion, we seem to be moving to separatism. SAD!
Evergreen State in the state of Washington, a
public institution, berated a professor who refused to participate in a
no-white day of absence. The professor was called racist and the students wanted him fired. Nonwhites wanted a day to
“just be.” Go to the Youtube video to see the interactions between the
professor and other administrators. SAD!
Antifa is a militant political movement that
uses violent tactics to counter speech they disagree with. They are usually
dressed head to toe in black, wear masks so their identity is hidden, they
damage property by breaking windows and throwing Molotov cocktails. They state
that they do not see property damage as violence. SAD!
Mike Isaccson, professor at John Jay College, an
active Antifa member, was on Tucker Carlson last week. Tucker stated that this
professor was “blurring the lines between physical violence and speech which he
disagrees with.” The professor felt justified that when there was speech that
went against his beliefs that the speech should be shut down at all costs. He
had previously tweeted, “It is a privilege to teach future dead cops.” SAD! (He has since been fired.)
Hobby Lobby has been brought to task and called
racist for selling faux raw cotton stalks — which a woman in Texas
found offensive. SAD!
It seems to me that if we disagree with someone
we are now quick to label. Our labels are too often racist or white
supremacist. I would encourage you to listen to Youtube videos with Larry
Elder, a black author and radio host. He specifically addresses these terms.
We have moved into an extreme political and
even social arena where it’s ok to denigrate without real facts only personal
opinions, we’re into “protecting” our way too sensitive young people from
hearing a different point of view to the extent counseling, or a safe space is
offered, and we can’t watch a sporting event etc. without being bombarded with
personal political opinions.
Where is any kind of discourse without labeling
and name calling? Where is there any kind of peaceful protesting without having
groups like Antifa there to violently shut down speech that they disagree with?
I choose to surround myself with the types of
people with the characteristics l listed earlier. I also choose to hear
different perspectives and learn from others. I choose to not enable but
to empower. I choose to empower with first understanding situations myself and
then being able to have conversations with others in a respectful way. What do
you choose?
I wish you a week of self-reflection. I also hope
you take the time to watch Larry Elder in this video as he will give you much food for thought:
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