A day after the...
The second entry to this blog was planned a little differently. It was going to focus on civil liberties and civil rights, start the civics journey road as it were. But after yesterdayâs events in Charlottesville, I think I need to take a moment to address the force behind that. We are at a critical point in our history where we choose to do the right thing for everyone.
Hatred exists. It isnât new. It isnât going to disappear. Itâs a harsh truth and difficult to swallow but it isnât something we can shy away from. It exists in all colors, shapes, sizes. What we saw yesterday, and the previous night, is white supremacy. It isnât simply over-privileged white males exercising a guaranteed freedom. It is Nazism. It is a poison that has been running in the veins of this country for as long as it has existed. Itâs taken a lot of forms in different eras â slavery, The Confederacy, separatism, Eugenics, Jim Crow, Alt-Right, Neo-Nazi to name a handful. It is despicably ugly and should not exist. Should not but it does.
In the recent past, it has hidden away in the crevices of our national structure. Only coming out at night or in locations safe from prying eyes. Safe from scrutiny and judgment. Some instances of it have made headlines by breaking laws and causing death and destruction. Those moments used to be the exception. Now, after encouragement from the electoral college chosen president, these incidents are becoming a daily occurrence. These hate-filled, fear-mongering groups have been emboldened by a dimwitted racist sitting in a powerful chair and looking the other way. Others in government elected and assigned positions are equally as guilty in their indifference and implied consent of hateful actions.
We as a nation need to put a stop to it. How we face it as a conscious nation isnât to ignore or minimize it. It isnât to bring about arguments about freedom of speech or ambivalent language of âboth sidesâ. How we face it is to stand up to it. To look it in the eye and say NO. This is a country created to free us from oppression, to pave the way for freedoms for ALL not some based on their skin tone. This is a country built and founded on the backs of immigrants of all races, colors, cultures, and beliefs.
To white supremacy, we need to say this:
We resist against the idea that being one color grants you immunity from moral obligations to the human race. We resist the notion that one color allows you to incite violence against others. We resist the act of terrorism you want to pollute our nation with. We resist.
To those leaders that have seen the signs all along and stood for us, the nation, I say thank you. To those leaders that have finally realized that all is not all right in the capitol, I say thank you. To every armed service, police and emergency service personnel willing to put on that uniform and protect and serve against tyranny and evil, I say thank you. To every citizen willing to stand up to hatred, to stand up for each other, for the nation, I say thank you.
If we want to remove hatred from our lives, we need to remove it from our hearts. Keep resisting. Keep hoping.
