I wake up every day with only one absolutely flawless piece of knowledge. It sustains my days and weeks and months more than any other fact: that I'm better than you...
1. If you think the Confederate battle flag is more about heritage than about hate.
2. If you think Jews are members of a race instead of members of a religion.
3. If you think said Jews are inherently problematic.
4. If you think cops don't sometimes kill people for no reason.
5. If you think people don't sometimes kill cops for no reason.
6. If you're a racist.
7. If you're a sexist.
8. If you're a misogynist.
9. If you're a misandrist.
10. If you're a bigot.
11. If you're xenophobic.
12. If you're homophobic.
13. If you're a fascist.
14. If you think you can simultaneously be a Nazi and love America.
15. If you burn flags that represent a greater freedom than any one man can give.
16. If you burn books that represent a greater wisdom than any one man can have.
17. If you burn crosses in the darkness of night, in seclusion.
18. If you're a Confederate.
19. If you still support Donald Trump.
20. Quite frankly, if you supported Donald Trump beyond hearing his campaign declaration.
21. If you're OK with what's happening.
22. If you wear a hood, a mask, or some other visual obstruction to protect yourself and hide your identity when you seemingly yet shamelessly do your horrid acts.
23. If you find yourself rationalizing the actions of a mad man.
24. If you find yourself torn between courage and selfishness.
25. If you wonder what she was wearing, or if you think she was asking for it.
26. If you think any human being is an object designed for your pleasure.
27. If you have zero regard for the lives of those with less than you.
28. If you couldn't care less about the ills of others.
29. If you think children who starve because they can't afford food, get sick because they can't afford clothes, live in filth because they are without suitable shelter, or cry themselves to sleep because they are abused every day are nothing more than examples of social Darwinism.
30. If you think Charlottesville had many sides, many sides.
31. If you're OK with patriots being mowed down on street corners by Nazis in cars.
32. If you put faith in the legitimacy of conspiracy theories and lies.
33. If you lie (as defined by not telling the whole and independent truth).
34. If you cheat and succeed only at the expense of others.
35. If you muffle the voices of others.
36. If you control the thoughts of others.
37. If you mingle church and state.
38. If you use God as a weapon to harm others.
39. If you place religion above reason.
40. If you're anti-intellectual.
41. If you lack all humanity.
42. If you are devoid of any integrity.
43. If you aren't concerned with what you see and hear as of late.
44. If you proudly don't vote.
45. If you vote for party over principle.
If any of these instances represent you, I'm better than you.
The disadvantage of riding atop such a high horse is that I have to look with wide eyes at the inadequacies of everyday life.
With all my faults — of which I have many — at least I'm not you.
In all these ways and in so many more, I'm better than you.
Luckily, most people are better than you.
