Think about how many times we walk by people without saying hello. A number of times that we can just interact with another human being but we choose not to because we simply don’t care or don’t have the time. How many missed opportunities to meet someone new that could possibly be your next best friend or partner. We simply don’t take these opportunities, how come?

Now think of all the issues that are currently impacting our country. Think of all the movements that have risen, or are rising, and think of the oppositions to these said movements. Is it wrong for people to ask for equality or to be treated the same as the rest of the country? Is it wrong to ask for standards in the way of living, to ask for our government to change so that it can better serve us, or to ask for real equal opportunity to education, employment, or housing?

No, none of the previous requests are wrong but for some reason, there are oppositions to these requests. Is it really based on skin color, ethnicity, religion, or is it simply fear of change? Fear that what our American history books taught us isn’t our reality in the year 2016? If it’s none of those then is it hatred for other humans? Are we just too narrow-minded that we aren’t able to observe the country and realize that there are serious issues hitting us hard? Have our American norms for society brainwashed us to not be able to have freedom of thought? Is America set in its track with no option to change route?

Sure, I have a lot white friends and a lot of friends of color but the fact that people still use that statement as a means to prove that racism doesn’t exist is utterly ridiculous. Extremely uneducated. You’re not with the times. Do you watch the news? Are you informed? Statements like that are on equal playing fields as one that opposes movements for equality. You are clearly ignoring the issues in this country, for reasons I still don’t understand but I thought I did, and use that statement as your crutch.

There are people out there that are so called ‘foodies’ who love to try different dishes from other cultures but can’t see that these people are in seriously bad shape. I don’t even want to get into the issues that an immigrant faces in the restaurant business. I don’t mean issue, I mean the cruel injustices they have to go through to simply be able to eat that night.

What am I trying to say here? I honestly don’t know. My mind feels defeated and even when I talk to very close friends of mine about these issues, I just can’t seem to get a grasp on all of this. Hopefully, someone that reads this article can help all of us with some insight. I don’t mean statements like “violence is bad, we shouldn’t kill each other,” or “this country is just stupid, I’m moving.” Statements like these don’t work. If your house is on fire your first instinct is to put that fire out before your home burns down. You don’t leave your home and say “well I’ll just move to another one.”