As the election has come and gone, more and more people have become accepting of ignorance and not realized just what they're meaning when they discuss certain topics. Though this may be a bad side effect of the election, some other bad side effects have come as well. Many people have taken the approach of being very judgmental in another's ignorance without concern in educating the individual. This method of bashing and hate towards those that are less educated and possible for fortunate than some is creating more problems than it's solving them. There are always the select few that don't care to be educated and hear things from the perspective of the individual, but we should really be working as a collective whole to educate those that don't know the struggles of their counterparts in society. If someone doesn't understand racism, they're not going to want to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The best way to create good, supportive, activists is to educate the ignorant and explain from multiple perspectives.
Being a writer and a student, I'm exposed to an exceptional amount of perspectives and ideas that often clash with my very liberal ones. I can't say that I am always calm and always rationalize my beliefs to the best of my abilities, but I can tell you that I always come to a debate with the best of intentions and never to put down another idea for simply being different. We, as people, as thinkers and idea-makers must always remember our roots. We must always remember that we were not always as educated about our beliefs as we may be now and not everyone will agree or understand what a personal perspective is. Simply fueling an argument with anger and hostility and not educated points and understandable information that can be rationalized on a personal level for the audience isn't going to create a good view of the movement you're creating.
It's so important for our passionate educated activists to present information in a communicable way with a voice of love and bestowing information and not in hate and anger. I get it, you're angry. It's difficult to not portray that when you're passionate and someone isn't understanding your trials. Anger has never been an effective way to communicate ideas. Look at those that don't have the same opinion as you as opportunities to educate. Not everyone will understand or support, but most will respect if you come from a place of knowledge and love.
In the end, love will triumph. Educate with it and the student will flourish. Educate without it, and you have angry radicalism going against whatever the heck it is you're in support of, which will create a hostile environment for everyone involved.
But above all, educate. Teach before you preach. Allow those that are ignorant to hear what you're saying, and create an opinion. Create educated activists and do the best you can every time.
