On Tuesday, July 5, 2016, Alton Sterling, was violently shot and killed by police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On Wednesday, July 6, Philando Castile was also shot and killed by a police officer in St. Paul, Minnesota. The next day, July 7, five police officers were killed and more wounded in an ambush targeting law enforcement in Dallas, Texas.
Many of us have seen the videos, news and read articles about these horrific events and have asked the question, “why does this continue to reoccur, are we not above this injustice?”
This appalling chain of events is a reminder of the cruelty and discrimination that is not just happening in America, but what is occurring worldwide. People are being discriminated, beaten and killed and it needs to stop.
We need to stop discriminating against skin color, ethnicity, race and job affiliation. This is a declaration for ALL human kind. We are all valuable, we are all on this planet for a reason and we all need to embody to the Golden Rule for humanity's sake.
We learned this rule in elementary school, but it is as relevant now as it was then. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Racism and discrimination are alive and well in this world. My parents have taught me not to leave myself to people who persecute me, but to rise above and handle the situation with dignity and mercy. That does not dismiss the feelings of anger when that happens; however, it does dim the fury inside and brings hope.
The Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated.
The police officers who were brutally killed in a targeted ambush, their sacrifice will not be forgotten. Dallas Police Officers Lorne Ahrens, Michael Smith, Michael Krol, Patrick Zamarripa and Brent Thompson gave their lives while securing the safety of peaceful protesters. They all respected the responsibility of being an officer and showed the world that honor and trust are still a tangible reality.
Fighting fire with fire or hate with hate does not stop the flames, it only ignites it more.
That is not an excuse for the injustices that are happening around us, but the way we react to them can have a greater impact.
We, as a human kind, have to look at our neighbors, friends, loved ones and even the ones who persecute us and show them love and compassion. The world slowly changes when our hearts begin to be filled with kindness and mercy instead of hate.
So again I say, we need to open our eyes and hearts to the Golden Rule once again. To treat others the way we want to be treated; with respect and dignity. We need to speak up when injustice does happen, be a voice to those who cannot speak on their behalf and boldly use hope as the weapon, not hatred.
