This is outside the norm for me. I don’t post anything political without a deflecting joke accompanying it. I don’t voice my opinions unless asked directly and in person. I don’t tell masses of people they are wrong even if I think they are. I try my very hardest to stay away from making a statement; creating waves and rocking the boat. I try to keep from painting some kind of sign or target on my back. I try to keep my atmosphere calm.
For my whole life I’ve done this. I have tried to blend in with the walls surrounding me, looking on from a spectator’s seat as I watch the world around me. To be quite honest, it’s worked out pretty well. Life can’t be escaped so of course I’ve been hurt and felt the true kind of joy so big it feels like my heart will explode. But, still, I’ve taken the backseat; let my opinion remain silent while others scream that their's is right. And it wasn’t as if I thought mine was lesser, it was because of a literal, debilitating fear that if I said how I felt, or what I thought, it would somehow come to bite me in the ass.
It’s scary putting something out into the Universe. Something for others to pick apart and analyze and, ultimately, use against you if they so choose. It’s scary to think that in the midst of what is happening in our country right now, that one comment, one stance leaning one way or the other can dissolve relationships, burn bridges and cause outright disrespect.
It’s terrifying, and oh so horribly wrong. Yes, I said it. It’s wrong to treat others with such blatant disrespect even if they don’t agree with what you think. Even if they so plainly can’t defend their beliefs. Even if they support what you don’t. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of people who don’t need this kind of lesson. However, there are thousands still who can’t separate and draw the line between respect for all and healthy disagreements.
This is what I’ve seen the most of in that last 18 months or so; large amounts of unhealthy disagreement. Few people are taking the time to understand and listen because everyone is in a frenzy. Too busy shouting about how their cause means more, one solution is better than the other and how one group specifically is being undermined.
This is outside the norm for me. I don’t do this, but we have a problem. No it’s not the Presidential Election (although yes, that’s a train-wreck and we need to get on that like NOW). It’s what the election has revealed, what it has caused to grow in agitation. We are divided; and dangerously so. It started long before Trump proposed we build a wall and those emails came out. It won’t fix itself, we have to do the hard work.
We have to be united or else we won't just fall, we will crumble apart. You may read this and get overwhelmed by the word "united". America is so big and there are so many people with beliefs different than your own. United doesn't mean agreement on everything and I think that's were we get lost. It means joined, together for one common goal. If we can get back on the same page about that and what that means for everyone, I think we will be just fine.
