The Golden Rule

The idea for this article was already made, but I wasn't able to put it into words until reading a Facebook post from a friend. Before it had been feelings and ideas, circling around in my head with no real direction, and his post made things clearer. I want to start by thanking him for that, and for everything else.

But this isn't about him. This is about the golden rule.

"do to others what you would have them do to you"

Some people are already familiar with it, some don't know at all, and others claim they know but ignore it or don't follow it. Almost all organized religion has it's own version of it.

This isn't that difficult a rule and yet it feels like this year has already turned into a body count. All of which has felt to be concentrated in the summer. From the various attacks from ISIS worldwide this year to the deaths here caused by police officers meant to protect and the people angry enough to shoot officers in blind vengeance. The worst part is that none of it makes sense because the lines aren't clear. When ISIS is the caused for the deaths of many, it's easy for us as Americans to say that it was them, but we overstep and blame every Muslim and person who seems remotely similar. We stop those running from danger in defense of our own safety. We leave them in harms way but is that right? An officer shoots unarmed men and its a reoccurring tale unfortunately. Before I could finish this article there was another shooting in Baton Rouge. We're caught in a cycle, we grieve, we blame, we argue, we forget, and we grow numb.

In the midst of all this what are we to do?

Do we sit here, reading this and hoping it won't affect our daily lives? Do we complain online in forums or on posts endlessly, spreading ideas in empty rooms? Will we do nothing and simply continue to justify, criticize, and rationalize all of these tragedies happening around us until we are so numb, we don't even bat an eye?These events take their toll on us, and coping is different for everyone, but I propose something simple. We take a larger effort to follow the golden rule.

Maybe it's me, but I don't see the logic in ending violence with violence. "Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

There has been a flood of bad news and not much good news, so we should make some ourselves with the little actions that we do, taking a moment to treat people better, how we would like to be treated in their shoes.