I am not just a female. I am not just a daughter. I am not just white. I am not just a Christian.
I am a human.
Just like you, and every other person on the planet, I am a human.
We are all human beings.
How people identify themselves often defines them in our world. Whether you're Christian, gay, African-American, female or Republican, you will be recognized. This recognition comes with negative and positive attitudes and opinions from the rest of society. This nation is filled with strong, passionate opinions, with big mouths to proclaim them. It is not wrong to have an opinion, but there is a time and a place to express your views. I am not against freedom of speech, but I think morality should take part in the expressions of opinion.
Without morality and understanding, then everyone and their brother think they can express their well-deserved opinions on any social media outlet they can get their hands on, which could potentially hurt the feelings of any number of people.
Hate crimes of all magnitudes are extremely prevalent throughout our nation and the world. With the Orlando shooting so fresh in the minds of people across the nation, it's easy to grasp the depth of hate in the world. The shooter did not keep his hatred bottled up or express it through minimal means. He shot people. He killed them. His hatred led him to take the lives of 49 humans.
The hatred must stop. The sadness has rattled not only our nation but the world.
The time has come for opinions to change. It's time to open our minds up to the fact that every single human is different and unique in their own special way. I think that is the best part of the world. We get to meet different people and hear their views in a nonjudgmental manner, of course.
Personally, this fact keeps me humble. I know what I think is not always right. I know my own opinions may differ from every other person that I come across. That is the point, though. I am able to recognize differences and accept them without any hatred.
If we went around hating every person who had a different viewpoint than us, we would hate the world.
It is incredible seeing the number of individuals that have come together in support of a group of people who identify themselves as something specific. In this recent case in Orlando, there have been thousands upon thousands of people showing their support and love to the LGBT community. I think the amount of hatred exemplified in this instance has opened the eyes of millions. I am hoping that they realize that the lives of these people tragically taken were the lives of humans. They weren't just gay; they were humans.
It is time to stop criticizing those for the God they worship, the world views they possess, the color of their skin or whom they choose to love. Every human deserves respect.
It's time to stop all the hate because at the beginning, middle and end of every single day, we are all humans.
