The New Year is once again around the corner and I believe it's time we address some things. 2016 was a year of hate crimes, violence, and terrorism. WE have the power to change the world, but first we must focus on changing our country. It's time SOCIETY makes America great again.
1.) Respect all lives- Listed as number one for a reason... In 2017 there's nothing more important than equality. Black lives matter. White lives matter. Blue lives matter. Hispanic lives matter. Muslim lives matter. ALL lives matter. It's time we stop the division.
2.) Get to know a little bit about everyone- Unfortunately, today, we classify people based on accusations and associations by word of mouth. Take 5 minutes out of your day to listen and learn from the source.
3.) Start caring for underprivileged citizens- Times are tough and the economy is even tougher. We need to stop classifying people on the streets or less fortunate as "bums". You have no idea what that person has been through or how they ended up in that position and something like that could easily happen to you one day.
4.) Stop engaging in hatred- It's time we dismantle hatred within our own country and then focus on foreign relations. Stop hating people for the past and focus on a brighter future.
5.) Conduct yourself in a respectful manner in the workforce- When American's go to other countries they are amazed at the service they receive in fast food restaurants. Nobody has forced you to work in the fast food industry, but when you are presented with a consumer paying you for your service it's common decency to take their order and proceed in a kind fashion.
6.) Address problematic accusations without violence- Unfortunately, in today's world we have been taught to solve things with war and violence. It's time we address faults with our words and intelligence and not revenge.
7.) Stop the never ending falsehoods projected through propaganda- Advertisements, commercials, social media posts, etc it's all a never ending lie. The constant streaming of lies and false accusations creates a humungous waste of time and life. If we're not watching it or listening to it, we're preaching it and that's not okay.
8.) Acknowledge the change in climate- Even though politicians refuse to acknowledge climate change as a drastic issue in the United States. It is important to understand that we as society have the power to control our negative impact on our surroundings. We don't need to wait until it's too late and our government finally decides to define the line of declining environment. Americans need to wake up and realize climate change is real and we are to blame.
9.) Stop putting money and things before loved ones- Increasingly, we all tend to stray away from the actual value of our loved ones for things such as money, jobs, social media, and other objects that should have to comparison to your family.
10.) Stop categorizing people that want more out of life a consumer- The term consumerism demeans people in society that want more out of life. American's seem to misjudge a persons desire to flourish in life as a means to apply the nature of a provider and consumer relationships. I read an article once that stated "We are patients, students, people; not consumers of health care, education, and life."
11.) Smile once in a while- The term "RBF" hit American by a storm and while it's all fun and games to have the notorious resting bitch face and for people to think you're unapproachable, but is that really what America should strive to be? Rhetorical question, the answer is no.
12.) Stop demeaning women's rights- 79 cents for evert dollar a man earns is not equality, Breastfeeding in public is legal, Stop sex segregation in employment, Shaming (sex, slut, body, rape) all forms of shaming should be clarified as immoral and should not be targeted towards anybody let alone women.
13.) Allow freedom and opportunity- Freedom of religion, sexuality, race, gender, speech, etc. We are all different and should not have to conform to others definitions of perfection. We should all be presented with equal rights and opportunity no matter what we look like, believe in, or say.
14.) Legalization of Marijuana- Let me be the first to clarify the legalization of weed did not make the list because I am a college student. I am a medical student, but realized and understood the medicinal benefits the substance has provided way before I even stepped foot into a pre-med course. It's time America stops criminalizing a natural herb proven to relieve chronic pain and seizures, reduces nausea and increases appetite in patients undergoing chemotherapy, stops growth of cancer cells in lung, prostate, and breast cancer patients, and the benefits of medical cannabis continues.
15.) Understand and accept opposing political views- How are we supposed to grow as a government and a society if we ourselves are controversially fighting each other with violence for our own personal beliefs and opinions. A civil war amongst ourselves did not work in the late 1800's let alone America today. Understanding that we all come from different backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs is our first step. Once again WE as society have the power to change America we do not need a political power to tell us how to love and accept.
16.) Encourage confidence- We look at confidence as living in vain. However, it takes confidence to move the world, to propose an idea that could change society for how we see it today. It takes confidence to step up and realize that we have a problem and we must change.
17.) Simply love and respect one another- Gay, Straight, Black, White, we are all the same. Love each other for our choices as well as our pasts and move on to the future. Acceptance, love, respect, and compassion for each other will literally change the world we live in and it takes nothing to simply let everyone live their life to the fullest without hindering them.
