You can be with me, or against me. That is what is so amazing about our country. We are allowed to each have our own opinions. We have the freedom to talk about it, write about it, and peacefully protest it. But where your opinion and rights, infringe on another person's rights, is where we as a nation need to draw the line. From this, I can personally say that I am an advocate for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Before you outrage, exit out of this article, or comment mean things on this post, let me explain.
Here is what most people come back with when this is said: "Sure, Black lives do matter, but so do Hispanic lives, Chinese lives, Women's lives, Men's lives, old lives, young lives. They all matter." This statement is what completely attempts to erase the movement. Of course, they all have a purpose, and they all should be loved. We are all immigrants in our beloved country. Down our ancestry lines, we all came from somewhere else. It is just the facts. How can we as a country, who is considered the “melting pot" or an “asylum for mankind" not respect one another? We all don't belong here, that is what is so amazing. We somehow all ended up here in this one country. Whether we were escaping injustices elsewhere, trying to have a better life, or were drug here against our will; we all ended up here.But what has to be recognized is that this movement does not need to be for everyone, it is not the disrespect of those not included, it is the far too late justice movement that Black people in our country have needed and deserved in all communities.
America is a country where you have ten times more rights than you would have in many other countries. It is a place where you can speak your mind. You can choose to blend in or stand out. You can mingle or join together with other people like yourself. You can do whatever you want. But this is where it gets tricky. We have taken this ideal, and instead of joining together as people who all live in one country, we have separated. We have become people of hate, rather than people of love and acceptance.
Many people may not agree with this, and that is okay. That is your American right. But wouldn't our country, and even our world be a much better place if we represented tolerance and love instead of hatred and separation. Christ basically tells us that if there is only two commandments that you should follow and remember it is this :
“'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" – Matthew 22: 37-39
We are called as mankind to live a life full of love. Full of acceptance. Full of kindness. He tells us to love our neighbor as yourself, are you doing this? Would you be okay with being treated the way you are treating others? Be the difference and love others well. Support all races, all groups, all genders because they all matter. But recognize the need for this particular movement in this particular time. Preach love and coexistence, not hate and separation.
