February is the shortest month of the year and is known primarily as a month for expressing love. However, there hasn’t been much love expressed in the United States and the world over for a long time.
Man’s inhumanity to man ranges from road rage to outright murder, and the incidences are escalating. There are racial tensions, strong political disagreements and an overall hateful attitude towards people of faith.
Some blame the horrible disposition of the people on movie and television violence, some say it’s the economy and some say it’s just the sinful nature of man. Whatever the reason for the downward trend I believe that we can overcome it.
We should shine as examples of love. Although the economy is bad and our government does not have our best interest at heart (as shown by the ineptitude displayed in the Atlanta Storm of 2014) we of all people know how to rise up and overcome anything.
The people that I’ve met in the “freedom movement” are great examples of defeating the “divide and conquer” strategy that has been used against us for decades. I have noticed that the people who understand where this country came from and where it is headed concentrate more on the issues and solutions than blaming other people or people groups for the decay.
As an American of color I am very comfortable around my other brothers and sisters in the freedom movement because we have common goals. Some of them are closer to me than many in my own race. It’s about the agenda. My agenda is not to play a blame game or a race card to get my way. I know that I have rights but I also have responsibilities and I will take care of my responsibilities and live up to my family heritage.
I think people appreciate other people with integrity and a sense of common purpose no matter what their background. We all want to make life better for all that have been tricked into hating others because of their race, religion or political affiliation.
When I talk to people that I think are politically confused I don’t argue with them but I endeavor to show them the FACTS and not the propaganda regarding their political decisions.
Then I move on.
I don’t get angry at them because once I was ignorant and voted democrat based on race. Then I was ignorant and voted republican based on economics. Now, although I don’t vote, I don’t judge based on what people say they are but what I actually see. This causes me to be level headed and not get in a rage over what people naturally do.
Just like a snake is naturally prone to bite an ignorant person is prone to argue based on emotions and not facts, so I leave them alone.
Let’s all endeavor to try and defeat the enemy called divide and conquer, especially where we have so much common ground. All of us want to have a good life.
We all want the best education for our children and grandchildren, and we all want to provide for our families and keep more of what we earn.
Love conquers all and a smile and a kind word will go a long way towards decreasing the number of ghastly negative, violent stories on the evening news.
Let’s try and be positive towards others that are different from ourselves and not put people in a box just because they don’t look or act like us.
Everybody from the Middle East is not a terrorist, every black person is not on welfare, every Jewish person is not a crook, every Latino is not an illegal, every Asian is not smart and every white person is not in the militia!
Prejudices and stereotypes are dangerous and kill the spirit of love and this country. Let’s love one another this month for starters, for the sake of our country.
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Well said, Sherry. I agree.
Hey Sherry, thank you for the great post and points you are nailing here. I can completely relate to what you are saying. My personal story is that I was not really tuned into anything political until I was about 22 and then started studying media manipulation as well. In terms of the divide and conquer tactic I really noticed what was going on in during the election results when Bush ran for his second term. That is when this whole red and blue crap started. I understand that the whole republican democrat thing has been going on for a long time but that just started driving the wedge even deeper. Now a decade later I have changed my political affiliation completely and joined the “I’m human” party.
It really is complicated to debate with some people and I see how they present themselves one way yet walk a completely different walk. I think once you evolve to a certain place you actually start to feel bad for them and the grip that society has on them and how they refuse to think for themselves. And sorry to say these positions and thought processes are held by either side if you will.
It is absolutely a manufactured thought process that some groups and or individuals keep adding fuel to the fire about.
Keep em riled up and fighting amongst each other right?
Anyway, preaching to quire here, great post and thanks for sharing.
You are a peace maker. You are a voice for healing.
I only might suggest. YOU HAVE TO VOTE . It is a duty we all share.
Great post Sherry! We all need to be more mindful of others moving forward just like you’ve expressed here…Thanks for the Wake Up Call!