No Words

Well, here I am about to comment on another ‘news trending’ topic.  I can’t help it; my heart is heavy.  

I have found myself reflecting over the last 48 hours since I heard the news in Charlottesville.  I must say I am speechless.  I don’t quite know how to put into words the sadness and disgust I feel that these protests are actually taking place.  The shock and  heartbrokeness I feel that a hateful human took it upon himself to violently react to those peacefully protesting against his ideals.  The anger and confusion I feel that I have not seen the word terrorist being used for the man who took the life of this person.  After all, did he not react with the same hateful ideology and the same intent to invoke fear into those that protest against him?  Like a terrorist?  

I know that most people in this world are not extremists; they do not support radical ideas whether they come from ISIS or the KKK.  I also know that you cannot rationalize with extremists. Their hate runs deep.  But what about the rest of us?  

How do we admit our own {possibly more subtble} prejudices to ourselves?  

How do we say them out loud without receiving a volitle reaction from those who will cave to societal pressure of remaining politically correct and insist that this honesty is inhumane?

How do we open the converstaion and enlighten one another?  

How do we stop saying:

“This isn’t happening”

 and start acknowledging that it is?

 How do we make a difference?  

God, I wish I had the answers.  I wish I knew how to invoke an open mind and soft heart into those who believe in more subtle prejudices; you know, the socially acceptable ones.

I wish that we lived in a world where we saw past the exterior and saw the inner beauty and commonalities we all possess.  

I wish that there were not people who could look at Charlottesville and understand “the why” to white supremacists protesting but not give the same understanding to the #blacklivesmatter protests.

I wish we lived in a world where we could understand eachother.  Where we could see the other side.  

The greatest disservice I believe we are doing to one another is conceding to the misguided notion that we must all agree. That we must accept everything without question.  

That’s a lie.

We are all different.  We have our own experiences that have shaped our ideas, our opinions and yes, our prejudices.  

It is ok to be different.  It is not okay to be hateful.

It is ok to protest, it is not okay to be violent.

It is ok to communicate, it is not ok to condemn.

What would happen if we opened an honest dialogue? 

What if we were slow to anger and quick to listen?

God, what would happen?

Unfortunately, I am not naive and innocent.  I know the way the world works. 

But, I cannot stop believing that all it takes is one heart to spread love and kindness and one heart to receive it.  One person to stand up and speak out and one person to hear it.  One person who still believes and one more who will join them.

I cannot stop believing that all it takes, is me and you.