Isn't it funny
We blame them
For what we think we are incapable of doing.
I, we say to ourselves, am too enlightened to be like them.
And just like that, it's us vs them.
We've seen it throughout the years
We talk about the holocaust and smugly say, I would never.
We watch documentaries about Rowanda and think we would have reacted differently if we were the victim, if we were the perpetrator.
We talk about racism and pretend we could never.
We talk about teenage pregnancy, gangs, gun violence, abortion, religion, weight, bad decisions and tragic happenstance
And congratulate ourselves.
Because at least we're not like that.
And we pretend, like we don't all hold the potential for evil inside. We pretend that we would never make that specific choice that could change our lives forever. We think we know what that person who we despise was thinking. Was feeling.
He was racist, we say.
She's looking for attention, we say.
He just didn't try hard enough we say.
He was a felon, we explain
Condescension.
Dripping from our souls.
And we divide.
We invalidate.
If you're not for us, then you're probably black, or white, poor, or rich. Democrat or republican. A lazy Marxist or a greedy capitalist. A stupid religious robot, or a hopelessly smug atheist.
We refuse to acknowledge that for by the grace of God, or happenstance
It could have been you. Or me.
One of us could have made the life changing split second decision
But, too afraid to face the facts, look in the mirror, and confront our own souls
We blame. The system. The parents. The economy. The government. Racism. Elitism. The police. The schools. The church. The home life. The environment. The poor. The rich.
And we assume, that the answer is simple.
Or worse, that it's impossible to do anything about.
So we dust off our soap boxes and draw the lines. "I'm doing something!" We say. And we scream at each other for not understanding how we feel.
A self perpetuating cycle.
We think if we talk louder, hit harder, vote differently then things will change.
But nothing will change.
Until we realize,
The person needing change the most, is ourselves.
We let our communities die to make a point. We focus on things outside of ourselves to avoid focusing on the problem
We refuse to step out of our comfort zones.
We refuse to love
If it's uncomfortable.
If it's unpleasant.
If it's hard.
"No thanks, " we say.
To change our world, to make it a better place, might mean sacrifice we are unwilling to do.
We won't volunteer our time to help kids. To feed families. To help our neighbors. Our communities.
We would rather just blame.
And how my heart breaks, looking into the mirror and looking out on our nations.
Does yours?.
In the silence, the quiet nights , do you embrace the tragic losses on either "sides"? Acknowledge the pain our "enemy" must feel?
Do you feel the tears run down their face?
Do you not weep for the heartbroken no matter who they may be?
Or do you stand, and mock their suffering?
Does that sick voice inside of you think they had it coming?
If it does, know that I weep for you, and for myself.
The hate we hate is inside every one of us
A darkness, that can only be obliterated by light.
." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies. "
MLK
hate love heartbroken humanity