Today we have the labeling of people groups.
Yesterday we had the suggestion of an inherent disposition to dishonesty and violence in some groups.
Tomorrow we will have the careful counting of individuals and the placing of individuals into each people group.
But today,
today we have the labeling of people groups.

For those of you who are new here, we recommend this period drama underlining racial differences with a subtle suggestion of inferior intellect in some groups indigenous to warmer climes.
And here we have a persuasive and tabloid friendly research paper that hints that children of mixed race tend to struggle in school. You'll be relieved to see that it hasn't any distracting data.
And on the shelf beneath you'll see there's a picture book version for younger children.

Over here is the arbitary divide between us and them, with a useful circle of arguments to differentiate ourselves from others.
Here we have colour coded lables to more easily distinguish between  people groups. Yes, that's correct, we have three labels: white, black and, a recent addition which is now available for added distinction, rainbow.
Oh yes, when engaging in any discussions, for your own safety please ensure you wear these ear defenders.
To ensure a free flow of visitors we have erected large signs in three languages marking where charity at home ends. Yes, after rigorous focus group testing we have selected the English language in three font sizes.

We are coming to the end of this orientation tour.  Please note the subtle but effective shedding of compassion for those who appear or sound different to us.  This underpins the necessary disregard for the rights of others that we assume for ourselves and for those like us. It is almost imperceptible I think you'll agree.

But the priority for today, as I say, is the labeling of people groups. 
No questions.
Shall we begin?

Remember that no matter how good you are
and no matter how hard you plan,
you will fail.

Evil doesn't win kid; never has,
never will. You might plan that heist
to the last gunman but the day of,

mark my words, something will go wrong.
The hero will show up, and you
will be lucky to escape with all of your limbs.

It's a suicide mission, villainy.

So why? Why work for chaos and destruction?
Why choose death?
Why fight the system, when every effort is doomed?

Because the system has ignored me.
I am the oppressed, the broken,
the trodden on and nameless.

They hurt me,
took advantage of me,
and then called ME "monster."

How can I support something that never supported me?

I'm not trying to excuse my actions.
I am a monster, but God help me;

I will be a monster on my own terms.

She said "to hell with your dreams" and "let's do like the others"
I told her, to me, there could be so much more to discover;
"Join me, I said, this insanity burns with countless tomorrows"
"Forgive me, forget it", she pled, "you're on a road I can't follow"

For his heart is
as cold as
the Winter weather

and she was born
in Summer

Or should I say: an Ode to You?
Does it make any difference? Really?
Let’s start again, let’s start by saying
In’Lak’ech Ala K’in
You are another Me. I am another You.
For that’s what’s so unique
about being Human.
We are the Same.
BECAUSE we are not.
We were created equal
BECAUSE we were all created different
with this raging desire inside
of being who we are
who we truly are
each one of us
billions and billions of versions
of creatures who can say I am
who want to know who I am
who want to define it
be being just like X
and by being dislike Y

Unlike the flower, the tree, the fish,
the animals, the mountains, the oceans
that are what they are,
we reflect.
We reflect about who we are,
We reflect about our world.
I reflect about who you are,
and I reflect who you are.
You reflect who I am.
BECAUSE on this or that, we are the same,
look the same, feel the same, believe the same.
BECAUSE in this or that we are different,
look different, feel different, believe different.
Billions and billions of reflections
billions and billions of versions
of being Human.

This comes with great responsibility.
For we need one thing
to bring this raging desire to reality:
we need to honour our differences,
we need to respect them.
From two perspectives, in fact:
from the selfish perspective
for if I want to truly be me
I need the freedom to fully express
who I really am
so I cannot allow you or another version of the human being
to shrink my universe of possibilities.
From the altruistic perspective, too.
For to define who I am
I need you, every single version of you,
to fully express who you are
in order to reflect in all it’s glory
who I am.

The more I love who you are
the more I love your differences
the more I honour you as not me
the more I can become who I am
the more I can see who I am
because you reflect it so well
just the way you are.
Billions of you.

Hence any man, woman or child
who endangers the difference
of another man, woman or child
is in fact destroying a reflection of his or her own uniqueness.
Belittle the options you allow another human being,
and you belittle your own self and your own glance.

That is how we are all connected.
Through the most fundamental right of being different.
That is how we are all equal.

BECAUSE I am not you and you are not me,
we are the same.

In La’kech Ala K’in
An Ode to You.

Or should I say:
an Ode to Me.


Marie-Hélène de Cannière, © 2016

Raw beauty of the Earth refines itself.
The Earth and it's people need each other as without it survival is limited.
Perhaps the want of need affects one more so than the other.
Greed, hunger, it lusts for its reality to change.
The nostalgic feel of home, of nature draws you in and permits you to leave yet you decide against it.
The Earth changeable within itself.
Never truly knowing its own true intentions.
Lethal.
Dangerous.
But forever secure.
Your choices insignificant, your memories, your judgement clouded as two big egos are never compatible.
Yet you both crave it.
The difference.