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Silence is submission


I used to be that outspoken girl and to some extent I still can be but I have learned that not everything I believe needs to go in a blog or on Facebook. I think there is power in social media and therefore I choose to be silent at times and watch as the media frenzy goes berserk and everyone falls in line with whatever their party tells them to do.

I have found that more and more I do not identify with a party as I believe neither party is right or wrong... they just are. They both have their truth and they believe it fervently, neither side willing to concede to the other and both sides accusing each other of biased news reports and blatant blindness to real issues.

However, in light of the recent protests I can no longer stay silent as silence equals submission and I can not, no... I will not submit to hatred of humanity in any form. I can not stay silent because I have black friends. I can not stay silent because I have black god children. I will not stay silent because I am married to a Mexican and my children are mixed. I will not stay silent because no matter what race, we are all human.

While I believe that the radical supremacists who are garnering so much attention do not deserve my time, my effort, or even a second thought, I do believe that my children, my godchildren, and my friends do deserve my time, my effort, and my love. If I were to stay silent at this time I would be telling them that I am ok with the actions of these hateful and I am not.

I've seen many arguments both for and against confederate statues, the confederate flag, and hate speech disguised and touted as free speech. I will not argue either side for those who grew up in the south have a deep love for the history and those who didn't have a deep contempt for the symbolism that is embroiled in the confederacy. I will not try to dissuade you of your belief because there is no changing of opinions and that has become more and more apparent. I will not ask whites to understand the black side and vice versa but what I will do is appeal to your humanity.

All humans regardless of race, gender, and sexual orientation have basic human rights. Our own Bill of Rights protects against many of the cruelties that are being practiced today. I do not understand how people can sit back and allow these hateful people to manipulate so much of our time and attention. I applaud the mayors, governors, actors, sports stars, and everyone else who has stood up and spoken against these people.

It's hard to know what to do when I am so far away. It's hard to be on Facebook or Instagram and see the people I love so much become so incredibly hateful and spiteful. It seems as if we have a habit of answering violence with violence and it is disheartening to see so many people spew so much hatred, so much mis-information, and so much contempt at each other.

If anything is going to change in this country then we have to be the ones who change it. We have to be willing to stand up when everyone else is kneeling. We have to be the ones who walk hand in hand, a solid wall against those who prefer to spit out hatefulness. If we are to ask those who are racist to become more understanding then we have to meet them where they are and give them a hand up. I believe this turbulent time in our history is scary but I also believe it is necessary. It is a time when we get to stand up and declare that we are not going to stand for the violence, the hate, and the disrespect of our Bill of Rights and American Freedoms guaranteed to all people, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. We get to stand up united with one another and decry the injustices of todays hate groups.

So I will not be silent. I will not sit here and allow the world to think I have submitted. In a time and place where it is hard to know what to do, I will write because that is what I do and that is who I am. There will be people who will change laws because that is who they are. There will be people who deliver water and food to the peaceful protesters as well as the hate groups because they are there and that is who they are. There will be those who stand united in front of the hate groups and endure the torture and spitefulness being spewed at them because that is who they are. But me... I will write, because it is all I feel like I can do at this very moment and there is no way I will stay silent at this time as I watch humanity rip apart at the seams.

I don't know if it is enough but I know I need to let my children and godchildren know I am against the cruelty of what is going on right now. That it is not ok to support hate speech and tout it as free speech. That it is not ok to incite violence against any human.

I will not submit therefore I will not be silent.