As we continue to slumber, and live our lives through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, we risk finding ourselves on a collision course that may signal the end of liberty as we know it.
I, like many, am deeply saddened by the vitriol and hate that seems to emerge as people hide behind their online memes and verbally trash people that were once their friends. It is as if many people have lost complete sight of civility and replaced it with elementary school bullying. It seems as though people judge other’s perceived actions so harshly, yet want to be judged based on their own intentions (not their actions).
If you choose not to wear a mask you are told that you are a murderer. If you choose to wear a mask you are ridiculed and told you are scared and an alarmist. I do not care if you wear a mask or not. Regardless of my choice, I am certainly not going to tell you what to do or condemn your decision.
If you want to make the statement, “Black Lives Matter” or “All Lives Matter”, I am not going to criticize you as I assume the best of you and believe that you love everyone and want the best for everyone. Your personal reference point may not be identical to someone else but I choose to assume you want what’s best for them as well and will defend their stance, regardless of the color of their skin!
If you love Trump or loathe Trump, that is your choice. In a few months, or a few years he will no longer be the president, but we will still be neighbors. However, if people want to win at ANY cost, it is important to understand that the unintended consequences of doing so may levy a price so large as to undermine our nation for generations.
We can look back historically and find all of the flaws, mistakes, and reprehensible behaviors of all of the men and women that built America. We can deface their statues and monuments. When that is not enough, we can burn down buildings, loot stores, deprive people of their livelihoods, and kill innocent people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. People can do all of this just to prove how right their causes are.
At the end of the day, we will need to remove the debris and rebuild. Sadly, after such mayhem and destruction, we will have forfeited some of the very valuable pieces of real estate within our soul.
Or…we can stop long enough, to sit down with each other and avoid the destruction. Instead, just focus on the rebuilding. Rebuilding relationships with each other. Rebuilding trust. Rebuilding systems that create opportunity for people of all color. Rebuilding the American Dream for children of all colors, ethnic backgrounds, & income levels.
We have an opportunity to use this moment to reimagine America and be better for it. There is so much work to do that we do not need to move backwards. If we need to look backwards in order to not repeat the sins of the past I understand that. We just do not need to live in the past.
Healthcare, student loan reform, abusive corporate welfare, income tax reform, education reforms, etc. are still in front of us. These are the problems we need to solve. If we solve them equitably for ALL people…BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO…we can have a more prosperous country for all of us.
At the end of the day, if we want to maintain a free America, we have no choice but to come together, hold on to each other, and step forward together!
God bless each one of you.
Always Lead, Bo Short
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