Underneath It All We Are the Same

Seven years ago, I wrote this blog with great hopes that society would take steps forward in the years to come, recognizing that we are all in this together and unity is the only way to a better world.

Unfortunately, as witnessed by world events over the last several years, that is not the case. Sadly, things are worse so once again I will share this with a hopeful heart that three years from now our world will look a little brighter.

"If you prick us, do we not bleed?
if you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us,
do we not die?"

~ William Shakespeare - The Merchant of Venice

Strip away race, color, religion, politics, gender, etc., and underneath it all we are the same. We are human beings. We have the same needs, wants and desires. We want a good life for our families; a good community to live in; friends and neighbors we can trust. We want to be treated with dignity and respect, and to feel comfortable voicing an opinion, without the threat of being attacked by someone who happens to have a differing view.

It is disheartening to look at human behavior in the world today. People feel that if they are unable to have what they want, or if others don’t agree with their views, then it gives them the right to say hateful things about them. Spreading hatred and fear to all who will listen because someone has a bit more than they do or is not exactly in line with what they believe. All the while they are the ones who need to be feared as they stir the pot to create havoc and have others do their bidding. The more people they are able to suck into their whirlpool of hate, justifies in their minds the evil messages they are spreading.

This distorted view of things is not relegated to any one religion, political party, race or color. Unfortunately, it has spread across all of these groups, and common sense seems to have disappeared in the madness created by the hate. The most disturbing part of all is that children are being swallowed up in this and being taught hate that they will carry with them and perpetuate as they grow into adulthood. Not a positive vision of what could happen if things don’t change; a world where humans are intolerant and lash out at one another with hateful words and physical violence.

In reality, I do believe that there are far more good people in the world than there are those filled with hatred; millions of amazing human beings trying to spread a positive message and doing good deeds on a daily basis. Teaching their children that they need to do what is right, and to include everyone in their circle of friends and neighbors. Each and every one of us has something to offer to our family, friends, neighbors and even strangers, to make this a better world than we are living in today.

Don’t be one who gets caught up in the vortex of hate; be one of those who works hard to make this a better world for the future.