The Jungle

I recently finished The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. If you have not read it, it portrays the struggles of a Lithuanian immigrant named Yurgis Rudkus, who comes to America in the early 1900’s to seek the good life he has heard is possible in this country. Unfortunately, he discovers the streets are not paved with gold, so to speak. Rudkus is forced to take a job as a manual laborer for a slaughterhouse. The work is backbreaking, the hours long, and the pay minimal. Before long, Rudkus has no choice but to send his wife and her family members to work, including children, if they are to survive. They are fleeced by a real estate agent who tricks them into purchasing a house they cannot afford and then kicks them out when they have exhausted their efforts to keep it. They are abused by their bosses who see them as cheap, expendable labor. Illness and death are at every corner, and homelessness and starvation the brutal reality for this family.

It is a truly depressing story. And Sinclair didn’t hold back any details about the conditions of the meat packing industry, so it was disgusting as well. I wasn’t sure I could make it all the way through, but I felt that I should. I knew there was an important message.

Sinclair wanted to draw attention to the plight of the immigrants, of the poor, of those forced to work in unsanitary and intolerable conditions for unfair wages. He wanted to shed light on the corruption of business and government.  A socialist, he wanted to help force change in this capitalist nation plagued by greed.

While slowly making my way through The Jungle, I was reading my history book for class. And I got more of the same story. I read about laborers who struggled for decent wages, how they were beaten and arrested and sometimes even killed when they decided to fight. I read about corruption in government and business. I read about the unsafe working conditions in many factories. One very infamous incident is the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Over one hundred people died because they couldn’t escape the building. Exit and stairwell doors were locked. The flimsy fire escape collapsed. No water came out of the fire hoses. Many of the victims were young immigrant women, who worked countless hours and were paid nearly nothing.

I picked up another book during this time and it told of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.

So, I got to really thinking about all this. Yes, conditions have improved greatly since then. There are laws in place to protect workers. We have minimum wage laws, too. And unions.

But we still have corruption and greed. We always will. I was just thinking it seems we get stuck in cycles. We had the Great Depression. Then regulation changed things (i.e. Glass Steagall, higher taxes for the rich, etc.) The middle class grew. Then we had deregulation and the middle class started to shrink. Then we had bad behavior on Wall Street and the Housing Crisis and now we are in another Depression. (I call it a depression, not just a recession) People are still working for what cannot be called a living wage. People are still struggling to keep their homes and feed their children. Meanwhile, CEOs of large corporations are giving themselves large bonuses and taking lavish vacations.

We should be helping and taking care of all the people of this nation.

I know what you are thinking. I’m a socialist. I know you might want to tell me to move to another country, a socialist one, and see how I like it. Maybe you believe capitalism is the best way possible. Maybe you believe rich people shouldn’t have to pay more taxes because they are “the job creators.” Maybe you think everyone on welfare is lazy. Maybe you think people who are poor are that way because they aren’t smart. Maybe you think unions are all corrupt.

Honestly, I am not a socialist. Or a communist or Anti-American or anti-capitalism. In theory, capitalism allows anyone to rise up, become successful, and make lots of money. In reality, capitalism can and does promote greed. It promotes the idea of everyone for themselves. It creates a dividing and divisive line between the haves and the have-nots.

It’s not necessarily that capitalism doesn’t work. It does. But because it involves humans, it cannot be perfect. Humans are selfish and greedy. And the ultimate goal of capitalism is profit, not the well-being of those working to earn those profits. So, for capitalism to be the best that it can be, it must be regulated. And there must be consequences for those who break laws, abuse the system, abuse others.

And we shouldn’t forget that in the end, life is about more than profits. People don’t exist merely to produce goods or provide services and they are more than their production quotas.

I know, there are issues with welfare programs. I know there are lazy people who will do whatever possible to not have to work.  But there are also people who have little choice but to depend on welfare or unemployment.

I know that there are CEOs and business owners who worked hard to get to where they are. But, if they are making money because many other people are working hard to make and sell their products, why should they get exorbitant bonuses instead of paying their employees a salary they can actually live on?

I am not an economist. I don’t know everything, I don’t have the answers. It’s not easy to solve the problem of economic inequality we have in this country. It’s not easy to find the sweet spot between a free market economy and social justice. And I am an idealist. I believe humanity and love are more important that products. I don’t believe people should be treated as goods, as expendable, as machines. I believe we should help each other, lift each other up, and not trample each other in a desperate bid to reach the top. So, I probably won’t become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

That’s what has been on my mind. I’m planning to do some more reading on capitalism and socialism and economics.

I am glad I read The Jungle and I am grateful for the knowledge I have gained in my history class. As my teacher points out, “ignorance of the past often makes us its prisoner.”

Give and Take

I recently watched the movie Lone Survivor. I also watched The Wolf of Wall Street. These are two very different movies. But they both got me thinking. And my brain on wheels made a connection.

Lone Survivor, if you have not seen or heard of it, is based on a nonfiction book of the same name, written by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson. It tells the story of a Navy Seal mission in Afghanistan gone wrong. I don’t want to give away the movie in case you intend to watch it. What the movie made me think was how some people give without question. In this case, some people gave their lives in the service of their country and their military brothers.

Now, The Wolf of Wall Street is the complete opposite. This movie is based on the memoir of Jordan Belfort, a former stockbroker convicted of fraud. Although the movie was funny and entertaining, it completely disgusted me. It showcased humans at their worst, absolutely selfish and corrupted. And it made me think of how some people take without question.

I have told you before that I think humans are self centered and self serving by nature. We want what we want and we’ll do what it takes to get it. We seek to fill our needs and desires.  Watching the Wolf, like watching and reading the news, reminded me of this. It reminded me that humans can be, and often are, disgusting, greedy, inconsiderate pigs. Yes, I know that sounds awful, but we are awful sometimes.

Of course, our selfishness doesn’t just manifest itself in big ways. It is on display every time we disregard the feelings of others. Just think about the people in your own lives, the people around you. Think about your own behavior. When you cut someone off in traffic. When you talk on your phone while in the checkout line. When you don’t show your appreciation for someone’s efforts. When you belittle or insult. When you lie. When you demand others to do or give you what you want. When you just expect people to help you when you need it, but then don’t return the favor. When you blame others for your problems. When your conversations revolve around your own troubles and you never ask the other person how they are doing. When you take others for granted. I don’t mean you, as in you individually or specifically. I mean you and me, all of us humans. We all are guilty and we all know people who are guilty.

Blah, blah, blah. I've said all this before and you are probably sick of me ragging on the human race. So, let’s move on, shall we.

These two movies provided a study in contrast for me. I asked myself, “If we are all selfish by nature, what accounts for people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for others?”  And though it is easy to cite examples of human wickedness, there are also stories of great humanity. The true story behind Lone Survivor is such an example. Not only did members of the military give without question, but an Afghan villager helped save the life of an American soldier despite the danger involved.

I recently read about a young boy who died after going back into a burning house to help save a family member.

Last year, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines. So many organizations gave money to aid those affected. And individuals from different countries and different backgrounds traveled there on their own dime to help in any way they could. People who won't be recognized in the news.

A story came out of the Olympics regarding an opposing coach who ran out to aid an Alpine skier who broke his ski. The coach put on a replacement ski and the competitor was at least able to finish the race. The coach had nothing to gain by helping the skier. 

What about people like Mother Teresa? Martin Luther King, Jr? Mohandas Gandhi? Nelson Mandela? Malala Yousafzai?

These are just notable examples. But again, think about those around you. Maybe they haven’t risked their lives or donated large sums of money. Maybe they gave their time and energy. They didn't have to, but they did. Maybe they offered an ear to listen and shoulder to cry on when you were feeling down. Maybe they bought or made you a gift they obviously put some thought into. Maybe they fed you or gave you a ride or lent you money. Maybe they have infinite patience and put up with all your faults without pointing them out. Maybe they are always helping or giving to others. I know people like that.

So, after considering all this, I had to question my belief that we are all bad, selfish creatures by nature. Is it possible that we are actually inherently good? I used to believe that we were, back when life hadn't chipped away at the idealist in me. But maybe I've always held on to that, somewhere deep down inside.

But if we are all inherently good, what happens to lead us astray? Conversely, if we are all inherently bad, what accounts for the stories of heroism and sacrifice? Is it what we are taught? Is it experience? Does life push us in one direction or the other? Or is it society? Is it all dependent on chemicals or processes in our brains?

I wish that I had a brain for science and could understand human behavior. But then again, maybe it’s not all scientific. Science, after all, can’t always predict human behavior. There’s something else, something more. I don’t know the answers to these questions. I don’t know if we are good or bad by nature. But I would like to think that whatever the answer is, we are all capable of doing good, even great things. I would like to believe there is a hero, or even a saint, in all of us.

What do you think?

Walking in another's shoes

Forgive me for being absent so long and returning with a cliché.

It is the New Year after all and the time we all think about resolutions. Ah yes, that tired old cliché we return to January after January. The long list of things we want to do or change in our lives. The long list of things that we think about, write down, and focus on. The long list of things we’ll eventually forget or ignore come February.

We are only human after all. And we get stuck in the mud of our habits and doubts. Or we find that our ideas and ambitions were shining beacons when we were sitting at home during vacation but then fade away in the darkness of the daily grind we must eventually return to.

Ok, sorry for being negative. I swear one of my resolutions every year is to be more positive!

What has really been on my mind as far as resolutions is this:

      I want to walk in others' shoes.

Not literally of course. I mean that I want to think about other people and how they feel and how my words or actions can affect them. It seems simple enough. And I know I have talked to you about this before. I dread repeating myself, but it seems this is a subject that continually demands attention.

See, I considered myself to be a very compassionate and empathetic person. But as it turns out, I am still very much a selfish person. I have disregarded the thoughts and feelings of my loved ones. I have failed to be considerate of those around me. I try, I really do. But it isn’t easy to step out of my own shoes and try someone else’s for a change.

So, although I have preached about it (forgive me), I still have a long way to go myself. We all do. It’s so easy to preach about. We all preach about it. It’s easy to think about how you have been wronged or slighted. It’s easy to complain about the people around you. It’s easy to sit and stew and allow the hurt you feel to cloud your judgment. It’s easy to point the finger and blame the other. It’s easy to tally up the transgressions of others while forgetting your own.

The hard part is letting go of yourself for just a moment and looking at the situation from the other side. How does the other person feel? What are they thinking? What are they going through? What kind of pain or anger are they dealing with? Is it possible that you hurt them? Is it possible that you disregarded their feelings? Is it possible you haven't tried to understand or acknowledge them? Have you judged them harshly or unfairly?

It’s not easy at all. We are self-centered creatures by nature. Our instincts tell us to take care of ourselves first and foremost. Survival of the me-first, right? So, we don’t naturally think of others. We have to stop and take a moment to think, to consider, to feel. We have to open our minds and hearts, shed a little light on the dark monster that dwells within. That monster that eats away at our humanity every chance it gets.

I am selfish. We are all selfish. I see it every day. Most of the time it seems like no big deal. Someone ate more than their fair share of the cookies. Someone used the last of the toilet paper and didn’t put a new roll on. Someone didn’t say please or thank you or show any appreciation for that thing you did for them. Someone showed up late or didn't show up at all. Someone is always taking and never giving.These little things then add up to giant resentments.

And sometimes, it’s big things. The kinds of things that break hearts and ruin friendships. Words that slice, actions that cut. The things that could have been prevented had you just thought for one second “how would they feel?” If you would have just asked yourself “how would I feel if they did/said that to me?” If you would held back criticism and judgment. If you would have just slipped off your shoes and tried theirs on for size.

Imagine what this world would be if all of us could just be a little more compassionate, a little more forgiving, and a lot more empathetic.

So, that’s one of my resolutions.

Another is to write more. Hopefully you’ll have something new to read before next January.

 

  

 

I have always had somewhat of a fascination with all things dark and morbid. I devour books about vampires and witches. I believe in ghosts and have been glued to the television watching multiple episodes of A Haunting. I’m also a big fan of horror films and shows.  And I know I’m not the only one judging by the popularity of shows such as The Walking Dead. (Yes, I’m hooked too) So, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to watch the first episode of the new season of American Horror Story. I was especially excited about seeing witches in action. However, I had to change the channel before the show was over.

Yes, I like dark. But I like dark and mysterious. I am curious about that which cannot be explained or understood. I want to know the secrets of magic and paranormal activity.

And although the show had witches and mysterious events, it had other things that I just couldn't watch. Namely, torture and rape. Now, I know you are probably thinking “but a lot of horror movies have torture.” And you would be right. But I've never been a fan of gratuitous torture. I can’t sit there while someone is being subjected to all kinds of cruel, unspeakable acts (i.e. Hostel). And in this show, it was torture of slaves. As if slavery wasn't torture in itself. As for rape, well, I can’t sit there and watch that either. I know, it’s just television and it was all acting. But I just couldn't deal with it.

So maybe I need to qualify my fascination. I like dark and mysterious. I like when the artist, be it an author or director, leaves “something to the imagination” so to speak. It’s what I can’t see, what I can’t explain, what I don’t know that fascinates me. It’s not knowing what lurks in the darkness just beyond or what could happen when I venture out that gets my blood pumping.  I like that adrenaline rush.

I’m not scared of ghosts or vampires or witches. I guess you could say that I have a fascination with the romantic side of darkness. It’s the mystery and exoticism that I am attracted to. It’s the idea of another realm or dimension where reality has been turned upside down and inside out and the impossible is possible.

What I am not fascinated with is true evil. I am frightened of true evil. And the scariest part-it’s not just mystery, but is real and exists. Torture and rape, that’s evil. And they are a reality of this world. They happen in broad daylight, all too often. And there are no vampires or witches or demons to blame. No, the blame falls to humans. And that is the most frightening. The knowledge that anyone of us can commit such cruel, heinous acts upon another. I guess that is why I couldn't continue watching the show. It was dark, but it wasn't just about the mysterious. It compounded the fear factor by focusing on the darkness that exists within humans. It showed the evil that humans are capable of. And that’s real. There is no turning off the television and forgetting. The reality is slaves were tortured.  People are tortured and people are raped. People are murdered. And often, it is the most vulnerable and innocent people.

They say that we should face our fears to overcome them. So, perhaps we should face our darkness to overcome it. Perhaps being exposed to the things that can and do happen in this world will wake us up and force us to make better, do better.  Maybe shows such as American Horror Story can serve this purpose. But I can’t help but wonder if these shows exist because many are fascinated with the morbid in a more dangerous way. What if some enjoy watching torture and rape? I shudder to think it.

Then again, maybe it’s a way for people to release the darkness within them. Maybe watching such shows is a way for people to exorcise the demon within. I understand that we may not be as civilized as we think. That underneath our refined facade we are all animals with untamed thoughts, lusts, and hungers. Maybe humans need to deal with this without consequences.  We can’t deny our own evil, our own darkness. After all, humans are writing and acting in these shows. It comes from somewhere.

I don’t mean to be so dramatic about a mere television show. This is just how my brain works. What do you think? What is truly frightening to you?

Life Happens

I just celebrated a birthday and getting older makes me look at back at my life and where I thought I would be at this age. And I now have a greater appreciation for the saying “Men plan, God laughs.”

Yes, I had a lot of plans. And yes, God laughed.

As a little girl, I had many ambitious answers to the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I even aspired to be the first female president of the United States. That’s how all little ones think. There are no limitations to what you can do, who you can be.

I eventually settled on being a famous writer. At least for a moment. I started writing poetry in sixth grade and I thought “hey, this might be my thing.” I admit, my writing left a lot to be desired, but I was only eleven. What did I know?

Then, in high school, I got the wild idea that I wanted to study psychology and theater. I even thought I could do a double major! (What?!?!?) I was going to work in an institution for the mentally insane and perform on stage. Does that even make sense? What a crazy dreamer I was.

Then I wanted to be an actress. I was going to be in the movies! I loved the feeling of being on stage. I loved the imagination involved. I could be anyone, anywhere, anytime, if just for a few moments.

I also thought I might not get married or have kids. I was going to be successful and travel the world and never settle into the boring, mundane life that most people do. I swore I would not depend on a man to take care of me, but make my own way, make my own money, and do my own thing.

But, as we all figure out eventually, life doesn't always go according to plan. And my express train to independence and success got derailed. And I found myself on a crowded bus heading for who knows where. I quit going to college, dated and partied a lot, just kind of drifting along waiting for something to happen.

As for acting, I was an extra in a couple of shows. But it didn’t pan out. My means of transportation broke down and I couldn’t afford to fix it and that made it hard to make it to gigs, a lot of which were in L.A. And I had a full time job and I couldn’t take the day off at a moment’s notice when I got a call to be an extra. And the money wasn’t anything to brag about. So, I gave up on that dream.

Then, out of nowhere, my husband walked into my life. I didn’t plan on falling in love, but it happened. I didn’t plan on moving in with him and getting married and having a baby. But it all happened.

Then I went back to school to study Interior Design. Then I was selling and installing floors.

So, I am nowhere I planned to be by now. But even though my life didn’t work out according to my grand scheme, it all worked out. I can’t imagine life without my husband and son. They are everything to me. They make life fun and amazing and beautiful and crazy. They give my life meaning.

I admit that I am not happy selling floors or being an administrative assistant. No, I want more. That is why I have goals. Not plans, but goals. I don’t know what else life may throw at me. I don’t know what tomorrow or the next day will bring. All I know is what I want, what I will work towards, what I can do. So, I have my goals and I will work towards those goals, but I can’t say they won’t change.

What are my goals? To become an interior designer, to create beauty for others. Yes, floors may be involved, but that won’t be all. To design accessories and furniture. To publish at least one book. To create beauty in this world. To raise my son right and watch him grow and set his own goals. To love and cherish my husband and grow old with him. To be the best person that I can be.  To live each day, appreciate all that I have been given, and to meet each challenge to the best of my ability. Those are my goals.

As for plans, well, we all know what happens to those. So, I will assess, adapt, and advance (my husband owns all rights to that saying) as I find my way along this bumpy, winding, roller coaster like labyrinth of a road they call life.

That is life. It changes, it takes side roads, it goes places you didn’t want to go. But that is what makes you stronger, what makes you take a long hard, look at yourself. It forces you to discover who you truly are and what you truly want. It challenges you and breaks you down and builds you up. It isn’t always fair. It isn’t always beautiful. But it’s always exciting. Would we want it any other way?

So, I will just take it day by day. And share a few laughs with God.

Numb and Waiting

You may have figured out by now that when it comes to music, I don’t just listen, I experience. I dive right in, let the sounds and the lyrics drown out everything else. I can’t help it.

So on that note, the other day I heard two songs in a row that I thought spoke to the same feelings. It was two different artists, and from what I could decipher, two different situations. Nonetheless, I felt the pain was related. Of course, this got my brain on wheels rolling down this path and I wondered how, why these songs came to be. I wanted to understand the feelings that inspired these songs.

The first song was “Numb” by Linkin Park.  Here are the first few lines:

      “I’m tired of being what you want me to be,                        Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface.

Don’t know what you’re expecting of me,

Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes...

Cause every step that take is another mistake to                you…”

So, I don’t know what you think, but I automatically thought about someone trying to live up to the expectations of their parents. I am sure so many may have dealt with or are dealing with this same confusion and sadness. This isn't a unique problem. Parents want the best for their children. They want their children to succeed, to be the best they can be. But sometimes, parents forget that what they think is best for their children may not be what their children want or need. Some parents want their children to succeed at what they could not succeed at themselves. It can be easy to push one’s own desires onto one’s children.

                “I’ve become so numb, I can’t feel you there,

                  I’ve become so tired, so much more aware.

                  I’m becoming this, all I want to do,

                  Is be more like me and be less like you…”

This is where children start to defy their parents. They start to turn away, shut them out. Why? Because they don’t want to be anyone but themselves, and that includes their parents. And it hurts when they feel as though they can never satisfy their parents, as though they can never make them happy or proud. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking.

                  “Can’t you see that you’re smothering me,

                   Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control.

                   Cause everything that you thought I would                        be

                   Is falling apart right in front of you…”

Sometimes parents hold on too tightly. As a parent, I know I have to fight this urge, am already fighting this urge. But children have their own minds and hearts and souls. They are not robots to be programmed and controlled. They have their own paths to follow, their own lives to live. And sometimes, they will get hurt, they will fall, they will make mistakes. But we have to love and accept them for who they are, not who we think they should be or who we want them to be.

The second song was “Right Here Waiting” by Staind. Here are the first few lines:

                “I know I’ve been mistaken

                 But just give me a break and see the changes                    that I’ve made

                 I’ve got some imperfections

                 But how can you collect them all and throw                      them in my face…”

This song could also be about a parent, but I think it’s about a lover. A lover who can’t accept someone for who they are, flaws and all.

                “But you always find a way to keep me right                       here waiting….

                  And if you chose to walk away, I’d still be                         right here waiting…”

Again, there is that one you want nothing more than to please, to make happy, but you seem to fail every time. And it hurts, but somehow you find yourself trying time after time.

                “I hope you’re not intending to be so                                   condescending

                  It’s as much as I can take

                  But you’re so independent,

           You refuse to bend so I keep bending till I                         break…”

And the failure to be what someone wants, needs, is proud of, loves unconditionally, begins to tear you apart inside. It causes fractures in your heart, snowstorms in your soul.

I think it might be easy for people to fall into a cycle of this behavior. Maybe you did everything in your power to please your parents but you could never succeed. Then you do everything in your power to please your lover with the same negative effects. All you ever wanted was to be loved unconditionally, to be accepted for all that you are and all that you are not. And yet you suffer from loving those who can never be satisfied.

There is a significant line in the Linkin Park song:

                “But I know that you were just like me with                         someone disappointed in you…”

And in the Staind song:

                “But I always find a way to keep you right here                   waiting…”

Yes, a cycle. Some people do everything to please though they can’t.  Some are never pleased. And these types often find each other and relive all the pain they've suffered before.

Ok, so I studied Psychology at one point and maybe I need to remind myself that I am now studying a completely different subject. And maybe you want me to quit being such a downer!

Anyway, what I want to say is that in the end, not one of us is perfect. We are all flawed and we have all suffered failure. We are human. But we all deserve to be loved and accepted. We should remember to look in the mirror before we point a disapproving finger. And we should never forget that forgiveness, understanding, and acceptance are essential to healthy relationships of any nature. 

Same Love

I recently wrote about prejudice and racism. And I know that what I said and anything else I may have to say has probably already been said before. But I guess I’m not done. 

Again, I will touch on something controversial. I generally like to tiptoe around such touchy subjects (I avoid confrontation and debate as much as possible), but I feel that these words must be spoken.

I recently heard the new Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song. Perhaps you know their song “Thrift Shop." Anyway, the new song is called “Same Love,” and it got my brain on wheels rolling.

The song focuses on homosexuality, but I think the words reach beyond the fight for gay marriage. I think the song speaks to the fight for liberty and equality for everyone. This fight is a never ending one, one that has raged on through countless centuries. Perhaps because we humans evolve slowly, we don’t seem to be able to shed our chains of ignorance.

I thought about this as I read The Secret Life of Bees as I told you in a previous blog.

I also thought about it when I watched Cloud Atlas. One of stories revolved around a young white man aboard a ship who helps an escaped slave. The slave ends up saving the young man’s life and the young man returns home where he denounces his father-in-law’s involvement with the slave trade. The young man and his wife then move east to join in Abolitionist efforts. In a later story set in the future, another man risks his life to rescue a female human clone from slavery. This clone eventually broadcasts her “manifesto,” speaking of how we are all connected and our actions affect not only our own futures, but the future of all.

I thought about it again when I listened to Labyrinth. In Labyrinth however, it was religion, not race that caused pain and suffering. The novel involves a group of Christians, known as the Cathars, who opposed the Catholic church.  They practiced a religion that may be considered more liberal than Catholicism. Considered heretics, the Cathars were massacred, many burned alive. So many wars fought and so many lives taken in the name of religion. Why? I believe God ‘s ultimate word is love. I believe God is love. I believe we are meant to love each other as God loves us, despite our imperfections and impurities. So why? Why must we deny love to people who are different? 


And this song made me think about the discrimination and intolerance homosexuals experience. It made me think about the pain they often suffer at the hands of those who hate. Unfair treatment. Beatings and murders. Denial of the right to marry the one they love. Looked upon as evil, wrong, sick. 

I can’t fathom people exploiting, denouncing, murdering, hating others they don’t even know, based solely on the color of their skin, or the name and number of their deities, or whom they love. I know that there may be some misguided genetic drive to protect our own that may be the root cause. I know that people are often products of their environment. I know ignorance can be taught. I know people think their religion, their God(s) tell them certain people must be shunned because who they are, what they do, is wrong and evil. Honestly, I don’t know every word in the Bible. I don’t know that it says people who are gay are beyond the love of God. I do know that the Bible says we should love our neighbors as ourselves. 

Hate is strong. It can tear up, tear apart, and tear down. It can ruin lives, take lives. It can darken hearts, souls, homes, cities, societies. It poisons us, kills us slowly. So why do we hold on to it? Why do we allow it to set roots inside us? We do we let it wrap chains around us? Why do we give it the power to hold us down, keep us from reaching a higher existence of peace? Why do we continue to look at those who are different as threats to our existence? 

I know that it would be simple to say “all we need is love,” or “give peace a chance.” I know the whole subject is much more complicated, and as the human population grows, more people come in contact with others who are very different, and tolerance involves an immense amount of understanding and patience. I know I can scream from the rooftops, but it may make little difference. But it won’t stop me from saying how I feel. I will not hesitate to accept all, with open arms, a open mind, and an open heart. I will not hesitate to ask that you all do the same. I know I can’t tell you what you should believe, and I don’t want to offend or fight. I just hope that you will not let intolerance drag you down to the depths of the human prison.

Maybe you won’t like this song. Maybe you think it’s simple. Maybe you don’t believe that gay people should be allowed to marry. Just open your ears and open your mind. 

And maybe we can all open our hearts and allow love to set us free.