You Won't Like This

You're not going to like what I have to say.

I've been trying to keep quiet about the mess in Ferguson, as well as all of the other bullshit plaguing not only our country, but our world...but there's only so much I can handle.

I'm seeing your outrage and your confusion. I'm watching the news and seeing people destroy other people's property. For what purpose? It doesn't help. I see the so-called protests and marches. Again, all that these people are doing is drawing attention to themselves and not the greater issues at hand. In short, they're in the way. They're a distraction. An angry mob is just that - an angry mob. They're allegedly full of emotion, but they've also got their arms full of stolen goods. Sorry, but that's not a cry for justice. That's just theft.

It's not necessarily race that started this mess in Ferguson. You can blame the cops all you want. If you really want to know where to lay the blame for this, and all of the other messes in the world...

Look in the mirror.

There's the culprit. Each and every one of us. We have allowed this to happen. It's the 21st century, and we're all worse off than we were 20-30 years ago. You might not think that you are...but you are. Look at the world around you. Is it really better? Sure, you might have a good job, nice home, and money in your pocket...but is that really better? Or have you just been paid off?

How does this happen? It's simple really. We allow it to happen. As a species, we've allowed ourselves to be divided. We have learned to react, when in reality we should reflect and then respond. If your response is of a violent nature, you haven't reflected long enough. If you're pointing a finger at anyone but yourself, you just don't understand the problem.

Hey, I'm just as guilty. I think I've done a lot...but it's obvious that I should be doing more. I don't mean rallying and marching in protests and that sort of thing. I mean reaching out to more people. I correspond with enough politicians that I'm amazed the CIA hasn't carted me off yet. I, just like you, allow this mess to continue...day after day.

It's time for change.

We can no longer make requests. It's time for demands. If those that we place in a position of authority cannot act professionally, positively, with empathy, intelligently, and most of all, responsibly, we need to get rid of them. They are not in charge. We are. If you don't know how to reach out and make these demands, then you're just not trying. Take responsibility. If you're reading this, you have access to the internet and a universe of information. Learn the difference between facts and bullshit. If Chicken Little tells you the sky is falling, and you believe him, you're just stupid. If you are stupid, take the responsibility to become educated and informed.

Change will take time. It will be difficult. Each and every one of us will have to make sacrifices. Maybe...just maybe, that's why we allow these things to happen. We don't want to sacrifice; especially not for the greater good. Perhaps instead of the greater good, we're happy to settle for 'good enough'.

If you're willing to settle, then you have to accept what you're given.

However, if you're not willing to settle, then do something about it. If you see a person in a position of authority acting against the greater good, demand they step down. Demand action. When the voices of these demands are loud enough to drown out the sound of the money filling the bank accounts of those in charge, we just might see some change. If they don't, then we need to do more. If need be, we force them (those in authority) out.

It's sad to think that we have allowed it to come to this. We all have. Everyone single one of us.

We need to stop listening to the lies, misinformation, and half-truths we're told to keep us divided. This is how true evil pits man against man, brother against brother, mother against child. And yet, we fall for it more than we ever have. It's brought to us by corporate sponsors and our favorite celebrities. We embrace the lies that we want to hear. We enjoy these lies because they fall in line with our own personal fears...fears learned over generations.

It is time to unlearn our stereotypes. It is time to ignore race, gender, nationality, etc. It is time to stop pointing fingers and accept our own responsibilities. Otherwise, we get what we deserve.