The very best thing was that, suddenly, everyone was proud and brave and selfless and full of the spirit of human compassion. We were overwhelmed with love, even if we were far away.
Then we stopped watching the skies; remembered one day a year and conveniently forgot the other three hundred sixty four.
We continue to villianize an entire group of people because the bad guys hid behind their common beliefs. It is so bad, there exist groups whose sole purpose is to out our President as a Muslim. Because this is a bad thing.
The President! A Muslim! As if there was anything wrong with that.
I'm going to repeat that last bit, to make my feelings clear.
As if there was anything wrong with that.
Let me break it down for some of my fellow Christians: We did not corner the market on Morality. There are good and decent and loving and kind and generous and brave people of every religion, and no religion. Everyone else being wrong does not make us right. In fact, it increases the odds that we're wrong, too. We don't have dibs on God; that's like saying only Canadians like maple syrup or, only We southerners can make decent sweet tea. (ha, only kidding about that one!)
Once every four years, our country goes completely insane. Every voter, regardless of party affiliation, agrees on one thing: the politicians aren't in it for us. They spend more time fighting than doing anything. Their negativity reflects badly on our country! It's no wonder France hates us!
Hold up, Pierre. Have you seen Facebook?
Not a day goes by that I don't see some meme or news link or video clip or satire, or straight up individual bullshit. You want to know why France hates us? It's us. We, the people, are assholes.
We can't even be nice to the people we were friends with 20 years ago when you were mostly smoking a lot of weed and drinking lots of beers, but now have nothing in common with, but still accepted their friend request, because if you didn't you'd see them in a drug store and it would be so awkward.
We can't be nice, because we're too busy being right.
This is a day of remembrance.
You want to remember, you want to honor, you want to respect, you want to thank, you want to love?
Stop being an asshole.
Posts
This is one of the best things I've read in a really log time.
ReplyDeletePerfect!
ReplyDeleteI never, ever discuss anything political on my blog or facebook. I just want to hold my political heart together and make the best choice I can.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, Kelly. If we didn't all have to sprinkle the Commons with vapid, mean-spirited taunts and jabs, I wonder what might be possible in terms of what we COULD discuss with one another—about politics, religion, parenting—any of those topics that normally have us running for our boxing gloves. How can we possibly expect to be informed if we are all forced to NEVER talk about these subjects publicly in order to avoid acrimony? I think I like your advice better: Just stop being an asshole. It's a good classroom policy, too. I might float it as a rule for my Sunday school class.
ReplyDeleteYes! Kelly for president! Thank you for writing this. I was too chicken to say it, so I will just refer people to you.
ReplyDeletefor rizzle! you go girl! but as for the French not liking us a-hole americans.....you spot it you got it!! LOL!!!
ReplyDeletegood points :-) and its great to share how you feel
ReplyDeleteKelly, I love you. So, so true.
ReplyDeleteThis is straight-up asshole free excellentness. I couldn't agree more.
ReplyDelete