This week I was fortunate enough to participate in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in my hometown. I found the experience to be quite humbling and eye opening. You see, I watch a lot of news and all that I am hearing in the political arena is just so much hate and negative rhetoric. It’s disheartening and frustrating to watch both parties, who we are supposed to entrust the leadership of our great country to, constantly tear each other apart. But as I walked with others in the parade I was reminded of how great humanity really is.
Everyone who participated demonstrated true respect and peace among each other. I saw signs for Black Lives Matter, Hands Up Don’t Shoot, No Hate No Violence, local union stewards representing their trades, and many wonderful tribute signs to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. himself. He would have been proud of this demonstration of peace and respect toward one another especially those who believe in very different philosophies.
I wish we could all practice this level of peace and respect on a daily basis rather than waiting for Christmas or Martin Luther King Jr. Day to demonstrate what we already have within us. This country needs to stop focusing on the negative and start building each other up and take a positive approach to listen. Then “stop talking and do something”.
Yes, there is so much more that needs to be improved upon in this world whether it is civil rights, education reform, etc. and these issues need to be kept alive. But we need to work on these issues proactively. Anymore, when I listen to the media all I see are the issues being put aside and all of the negative rhetoric being given the attention. This has to stop. We need to coexist among the differing opinions and listen to what one another has to say. We need to work together. This is how we are going to keep the issues alive and headed toward a positive solution. Stop the negative rhetoric and focus on the issues at hand.
