A Wakeup Call

   Today I want to talk to you about a subject that has been discussed a lot in the media for the last few days. It took some time for me to gather my thoughts on the issue, and now I’m ready to say my two cents. I hope this will come across the right way, and more than anything, what I want to share with you is what I’ve learned from this.

   The shootings in South Carolina that occurred a few days ago were carried out by a white man in a church full of black people. They were killed for one simple reason. They were African American. I personally don’t understand this because I have never felt enough hate against a group of people to want them dead. As a matter of fact, I don’t feel hate against any race, religion, or gender. Even so, I live in the deep south, and I know many people who do hate others for the color of their skin or what’s between their legs. I know even more who hate others because of their beliefs. This is a difficult subject to tackle, but I’m going to do my best. Here’s what you have to realize. The man responsible for these deaths wasn’t just a crazy person who randomly shot several people. He was someone who was taught to hate a certain group of people very likely from a young age. He was under the impression that African Americans were ruining our country, and that’s not the type of conclusion you come to on your own. It’s the type of thing that is engrained in you over time. I know. I’m a white guy who grew up around several racist people. Don’t get the wrong idea here because most of the people in my life aren’t, but I know plenty who are. I’ve given them excuses. I’ve said “they just feel that way because they’re from a different generation,” or “they were just raised that way.” I don’t speak out against it. Most of us don’t, and that’s not just exclusive to white people. I don’t care what color you are. You’ve known a racist, and it’s very likely that you didn’t always question their beliefs. You allowed them to say, and in some cases, do things that you knew were wrong. Now I know what you’re thinking. We can’t control what others do or think. It’s a free country. That’s very true, but I’m here to tell you why it’s important to question people’s beliefs and point out the error of their ways, even if it makes things uncomfortable for everyone involved.

   Take for example an older relative who constantly says racist things against a group of people. They’re from a different generation - that’s the excuse, but here’s the thing. What they say and do doesn’t just affect them. It’s something your children will bear witness to. Even if you don’t think so, it’s something that will rub off on them. Their hatred and completely misguided views will be introduced to an entirely new generation who otherwise might not have seen color or gender. They might have just been the ones to change the way we think. I thought my generation would do that. We’re not much better, though. We pretend we are. Most of us don’t have hateful words for those different than us, but we don’t come to anyone’s defense who looks different. We’re an idle generation who allows the stereotypes in racism to continue. Guess what? Every once in a while, those stereotypes find their way to a young and troubled mind like the man in South Carolina. We allowed those views to survive by being silent and accepting the ideas of crazy people and those unwilling to change. A monster like Dylan Roof doesn’t just exist. He is created, and our society is still breeding hate, even if we don’t want to acknowledge it.

   I have a few things to say that might make some people mad, but I want the world to know who I am and what I stand for. First, the idea that black people are somehow ruining our country is absolutely ludicrous. The real thing that’s crazy is that we see color as something that makes us so different. White and Black people bleed the same color. We both work, love, and feel pain. There are lazy and bad white and black people, and there are plenty of God-fearing people from both races. I truly wish we would start seeing each other as we really are. We’re not several races divided by color. We’re the human race, and until we decide to see each other equally, no real progress will ever be made. Another stereotype I have heard is about Spanish people. I’ve heard it all. They’re lazy illegals who shouldn’t be here. That’s what they say. I’m here to tell you that every Spanish person I’ve ever met has been a God-fearing person who worked twice as hard as I do. I don’t know the answer to border control problems, but I do know this. Any ideas you might have about a group of people who sneak over the border to find a better life might be a little skewed by the privilege you have grown up in. You might just find yourself hopping a fence if you grew up on the other side of it. Religious discrimination is a huge problem, too. No, I’m not just talking about when Christians are discriminated against. We’re a country of people who are free to practice whatever religion we wish to, but yet, all too often people make assumptions based on beliefs. An Atheist must hate everything to do with God. A Christian must be a fanatic who hates science. A Muslim has to be an extremist who wants you dead and so on . . . You get the point. These assumptions are just stupid, and they only create hate. Here’s a fact for you. I am a Christian, and I’m a very open and nonjudgmental person who loves everything to do with science. I’ve known quite a few atheists in my life, too. They were intelligent people who never hated me for my beliefs or belittled them. The majority of them didn’t necessarily reject the idea of God. They simply said they had no way of knowing the true origins of the universe. Finally, there’s Muslims. If you believe what you hear on television, they might all be out to get us. Guess what? You shouldn’t believe everything you hear. Ninety-nine percent of Muslims don’t want to hurt you any more than ninety-nine percent of Christians want to hurt anybody. It’s the fanatics of terrorist groups and churches like Westboro Baptist that further these stereotypes, but I ask you to think about this logically and stop sitting by and allowing the words of people who only want to spread hate to influence our children. Last but not least, there are certain hate groups who attack people for sinning. GodHatesFags is a website that Westboro Baptist Church created to further their message that God hates all gay people, and America is being punished with dead soldiers and children because we’re not hunting down gays. I am a Christian, and I don’t believe it’s morally just to be in a homosexual relationship, but I also don’t think it’s okay to lie or get a divorce. It’s not okay to lust or curse either. Wait a minute. God hates all those things, doesn’t He? Does that mean God hates all of us? Haven’t we all cursed and lusted? I’ve heard it said that gay people can’t go to Heaven because they’re living in a sin. Well, I’ve got news for you. I am, too. I lust almost every day of my life. I curse, too. Occasionally, I lie. I’m making very little effort to change those things, if I’m honest about it. I do ask for forgiveness, though, and as small as my effort is, there’s something there. Through God all things are possible. It literally says that in the Bible, but yet so-called Christians believe they can judge who goes to Heaven. They think that their sin is somehow less of an offense than someone else’s, and it’s ridiculous. Wake up, America. You’re divided because you hate anyone who’s a different color, religion, gender, or who sins differently than you. For those of you who don’t hate anyone because of these reasons, stop sitting idly by while others spew nonsense in front of young minds who are still so susceptible to people’s views. Set the record straight, and maybe we can avoid a shooting a decade from now that is the result of misinformation that can only be referred to as barbaric and idiotic. If you have extremist beliefs, I challenge you to question them today. Has a certain race of people really hurt your country or you personally? Has a religious group as a whole held you down? Is your sin so small that you can afford to take time out to correct everyone else on theirs because if God truly hates all gay people, then that means He hates me and you, too. We’re sinners just like them, and just like other races, ours is flawed. It’s not about skin color. The human race as a whole is flawed, and every religion has its extremist.

   Here is my hope for myself and those around me. I hope we will not only break free of the stereotypes that have ruled us, but also stand up to those who spout off things that are nothing more than hate speech. I’ve always been taught that you have the right to say whatever you want until it infringes on someone else’s rights. Well, guess what? It infringes on my rights to hear profanity, lies, and beliefs that were disproven many years ago. Question everything, and always say what you know is true, no matter what generation the person you’re talking to is from or what part of the country you’re in.