should I unblock my brother on Face Book?
Blocking my younger brother on Facebook was like taking a sucker punch to the gut. How did this happen.. we have weathered differing views for many years. I love my brother and in no way want to disconnect from him, we hardly see each other as it is.
I reposted an article on FB that resonated with what I hold to be true, in my heart. There is so much hate and anger happening around us lately, I want some semblance of common sense and order to prevail before something bad happens.
Sometimes it’s hard to explain ourselves to others, everyone seems to pick a side or take offense. I am not pure of heart and I have my struggles as well. They are my inner struggles and some are ugly and I am not proud of that.. But I would NEVER voice them out loud.
In my heart I want to be a better person, I want to be accepting of everyone. Making a conscious effort requires me to come out of my comfort zone and speak out sometimes. Sure there are sides to every story, and Lord knows there are a million stories in the naked city.
What fuels me is my belief that we all want the same things out of life. Some of our differences are glaring I know, but really, do you think any of us want to live in a world of hate? Do we want to see our children suffer because of that hate or discrimination? Do any of us condone any kind of torture or violence.. all in the name of being ‘GREAT’?
A comparison that comes to my mind is Germany. The Nazi elimination of Jewish people, who weren’t black or Muslims, because they didn’t conform to what they thought a superior race should be, was accepted by the German people. Had the Nazis succeeded in their ‘Great’ plan, I am sure we would all be Germans right now or we would be dead?
How many of us have German ancestry I wonder? Are Germans banned from any countries? Do we discriminate against them and hold hate rallies? Sounds stupid doesn’t it? But it wasn’t so long ago that one man stirred a nation to hate all Jewish people and went to war to eliminate them and conquer and control the world.
Now it is the Muslims.. and another man is rising to stir up hate and ignorance. I thought this world was advancing to become a better place for all of us. I cringe every day at what is being said on social media and newscasts and I am trying to distance myself from the hate.
When I see someone walking down my street, wearing Muslim attire (no disrespect meant) sometimes I have to erase a negative thought, especially after the recent beheadings. I replace it with this one, she or he is in a country other than their own because they are only trying to make a better life for themselves.
What makes me so special that I can live in a free country, a democracy? My grandparents all moved here from other impoverished countries.. to make a better life for us. Do I think just because I am here now no one else can come and live here and play in my sandbox?
Be it religion or nationalities, rich people or poor people.. or the colour of your skin, it is not my place to ban you from coming to my country just because I was here first. We in Canada are lucky to live in the second-largest country in the world. We are not reproducing enough to keep pace with the population and if we didn’t have immigration, we would eventually have no one living here.
So to you my dear brother.. I don’t want to fight with you. But I will not promote hate or discrimination of any kind. I continue to strive to be a better person myself. In the end, we are all just human beings wanting to live in a peaceful world.. creating a better place for our children.
Why did I have to block you on Facebook.. we agreed to disagree long ago. I love you and hate that I had to do that.
copyright
Feb. 3 rd 2017