WE ALL NEED TO SHUT UP AND LISTEN!

Group of talking people

I have heard many Trump supporters or just white men in general complain about being called racist, Sexist, bigoted, or the suggestion of being sympathetic to any of those things.

I can understand the frustration in that and I also know gender and race issues are some of the main things that cause the divide within this country. I think maybe we need to all step back and talk to each other more.

I can say that in my life I as a black man have had to deal with racism, I have known women that have been raped and have experienced sexual assault. These things happen, often quietly and secretly so you may not always see it, but it does happen. It’s not the fault of just white men. Evil doesn’t have a color, or gender, or religion. Therefore, a lot of us are always on the look-out for bad guys. Maybe you have been caught in the cross fire and that’s unfortunate. But the threat to a lot of us is very real.

I am not putting my pain above yours. I understand white men are also, victims of violence, racism, rape, sexual assault and all sorts of hateful things. In talking about my pain, I never intended to disregard yours. And maybe we have all developed a culture that is too quick to label entire groups.

I don’t like watching the media call all black men “Thugs” I don’t like seeing all Mexicans being called “illegals” All Christians aren’t “bigots” all Muslims aren’t “terrorists” and yes all white people aren’t “racist.” These stereotypes, these coded words we use in place of getting to know people need to stop

Very few people go through life without pain, we all have stuff we are working through, and I think we all need to start talking more. I think we all need to start listening to each other more and trying to understand that most of us just want to live and try to be happy in our own way.

I have been blessed in a way to have had lived a life so far that has allowed me to work or live with just about every race on the planet. I have been three different religions; I have chatted with thousands of people online and honestly we are all the same… We’re all human.

I am extending my hand and saying I get that you have pain, but you must do the same. I won’t shut down your ideas and you don’t shut down mine. The solution is always somewhere in the middle.

We all need to start making friends with folks that disagree with us. Not just form an opinion based on what you’ve heard on TV or the radio. Go out and break bread with people.

And, let’s all stop acting like we have everything figured out. No one knows everything, we all need help sometimes and we all need each other.

We are all just playing out the same arguments over and over and no one is winning. Because I believe we aren’t supposed to win with one defeating the other, we’re supposed to work together and all do well.