I’m Right…You’re Wrong

I’ve really been struggling to write this blog entry.

There are so many things I want to write about but I keep getting stuck. I write for a while then sit back and think about what I wrote and I keep getting wrapped around the axle, so I am just going to go for it and let my thoughts flow.

It’s really sad to see our beautiful country so divided over so many things.

‘Can’t we all get along’ ~ Rodney King

Rodney King said this during the Los Angeles Riots. I was living in LA at the time and I remember sitting in front of the television watching people being beaten and buildings being burned to the ground. I sat there in my living room crying wondering how this can be happening.

The last time I remember our entire country pulling together and working together was after September 11th. 

So why can’t we all just get along and live together peacefully? Why does it take a national crisis/tragedy to get us all working together.

While living north of Los Angeles in 1994, we went through a major earthquake, lives were lost and homes were destroyed, but everyone worked together to help friends and neighbors. My neighbor down the street had a freezer full of meats and since there wasn’t going to be any electricity for a few days, he invited the entire neighborhood over for a huge BBQ. Some of the neighbors he knew and some he didn’t, he wanted to help everyone. 

During the recent hurricanes in Florida and the South East, I’m sure neighbors were helping neighbors but there was also a great deal of finger pointing. Biden and FEMA weren’t doing anything or not enough, only $700 to assist families that lost their homes, no boats or helicopters were rescuing people, etc. Finger pointing and blaming others, all while people were suffering. It became an us vs them situation all played out in the media and on social media.

It seems like we need to pick a stance and lock in…dig our heels in no matter what.

Red States vs Blue States

White vs Black

Straight vs Gay

Rich vs Poor

Christian vs non-Christian

And on and on…

I believe it's because of the I’m Right…You’re Wrong attitude so many people believe in today.  

If you don’t see things the way I see them then you are WRONG. If you don’t believe the things I believe in then you are WRONG. If you don’t look like me then you are WRONG…

How about just accepting people the way they are and agree that we are not necessarily wrong…we are just different.

My politics lean a little left of center, conservative on some things and liberal on other things. I have my beliefs but I am willing to listen to the 'other side’. Sometimes I agree with their viewpoint and sometimes I don’t, but I don’t draw a line in the sand and say I’m right and you’re wrong (I am guilty of that sometimes). Just different views, opinions and experiences. 

I am guilty of the I’m Right you’re Wrong attitude, especially during the recent election cycle.

We have two major political parties in the US, but in many ways we now have four parties, Republicans/Democrats and the extremists in both parties. The extreme left and extreme right are the dangerous groups. The extremes on both sides are the ones dividing us, making false claims about the people across the aisle. Name calling, lumping everyone on the other side into the same bucket. 

The extremists on the right call themselves PATRIOTS and make it sound like anyone not with them is not a patriot and are destroying the country. I am not part of the extreme but I am certainly a PATRIOT. The Lunatic Liberals are just as bad. 

I think we need to get back to OLD Republican and Democrat beliefs. Main stream political beliefs aren’t so bad…they served our parents and grandparents just fine.

There are some many topics that I could get into but I think I'll leave it here...‘Can’t we all get along’

I need to be better and more accepting of people that think differently than me. I need to listen more and talk less. I need to open my mind and heart to others.

I am going to work on spreading happiness and togetherness vs the I’m Right and You’re Wrong mentality.

“EMBRACE DIFFERENCES LIKE THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW; TOGETHER, THEY CREATE A BEAUTIFUL SPECTRUM OF CONNECTION.”

~ MAYA ANGELOU