Speak out about what you believe in!

This last week has been an emotional one. With the senseless death of George Floyd, and all the others that came before him, I am disheartened in American society.

I have been watching the documentary on Netflix about Jeffrey Epstein and that has certainly not helped. The lack of humanity that I see all around me is infuriating and depressing.

When is the need for power, control, and greed going to stop being the focus of our society? Is nothing sacred anymore? When are people going to be looked at as “people,” instead of their race or sexual orientation? These are the things that run through my mind every day now.

Raising two children (20 and 14,) I hear lots of opinions. Some I agree with and some I don’t, but I am sure glad that they are sharing them with me. I am also glad that these upcoming generations are not standing for the BS in the world anymore. They are standing up for each other’s rights and calling people out for injustice and bad decision making when they see it. And they are seeing it- and recording it- and tweeting it- and texting it- and protesting it.

I can not say that I agree with how all the protests are being displayed, but I can say that I agree with the protesting. Enough is enough! I know these particular protests are focused on police brutality, but we also need to look inside ourselves and make sure we are not part of the problem. It is up to all of us to act the way we would want our law enforcement to act towards us. They are here to protect us- are we protecting each other in our daily lives? Are we following the golden rule- do unto others as you would have done to you? Are we being respectful towards others, so that they will be respectful towards us?

This is something that has to be taught when kiddos are young. They learn what they see and hear. If you are saying certain people are bad, they are going to think they are bad. If you talk to your kiddos disrespectfully, they will talk to others disrespectfully. It is a vicious cycle that needs to be broken now.

I have seen lots of this as a child care provider. I have had to talk to parents about racist comments their kids have made. I have heard countless parents talk to their kids using foul language or treating their kids like they are stupid. (Not parents of my child care kiddos, thank goodness!) Racism and disrespect is running rampant still today.

Please teach your children that all people are created equal- all our blood runs red, we all have feelings, and ambitions, and lives that matter. Not one of us is better than another, no matter how much money we make, where we live, what color our skin is, or what job title we hold in society.

Let’s hope that real change comes from this last week of turmoil. To help that change come to fruition, vote in the upcoming election and all future elections. From city council, to mayor, to governor, to senator, to congress, to judges, to the President of the United States, we need to vote for those candidates that will bring this change to America. It is long overdue.