"anti - isms." The new way to be? 

 

Ever notice the number of  people, these days, blathering on and on about hating something?

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Listen to people speak. Swipe through the comments section of websites. You will be surprised by the pattern you find emerging. People seem to have a "Hate On" for the darndest things. Some folks even rant about specific days of the week or particular months!

 

Now, how can a specific day be HATED - EVERY TIME IT OCCURS in a year - or an ENTIRE month, HATED?

Sure Mondays are hard, getting back into the work routine after two days of "personal" time. And if you live in a cold region, February's - 40 FREEZE could be most UN beloved or August's +100 be dreaded in hot parts of the world. But, HATE every Monday into infinity? CURSE the February or August until month's end? Why waste the energy? Surely, there are more valuable ways to spend one's time when there are  babies in hospitals who need to be held, or seniors without loved ones desperate for a conversation.

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What is going on?  Why so many bad-tempered, cranky, voices out there? When did folks start believing others CARED about their anonymous rants? Or is that the point? Finally, someone is listening - even if they don't know the voice they are listening to; especially if the voice is unknown.

 

Possibly, The (anonymous) Voice allows that veil of civility to be lifted. It gives permission to bad behaviour (like being behind closed doors) because - why? Life is terribly unfair? OUR needs have gone unmet so we are angry? We finally have a forum to declare our maltreatment?

 

Could this cretinous violation visited upon society -

this anger and indignation - reflect OUR TRUE feelings

of ineptness, frustration, and in turn, resentment

we have channeled toward all things "different from who

we are (or as we more HONESTLY  believe - things that

are less worthy than we are)?" Have these feelings (of

frustration and resentment), subconsciously

encouraged us to find them a voice?  Have we secretly

(decidedly, but are too ashamed to admit it), unwittingly

(are so  disconnected from ourselves, we are unaware these

feelings exist) or deliberately (aware and with calculation)

found a way to express our hurt? Maybe, it is the

distraction this chaos promotes that is appealing to us, for

while "everyone" is busy reacting to the madness, they

will miss the real threat of us taking away their freedom -

until it is too late (speaking of which, have you heard that

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told Congress the handing over of social media passwords (at U.S. borders) was a possible measure the administration was considering). Hence our election of loud mouthed leaders,

deflecting deplorable behaviour via the assault of others. In other words, we want these so-called leaders to express the ache deep within us or the fear of a self lost or the hate suppressed for too long.

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The yowl of the pained has grown so loud, We Many taste fear on our tongues or feel it grip our throats.

We hear our thumping hearts and cry, "What is happening? This is the worst it has ever been!"

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But, hold on...  it is time we cool our jets just a little. Tiny. Bit...

IS this the worst "it has ever been" or is this "The Worst" WE have lived through - we who are lamenting?

 

If we speak to descendants of the original caretakers of this land, whose grandparents 150 years ago (in Canada for example) survived the savage treatment of their conquerors, would they say THIS is the worst it has ever been? Fast forward one hundred or so years, to the generation of children abducted and dragged off to residential schools: whose tongues were cut WITH SCISSORS or pierced with pins for speaking their language - the original language of this land - would they say THIS is the WORST things have ever been? What about the residential school children placed in ELECTRIC CHAIRS as punishment? It is curious what those children, abused in this manner - and worse - by "God -Fearing" adults, would think.  Maybe the recent generations of Africville would feel this is THE WORST things have ever been, keeping in mind the reservation land upon which their loyalist forefathers were relegated was used as a site for the most undesirable facilities in the community; was neglected by the government who shoved "them" there - only for it to be stolen from them (once that land became valuable waterfront). What about those in their golden years, who lived through anti African heritage LAWS that kept Black people in substandard communities with deplorable educational conditions and refusal of good paying, secure, jobs? Would THEY think  today's bullies are the worst that have ever been - those survivors of segregation across the U.S., where public executions were practiced, perpetrated by angry White people who hated Black people, who were seldom (once) found guilty for their crime in a court of law for 82 year? It would likely be a safe assumption, none with such history would say,  THESE are the worst of times.

 

BUT, they might remind us of the gas chambers, the internment camps, the genocide of ethnic groups across the globe, the kid napping of young girls, domestic terrorism in Europe and the united States, and reassure us (we who lament) that THIS  disgusting portrayal of human cruelty is the OPPOSITE of new - and certainly NOT The Worst things have ever been.

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These individuals might also remind us that                                               There is this

for every this          

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and for every this

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There is this

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We may have grown complacent in our civility, our enlightenment, and with our progressive selves.

We may have sat back, allowing others to fight the good fight because the best warriors have left the field, and we are  holding our breaths until their return. But, until WE risk opening ourselves up to ridicule and harsh judgement in a 24/7 glass house, we are stuck choosing the least corrupt; the one with the ego most in check - but more importantly - the one least cruel, when it comes to choosing s/he who REPRESENTS us - s/he who speaks on our behalf.

 

Those who have experienced an extreme swing of the pendulum before this day (or whose fore parents

experienced extreme cruelty and shared their tales), they might say:  "It is our job to AVOID the snares of being ridiculous with The Ridiculous;" ​"it is irresponsible being so right, we throw our hands in the air and refuse participation."

 

Such apathy, such fear, such indignation is as bad as the dictator grand standing, calling people names and revoking their rights. Being apathetic, scared or superior is as bad as the dictator because Such folks should KNOW BETTER. They - We should know better because we are familiar with human history and REALIZE, we have done this, already! Too many times.

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We should remember the ease with which society relinquished its power to the egomaniacal - the hurt, weak, ruler caring only for power - disguising it as OUR power.

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To forget our dastardly history is to do heinous things to each other - to ALLOW government to do heinous things to "The Others." We should understand how EASILY and quickly the tide can turn, circling to make us (we who stand at the sidelines shaking our heads) "THOSE Others" before we realize it - and can protect ourselves!

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Corruption knows no loyalty.

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Allowing corruption to reign, leaves humiliation for our children and grand children. They will look back at this time - as we judge the ignorance of our fore parents - and ask, "What did YOU do when the snake oil salesman tried to destroy the fabric of OUR society? Did YOU stand and fight for justice or cower in the corner with your morals?"

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