Why can't we just love each other for who we are?

[readingredhead]

Even if you don't believe in gay rights, you probably still believe that violent hate crimes are atrocious and absolutely damnable. (And if you don't, I don't want to know you.) Read this story and spread it, because it's incredible how little it has been reported.

Things like this disgust me because of how low the people in this story have managed to sink. Humanity is a gift, not a curse. People have such potential to be great, which it why it hurts so much when they don't use it.

At the same time, I'm encouraged by the number of people who read the article and did something about it. I'm encouraged that the internet is being utilized more and more as a medium for grassroots reporting. I'm encouraged that there are people who aren't too afraid to speak. Maybe, if we work hard enough, the concept of caring will catch on.

Comments

[incaseineedyou.livejournal.com]

Whoa. Hey, depression.

We can't love each other for who we are because people won't recognize a 'we' without making a 'they.' They love people like them for who they are, and don't really care about everyone else.
See, I just did it. I made a 'they,' when if this is ever going to change, we have to be just a 'we.' But a 'we' includes the bad parts, like this, which I don't know if I can accept.

[readingredhead.livejournal.com]

That's a really good point. I just...hate the idea that people aren't included. That we can't all get along. Because what you've said is true, we automatically create a "they" out of all of the people we think are retarding our growth as a civilization...but they we're doing to them what we don't want them to do to us.

Maybe it'll take something bigger than us to figure it out. Or maybe this nebulous "we" is the thing that we need, even if it's so impossible to achieve.

[incaseineedyou.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Every solution to any big problem is going to be a paradox.
In order to change or fix the way minority groups are treated, I would need to accept every point of view not only as existant but as something I am responsible for, and somewhat a part of (well, 'we' would need to accept it, not just me). But 'every point of view' includes the ones that exclude or hurt other people. Both fighting and accepting those kind of ideas leads to more conflict.

Of course, the person arguing for tolerance will always be at a disadvantage, because they must be tolerant of the other's opinion. Close-minded people can be close-minded about other points of view, if that makes sense. Like arguing against absolutes without making an absolute statement (I say 'truth can be relative or subjective'), or fighting emotion with reason- they can just ignore us, but we have to recognize them ('them'- there I go), and incorporate them, or it's still us vs. them, black-and-white, intolerance, etc.


Why do you always make me babble? I'm truly sorry. This topic just frustrates me because there isn't a solution. 'Bigger than us,' for sure- and I just realized you basically already summed it up, and there was no need for any of this. But I'm gonna leave it anyway, because that's just how I am.