Just A Thought 

Published on by Tosha Michelle

Due to the current political climate in America, I’ve watched myself become increasingly more angry and disillusioned. I was finally able to take a step back this weekend and realize how unhealthy that is. It’s so easy to let bitterness take over, not just with politics but in our personal life too. We always want someone to blame, but usually the fault doesn’t belong solely to one person.

Extremism whether in politics, religion, personal relationships, or social movements is dangerous. It creates this hostile environment where resentment breeds. It eats away at compassion and tolerance . There becomes this “us against them mentality”. There’s no room for shades of gray. People are either good or bad. Victim or villain. It’s ironic, given that we see ourselves as so progressive and forward thinking.

Extremism doesn’t provide clarity. It simply blurs lines, the line between civility and chaos, the line between sexual assault and harassment, the line between misogyny and chivalry, the line between what’s actually right and our need to be right. We must remember that rarely are people all good or all bad. We are all flawed, we all make mistakes. Imagine, if we could look beyond political and religious affiliations, beyond race and gender, and just see the humanity that resides in all of us.

I’m tired of defining myself as a Democratic liberal. I’m tried of seeing Republicans as the evil enemy. We as people are so much more than how we vote, or our gender, or who we pray or don’t pray too. I’m tried of labels and assertions based on emotions instead of facts. Yes, we have to fight injustice and follow our moral compass, but if we lose sight of our humanity in the process, than we’re no better than the injustices we are fighting.

End rant.

This blog will return to poetry on Wed.

35 thoughts on “Just A Thought ”

  1. Labels are the things that has made this country the mesd that it is. The day every American becomes Independent (Haha another label).
    Democrats and Republicans will be forced to REALLY listen to us.

    Have a beautiful week lovely Southern Belle.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks for reading. The turning point came for me when I read an article in USA today implying that Brett Kavanaugh was a pedophile. They cover featured a picture of him with his daughter’s basketball team.That’s taking it way too far. I was appalled by the write up. How far is too far? Just unreal.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. Martin Luther King Jr. might have been “extreme”. His was a social movement. But you say that it results in (see Paragraph Two) Well, what if he hadn’t been on a mission? If he hadn’t boldly pursued his own dream? So, are there only certain arbiters to determine what everyone’s dreams should be? We would all HOPE that people have the same definition of what constitutes a better world for all. But, who gets to define that world? Is eveybody alike and all agree on the same thing? No? Then, if certain people determine that my religion is extreme, which they seem to do by their very words and actions, then should I have to give up my religion because of their prejudice? Coming from the United States, we tend to believe that democracy is the mode of governance ever created (and I agree that it works better than most other governmental systems ever created, for the purpose for which it is enacted). How have other countries fared under their own non-democratic system? All one need do is look at the results. I admire your rosy outlook; I used to be the same. But, age happened, and with it life. And I grew experienced.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I understand what you’re saying. I was more referring to the Me Too Movement. I think it’s great in principal, but I also think it pits men against women and we seem to be reverting back to an almost Puritan way of being when it comes to sexuality. It also doesn’t take into account boys who have suffered sexual abuse. It’s never OK for someone to touch someone else without their consent. Victim blaming and shaming is wrong Period. I just think that we need to work together as a society to eradicate wrongs. As for religion, I can’t say that I’m religious anymore. I have seen dogma do too much harm. I am spiritual though. I believe in a higher power, I just think that a lot of bad happens when people use a deity to further their own agenda. I also know a lot of good is done from people who are sincere in a hearing to the basic tenets of their religion.

      I think what I was trying to convey is that we need to focus more on our similarities than our differences. That’s not to say that differences can’t be really beautiful, but they become detrimental when we start seeing someone who is not like us as the enemy. That’s just my opinion. There’s no common ground anymore. Of course, you should have the right to worship as you please and to live is your choose. I just know for me, I was getting sucked into a vortex of anger because of the current state of the world. It was not healthy. I don’t want to be full of bitterness, I just want to love people and try to do the best I can as a human being. I think that’s what most of us want, but it’s easy to lose sight of that goal.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    2. Just one more thing on the Me Too movement, It would be nice if men felt comfortable enough to share their experiences, if they perhaps in the past acted inappropriately and have since learned from their bad behavior. It could set an example for boys who are coming up. There’s no question men are part of the problem, but we need to allow them to be part of the solution too.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. You know what? I am not even following the Me Too movement, nor do I even care what it’s about. I have no idea. Some societies are less about projecting the “macho” image of men, and the men tend to be more expressive, as a result. Sometimes, it would be helpful if we had a crystal ball to see what the unintended, and sometimes unpredictable, consequences of behavior could have as its result. I think we all realize that our society has become very much more enlightened, as time goes on. We sometimes look with derision on the decade, or decades, behind us, without stopping to think that we just are not as enlightened as a race of people than we would think we might be. We are working on it, but we gotta give ourselves a break. Bejaviors unaccepted today may have been nore of a norm in the past. It just was, what it was. We can’t suddenly look on it with the new mindset that we have, and think that that same mindset necessarily even existed at that time. Yeah, we can work on it. But, you gotta give some people a break.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. That’s actually what I wax trying to convey when I wrote in my post about the irony of how we think we’ve evolved but in someways we haven’t. Again, though I was only speaking of this country. I’d be quite happy to be living in Iceland right now. Ha!

        Like

  5. O know you do. But, haters are gonna hate, and enemies are gonna declare themselves your enemies, whether or not you feel the same about them. I know what you’re saying. I’m just saying that utopia doesn’t exist, and we can’ think that our own utopias would be the same for everyone else. There are some seeming (and that’s the key word) “Universal” things we should all agree on – – but, the reality is, is that’s all smoke and mirrors. We can’t force people to be like ys, if their culture is antithetical to ours, for instance. And, that workds in reverse, too. Go to their culture, and you would be the minority. Not at all appreciated. Keep up the good cheer, and I admire your stick-to-itiveness. But, don’t say I didn’t tell you when twenty-five years’ henceforth you see what I mean. I was once young and idealistic, too, you know. Now, I just say I’m realistic. It’s a lot more of a downer, the truth.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I was speaking to our own country and how nasty the current political environment is. I have a huge problem with Trump, and it was tainting my view of other Republicans. I’ve just felt anxious and our of sorts since he was elected. I don’t disagree with anything you’ve written. I think my post probably wasn’t clear enough. I wrote it spur of the moment. Maybe I am too Polyannish. I’ve been accused of that all my life. I’m middle aged now and doubt that will change. I still have a somewhat childlike view of humanity, that doesn’t change no matter how much I travel, study, or face adversity. It’s just a part of me. I appreciate your thought provoking comments. Nothing but love and respect.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I know what you have been trying to say. I appreciate all that it represents, that it is a part of you, and all that you have to say about things. We can be flexible, we can try to be open-minded, and we can be strong. The problem is when people label a person who is strong in their viewpoints as being extreme, it may only just mean that it is quite a far distance (thus extreme) to their own solidly held views. Extreme may not be extreme at all. When clarity starts to slip is when you are too open-minded, and lose sight of judgement. I speak from experience, as I am often too sympathetic to most views. I know that might not seem to be the case, but it has been where I have erred in life. Even within the United States, there will be opposing viewpoints, and that is what makes our country great – – the ability to not only hold those views, but to be able to express them publicly, including, thank goodness, in this WordPress forum (yay, WordPress!). Republicans disagreed with most of what the Democrats were trying to enact (and did) throughout the eight years of Obama, and the eight years of Clinton. There was probably some political posturing on the side of Republicans to attempt to block certain nominations on the Democratic-affiliated side, as well, due to the sense of priorities and viewpoints either side wished to put forth. I lived through the Clinton recession of the late eighties, and then the Obama recession, recently – – probably among the worst in our history. So, we have different ideas of how we wish to accomplish similar goals. While I still don’t have a job, yet, though its been the best climate in a long time for the prospect of attaining one, I still feel that the reports of the bettering economy (for many) and falling jobless rate, as well as better commerce/trade commitments for the signatory parties (including pulling away from any such deals with despotic regimes) speaks to more of what I wish to see attained. I have never been more happy with a President and his administration, than I have, so far, with Trump. I, also, in my earlier lifetime, was a liberal Democrat. I felt like a better person during that time, and upon looking wistfully back at the person that I believed myself to be. However, during that time, I was not politically aware, and I hated politics. With age, I came to realize that everything involves politics. If a person is passive to it, then decisions affecting him/her will be made for them. By being proactive, and really learning not only what the issues are, but how they are influenced by special interests and their agendas, which is certainly true of the Left, as it is of the Right, can we formulate our real answers. I was open-minded enough to look into challenges of my viewpoints, and to change them after learning the true realities. What I used to think the Left stood for I have learned is a far cry from what I believed to be the truth. It took me five years, during one challenge, to research and learn the facts of my wrongly held viewpoint on one issue, alone (involving Israel. I should have listened; I was arguing with someone who had been under the Ministry of Defense for Israel). But, I learned. Discover the Networks, though I never really read it, because I already understand the gist of it, looks into and reveals a lot about the Left. I hold to these basic views because I cannot dither, for I feel there is too much to lose were the United States to start emulating other countries who operate with those types of viewpoints – – even Europe. We are great for a reason. And we have managed to this point to hold it all together, whether ruling from a Left- dominated or Right-dominated spectre. I think we should just keep keeping on. Sorry for the rant of my replies. Just call me “Ranty”, instead (haha)!

        Liked by 1 person

  7. This is great. I could not agree more, Tosha. I’d add that it seems pretty obvious that there are people and institutions that want nothing more than to keep us all divided along lines of hatred. If we play along with that agenda then the worst elements of our society win.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. It’s just like Anne Frank, many of our associates were put out of their homes (homes paid for, non foreclosure…)and watch as others live in their homes. Then those who had their children stolen at birth and during childhood, and now watch their children being raised by others (not family members). The Courts are having a grand old time with power. The Courts are creating a system of the have and have bots(maybe the mark of the beast .. who can or cannot buy or sell) People are very afraid in this economy. Many are just ignorant or distracted. Courts are constantly slandering prime ministers, executive chiefs and presidents of every nation. Fake news and Courts are ruling the world. Exhausting. Sorry. God bless us all!

        Liked by 1 person

  9. The biggest Democracy in the world (U.S.A.) is anyway the mirror where we see ourselves.
    In Italia we experience the same political climate… but things are different because here (one hundred years ago in Italy) borned the dark forces that brought the world into the WWII.
    Hope History doesn’t repeat itself…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment