I was taught to love my neighbors, to be kind and considerate toward others, and to stand up for people who were being mistreated.
I was expected to do my work, tell the truth and stick up for my friends, my school and my country. I thought I lived in the “best” country, because I thought I lived in a country that cared about its citizens and helped people in need, both at home and around the world.
I thought I lived in a country that enjoyed many freedoms, like the freedom of speech. I thought I could trust people in authority to help me if I needed help, or to fairly enforce laws if I broke one of my country’s laws. I have paid a few traffic tickets in my life. I thought people in authority were people who were expected to obey the laws of the land themselves. I thought I lived in a democracy where there were fair elections, so that all citizens could choose the people they wanted to represent them.
I thought that when I voted for a candidate, I could expect them to keep their promises and do what they had told me they would do.
In today’s America, I still love being kind to others, telling the truth, and serving my community and my church, not that I’m perfect in all that — far from it. But these days, I am noticing that “people like me” are being called “libtards” or “woke” or a “snowflake” or a “socialist.”
All the various names “people like me” seem to be getting called are telling me that the things I thought were good — the things that made me a “good citizen” — are despicable traits to be hated and judged as evil. How has this happened ?
What if I want to live with integrity, appreciating the diversity of people who are different from me, and enjoying the idea of being accepting and kind toward others?
I love the idea of being “woke” because it feels like I am awake and aware and open-minded toward the magnificent diversity of what I consider God’s creation — our amazing world.
I’m trying to see a way forward, but it’s hard when I look at all the hurt, harm and darkness I see all around me these days. I live in a small town and attend a small church. I guess I can just crawl into my “small hole” and pretend all this anger and divisiveness is not real.
But I want to be proud of my country again. I’m struggling with this.
Donna Ruby
Randle
