Been thinking a bit. Had to share. Warning: Bit wordy.
So kinda wish I had the answers for how to stamp out racism, hate crimes and oppression, or that at least someone out there does. And then everyone around the world understood how to too, and would then stop all this dumb shit. I’m not writing this to be “current” or topical, I just have thoughts I need to get out. Read on if you want.
So for years - usually after being involved with helping someone through a work or personal crisis - I’ve tried to imagine what it must be like to be prejudged, just because of your skin colour, race, sexuality, intelligence, sex or any other prejudices. Have always been empathetic and compassionate with those actually affected, but I really don’t know their journey, how it actually is for them. I’m no expert, I’m male, straight, middle aged, middle class (although not always) and white, so any issues I’ve felt have been minor comparatively, and based off either reactions to my own behaviours or because of a reputation that preceded me. Nothing to do with where/what I was born or anything. No one died. So all my experience has been secondhand.
After seeing impacts - perhaps naively - have then always wished that people didn’t treat others like this [read: victimise/put down/abuse/kill] but the entrenched haters seem to keep coming on strong with their fears to focus and feed on. Can’t stop them. Have fought a few, but that never changed anything either. In some cases, I became guilty by association. Plus, violence is seldom an answer to much.
Then, because I couldn’t change anyone, I think it’d be great to be able to soothe the injuries suffered by those persecuted too, so that they could take weight off their shoulders and could walk tall again. That shit must be a heavy, heavy burden. Generations affected. But again, I don’t know how to fix that either. I also know it’s not on my shoulders to fix, but whose should it be on? Is it all of us? Please note, this isn’t some political thing either. This is a human thing. It should be made better.
I’m also sick of hearing about Trump on the global stage, getting away with bullshit that no one could find acceptable unless they’re part of the problem, feeding and sustaining it. I’m not an American voter so can’t fix that by voting him out. I also can’t “take him out” or impact him in any way, apart from the time he blocked me from his twitter account because I sent him a pic of a Trump toilet brush and made references to lots of poo. His lack of empathy and ability to lead is sickening and his overflowing amount of self service and lies are frightening. But racism didn’t start with Trump. He’s just the latest nasty spokesperson. And people all over the world are being influenced.
Just as worrying, is the amount of people a lot closer to home, who think they’re blameless in all this, yet who agree, act and feed the same dark bullshit ideals. They either hide behind twisted religious righteousness, blatant chauvinism or arrogance to play the victim or deflect when they get called out, when in actuality, their views are frighteningly aligned with Trump and the hundreds of years of hatred, seemingly bred out of lack of understanding and compassion. Or just because they’re assholes. And they’re here in NZ.
Now, whoever has some answers to actually help all this, please do something soon, maybe teach everybody. See, I’m not some tree hugging do-gooder, I’m just some guy who is tired of negative views aimed at others with long reaching shitty consequences, all for zero good reasons. And I see it escalating. I’m sure I’m not alone either. Fair is way better than fear, and without racism etc, life would be a lot nicer and safer for future generations.
And to those of you who read this far and are thinking about negative run in’s you’ve had with members of different races and are now justifying your negative views, you think just because of those times, that you should hate them all? Because of a few of that race? Ask yourself: Do you do the same with your own race when you have run in’s with them too? Twist your views on your own colour/race/etc does it? I’ll bet no. Then why do it based on skin colour, huh? It’s like hating all oranges and trying to turn the world against oranges because you saw a rotten one once, without ever trying one for your self.
I’m sure we all have to do something more to change this shit (more than just throw up a black square and a hashtag). Thing is, Black lives DO matter. And to be clear, this statement doesn’t lessen any other group’s shitty situation. I figure let’s start with helping sort this one (and when I say this one, I mean our problem since this is a human screw up), then move to the next, to eventually and hopefully stamp it all out. Naive probably, but I reckon we have to try.
In the meantime - until someone way smarter than me can help make a difference - I’m just going to keep treating everyone as the individuals they are, with my standard “I don’t give a flying shit what colour your skin is, what your sexuality is, be you man or woman, young or old, where you come from, or anything else” because none of that matters to how I view you. Those things don’t and shouldn’t define you. The only things that can impact how I’ll interact with you, will be if you’re a good person who doesn’t profit off the misery or put downs of others, or if you’re not. Be nice. Don’t be a dick. Do yourself and your family proud. Seems real simple. Really hope I’m on the right track. But there’s no way to be sure. Staying optimistic and embracing more solidarity.
Ok, all over. Hope you ate and drank at regular intervals 
