Hate is Not an Opinion.
Thank you @focusnow for your important post There is Only One Race - The Human Race and for asking others to chime in. This is my response.
Image by Iván Tamás from Pixabay
Growing up as a privileged, christian, upper middle class, white woman in small-town Ohio, I was steeped in the opinions of others in my bracket. These opinions were expressed unabashedly because there was no challenge. Hurtful, false opinions about others were expressed in ways that became the norm. Seeing differences between humans was taught with vengeance. I am teaching my young sons that they can use their words to express their voice. But when it came to calling out the hate I heard around me, I did not use mine.
I want to make my voice crystal clear now. Opinions are not opinions when they marginalize, criminalize or otherwise refer to a group of people as "less than." Those opinions are, in fact, active bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of hate. No form of hate in deed or word should be tolerated. Anywhere. Ever. Allowing too many people to get by with perpetuating hate by excusing it as simply their opinion is why we still have racism, sexism and all the other isms that decay this simple, universal truth. We Are All One.
It's more than past time to call a spade a spade. To call hate, hate. I find it telling that when challenged, those in my bracket go right to name-calling. I have been called a snowflake, and so much worse, as I dare to contradict the cultural norms I grew up with. And so I take up the name of snowflake proudly. There are millions more of me. Maybe billions - I am raising two more. Compact snow makes one hell of an ice wall. Hate shall not pass.
Yes, we are all different. We can be dissected down to our most discrete parts. There is always an other if you look for the differences. Or. We can look bigger. We can grow bigger. Grow to an avalanche of oneness in our humanity. We will always have differences of opinions. But let's be crystal, cold-as-ice-clear. Hate is not an opinion.
Image byGerd Altmann from Pixabay
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I am grateful to find a place with rich soil to grow a community. May we take root, and flourish together.
All artwork, photographs, and content are original and created by @bia.birch unless otherwise credited
Waooh @bia.birch, i am awestruck at your great response and elevated view of humans. If only everyone can have your perspective, then noone would ever be marginalized because of language, skin color or social status.
Standing on the shoulders of giants @focusnow - your post was my inspiration. Thank you for your contribution 🌱
Love, from a fellow snowflake. xxx
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One of the best conclusions to a post!
Opinions are fine as long as people are open to the fact that other people will likely have differing ones and are open to accepting that. The hate seems to come when they feel that everyone needs to have the same opinion as themselves. - @minismallholding
Thank you @homeedders. I think it is essential to define the difference between hate and opinion. There are so many blurred lines that lead to ugliness and unnecessary violence. Teaching similarities instead of teaching differences could make a big impact on the next generation's ability to understand the genesis of hate ... in my opinion 🌱