We must rebuild community

I am deeply concerned by the divisiveness, anger and hatred I see in the nation that I love.  My Father was a patriot, serving in both the Coast Guard and as a Navy Pilot during World War II.  He was also my first role model for equity and diversity as he wrote articles in support of the Civil Rights movement.  I feel that what my Dad courageously stood and spoke for was being challenged by voices of fear and hatred. 

There is so much fear.  Fear of those we "perceive" to be different than us.  I have come to learn that we don't know someone until we know them.  We need the courage to build connection, build relationship, and build community.  We must stop the dehumanizing narratives that tell us that women, the poor, those with darker or lighter skin, the disabled, the old, the young and the non gender conforming are all less than. 

When we speak of "they" in derogatory terms, we undermine our collective humanity.  We must focus on "we."  We must rebuild community.  Community contains Unity.  Community needs to be diverse to be healthy.  A single perspective leads to destruction and death.

"No one thing or place has a privileged point of voice, that is, no one point of view holds the entire truth.  The primacy of any one point of view is not only invalid, but damaging and disrespectful to the inherent unity of life." - Einstein, Zajonc, Nepo

Community only exists when we know each other's story.