As I watch the world around me lately, I'm reminded of the sentiment expressed by Rodney King after his beating by police during the LA Riots of the '90s: "Can't we all just get along?"
Every time I turn on the TV, I see angry mobs of people shouting at one another -- both private individuals and "commentators." Everyone seems so convinced that they're right and the other guy is wrong, no matter the issue. We've developed a professional protester class -- notice the printed, not handmade, signs at some of these events. Some are so ashamed of their own ideas that they feel compelled to hide their faces from us -- and what does that mean?
I'm also reminded of something my father told me when I was a little girl. There was a Klan march on the news -- I was too little to even remember where it was. I told my Daddy I didn't think they should be allowed to do such a thing, because the Klan was bad. He told me that living in America meant that everyone had the right of free speech, and that I didn't have to like what they were saying, but I must defend to the death their right to say it. It obviously made a big impression on me, because I still remember the conversation all these years later.
Maybe if we all remembered that idea, and remembered what can happen when it's not upheld, we could begin to all get along or, failing that, conduct ourselves civilly with one another.
Just thinking.
