Your vote, Your choice, Your Story
Dear Readers,
In light of the Presidential election that has currently taken place, I have deiced to go out way out of my comfort zone and write this post. This election has been one to remember. I am not here to talk about who you voted for or why you chose not to vote but my story in a way. We have this crazy notion that our vote doesn't count. Yes, in the grand overview of things it may not count for much but it still counts for something. I am not pointing fingers for those who didn`t vote or who you voted for . For that is your right to do so. I had a conversation with a friend at work a few month back if he was going to vote or not this year. He told me, he was not and he even explained his reason why. I am not telling you his reason because I can not speak for him. I understood his way of thinking but it is very different to my own. For myself , I am the odd one out in a way. Here, I stand as a African- American woman with the odds stacked against me if we lived in another time. In my mind I feel I am doing those who have fought for my right to vote on both sides a disservice if I did not get out there and vote. I am in no mean perfect and make it to every single election there is but I do my best to make it to the ones I can. But this is not the point I am trying to get to here. Your choice and your actions write your story. The election may have came out in the way you wanted it to or maybe it didn`t but you move on. I am in no way telling you to get over the way you feel. You have every right to be happy or angry or what ever it is you feel because it is your right and I will never take that away from you nor should you take it away from others. This real and the fear many feel is real. I am all for expressing your self but when did violence become a way of self expression? The damage to property and the endangerment of human lives. Yes, you are expressing your anger, your hatred for the way things turned out but is that solving anything or making things harder. My question is did you have a right to break another persons property or harm another person? Don`t tell me you are expressing your rights as your reason. What about the persons rights you are affecting? Did they get a choice? Do I like what I see on the news when I turn on my t.v.? The answer is no. I am sickened but the violence and hatred that is spilling out in to our street like poison slowly killing this symbol of freedom that is the American dream. America is not great and it never was in real life because that kind of perfection doesn`t exist on this earth. The dream was perfect an idea that was created by many who wanted to be equal to their fellow man.What has history taught us? Are we starting to repeat the same mistakes that were made in the past? It is history for a reason pay attention to it. Take you feelings and used them towards something other than violence. Make a video, write a blog post or even protest in a non violent way because you can express the way you feel with out physical harm to others.What America do you see? I see why this dream is so amazing and so many came here for a new life. Pretty much the collective "we" are immigrants and that is what makes us Americans. I am problem going to be pushing some major people buttons with this post and maybe lose friends over it. Our choices make our tomorrow.The election is done now we have to keep moving down a new path but the choice is ours. We can heal our pain one step at a time. I have not know the hardships of my ancestor or even my grandparents but I feel them in ever lesson I was ever taught and ever action they have ever made. The choice is yours and the time is now. Who will write your story ? Do you want to be part of the collective "we" or are you going to make your own choice.
In light of the Presidential election that has currently taken place, I have deiced to go out way out of my comfort zone and write this post. This election has been one to remember. I am not here to talk about who you voted for or why you chose not to vote but my story in a way. We have this crazy notion that our vote doesn't count. Yes, in the grand overview of things it may not count for much but it still counts for something. I am not pointing fingers for those who didn`t vote or who you voted for . For that is your right to do so. I had a conversation with a friend at work a few month back if he was going to vote or not this year. He told me, he was not and he even explained his reason why. I am not telling you his reason because I can not speak for him. I understood his way of thinking but it is very different to my own. For myself , I am the odd one out in a way. Here, I stand as a African- American woman with the odds stacked against me if we lived in another time. In my mind I feel I am doing those who have fought for my right to vote on both sides a disservice if I did not get out there and vote. I am in no mean perfect and make it to every single election there is but I do my best to make it to the ones I can. But this is not the point I am trying to get to here. Your choice and your actions write your story. The election may have came out in the way you wanted it to or maybe it didn`t but you move on. I am in no way telling you to get over the way you feel. You have every right to be happy or angry or what ever it is you feel because it is your right and I will never take that away from you nor should you take it away from others. This real and the fear many feel is real. I am all for expressing your self but when did violence become a way of self expression? The damage to property and the endangerment of human lives. Yes, you are expressing your anger, your hatred for the way things turned out but is that solving anything or making things harder. My question is did you have a right to break another persons property or harm another person? Don`t tell me you are expressing your rights as your reason. What about the persons rights you are affecting? Did they get a choice? Do I like what I see on the news when I turn on my t.v.? The answer is no. I am sickened but the violence and hatred that is spilling out in to our street like poison slowly killing this symbol of freedom that is the American dream. America is not great and it never was in real life because that kind of perfection doesn`t exist on this earth. The dream was perfect an idea that was created by many who wanted to be equal to their fellow man.What has history taught us? Are we starting to repeat the same mistakes that were made in the past? It is history for a reason pay attention to it. Take you feelings and used them towards something other than violence. Make a video, write a blog post or even protest in a non violent way because you can express the way you feel with out physical harm to others.What America do you see? I see why this dream is so amazing and so many came here for a new life. Pretty much the collective "we" are immigrants and that is what makes us Americans. I am problem going to be pushing some major people buttons with this post and maybe lose friends over it. Our choices make our tomorrow.The election is done now we have to keep moving down a new path but the choice is ours. We can heal our pain one step at a time. I have not know the hardships of my ancestor or even my grandparents but I feel them in ever lesson I was ever taught and ever action they have ever made. The choice is yours and the time is now. Who will write your story ? Do you want to be part of the collective "we" or are you going to make your own choice.
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