Freedom to Exist
As it's been widely reported, the Unite the Right rally ended tragedy in Charlottesville, VA, with three people dead as a result of a vehicular homicide and a helicopter crash responding the violent clashes. The rally, organized by white-supremacists, begun as a response to the removal of Confederate monuments throughout the U.S. with this particular case being a statue of Robert E. Lee in the city. As word spread of the rally, counter protesters arrived on scene. The clashes displayed deep-rooted hatred and disregard of human life for...a cause. A cause worth nothing when you or another person is lying on the ground, tear-gassed, maimed or worse. We're all entitled to our beliefs, but what good are they when people must die for them?
There is no point on this blog dissecting every single thing of this tragedy. You can develop your own conclusions about the rally, protests, the violence, the response of our government, response of the public, the media coverage, racism in the U.S. and overall sadness at the loss of life and dignity.
What I wanted to address was a reminder. A reminder that every human being on Earth exists and has a purpose. Denial of this is denying yourself of your own freedom, existence and purpose.
It comes down to Maslow's hierarchy of needs:
Self-Actualization
Esteem: love thyself
Belonging: our community
Security: safety around ourselves
Physical needs: basic necessities to survival
Every single person is entitled to this. Again, everyone is entitled to fulfilling this hierarchy. If you do not agree then is it possible for yourself to forfeit a stage? It works both ways. Anyone who claims that one (or a group of people) of undeserving then we all fail as a planet. There's no such thing as a supreme human. Is there pay inequality? Of course. Is there gender inequality? Most definitely. Is there human rights abuses rampant in many parts of the world? But at the end of the day, we are born and we die the same fashion, which is why we are entitled to the same things.
However, shifting the minds of 7 billion people to think like this is nearly impossible. We're selfish. We're overworked. We're bored. We're tired. We're annoyed. We're stupid. We're careless. We're hungry. We're insecure. We're poor. We're scared. We're unsatisfied. Are you able to relate to any of that? I would say most humans can relate, and it's easy to believe that you're the only one that matters. You should always have self-consideration, but remember, it's you and 7 billion people sharing the same overwrought planet. No rally, no protest, no hate and no death will change this fact...
...Which takes us back to Charlottesville. The individuals (yes, individuals) who attended the rally in support of hate have the freedom to do so. I believe they have a freedom to exist, but their denial of someone else's freedom costs theirs.
There is no point on this blog dissecting every single thing of this tragedy. You can develop your own conclusions about the rally, protests, the violence, the response of our government, response of the public, the media coverage, racism in the U.S. and overall sadness at the loss of life and dignity.
What I wanted to address was a reminder. A reminder that every human being on Earth exists and has a purpose. Denial of this is denying yourself of your own freedom, existence and purpose.
It comes down to Maslow's hierarchy of needs:
Self-Actualization
Esteem: love thyself
Belonging: our community
Security: safety around ourselves
Physical needs: basic necessities to survival
Every single person is entitled to this. Again, everyone is entitled to fulfilling this hierarchy. If you do not agree then is it possible for yourself to forfeit a stage? It works both ways. Anyone who claims that one (or a group of people) of undeserving then we all fail as a planet. There's no such thing as a supreme human. Is there pay inequality? Of course. Is there gender inequality? Most definitely. Is there human rights abuses rampant in many parts of the world? But at the end of the day, we are born and we die the same fashion, which is why we are entitled to the same things.
However, shifting the minds of 7 billion people to think like this is nearly impossible. We're selfish. We're overworked. We're bored. We're tired. We're annoyed. We're stupid. We're careless. We're hungry. We're insecure. We're poor. We're scared. We're unsatisfied. Are you able to relate to any of that? I would say most humans can relate, and it's easy to believe that you're the only one that matters. You should always have self-consideration, but remember, it's you and 7 billion people sharing the same overwrought planet. No rally, no protest, no hate and no death will change this fact...
...Which takes us back to Charlottesville. The individuals (yes, individuals) who attended the rally in support of hate have the freedom to do so. I believe they have a freedom to exist, but their denial of someone else's freedom costs theirs.
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