In the wake of the death of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens and Michael Smith -- the five officers killed amid events in Dallas -- we as a country need to take the time to come together. As fellow citizens and members of the human race, we need to stand by each other, grieve and find answers and solutions. As human beings we need to make sure events like this come to an end so we don’t lose any more brothers, cousins, sons, fathers or friends.
1. “Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.” -Cesar Chavez
Today we often see those displaying their culture yet putting down other cultures. Our society tends to think in a “we versus them” mentality, when instead we should be realizing our similarities and appreciating our differences. Because our country is a vast melting pot, we have hundreds of different cultures living together. This should not mean separating based on culture and having disrespect for others solely based on their culture. As a society we need to learn that there is a limit to nationalism, because we all are members of the human family.
2. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King’s words need more remembrance during times like this. While race relations are better than they were in King’s time, his words are still extremely relevant in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Frankly, I realize we have not eradicated racism. Millions are probably judged by their race every day. And that goes for individuals of every color. We as individuals need to remember that our skin colors only indicate how close our ancestors lived to the equator and nothing else.
3. “Hating people because of the color of their skin is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.” -Muhammad Ali
The late boxer’s words are especially relevant during this week’s tragedies. We have seen hate from both sides. And due to such hate and anger two black men, four Caucasian men and one Hispanic man are all dead. A person’s race does not entitle them to hate those of another race regardless of current events. Those white officers were in no way involved with the shootings of Sterling and Castile, and they were slain due to hate. And as spectators of current events, we have to avoid anger based on race. We need to support each other regardless of color.
4. “We can make this a more peaceful century if we cherish non-violence and concern for other’s well-being. It is possible.” -The Dalai Lama
This is quite possibly my favorite quote on this list. In protest, individuals must remember non-violence will always send a stronger, less chaotic message than violence. In addition, one thing I believe would immensely help society is if we found increased appreciation and consideration to others' well-being. We need to think of how our actions and words impact others’ lives, present and future.
5. “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” -Mother Teresa
We have to remember there is no "us versus them." As people, we are members of the human family. Borders, race and other factors do not mean anything because we belong to each other. The death of those in our human family is on us. We must love and respect all those in our human family and stand up for those who are disrespected.
6. “You can truly grieve for every officer who’s been lost in the line of duty in this country and still be troubled by cases of police overreach. Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. You can have great regard for law enforcement and still want them to be held to high standards.” -Jon Stewart
The former "Daily Show" host’s message should have been plastered over social media following the Dallas attacks. On social media I have seen so much hate to the Blue Lives Matter movement. Blue lives risk their lives every day to make sure our communities are safe. To say their lives don’t matter because some police officers have made mistakes of overreach is blasphemous. That is like saying all Arabic people are terrorists, which is ignorantly incorrect. Individuals need to mourn all individuals killed instead of picking either Blue Lives Matter or Black Lives Matter, because both lives are so important. Instead of people assuming those in support of the Blue Lives Matter are racist (police officers come in all races) we need to respect all lives. Human life is important.
7. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi
The Indian leader famous for his teachings in nonviolence should be studied across the globe. In order to achieve change, Gandhi knew violence and chaos would not better any of the conditions his region faced. Today, we need to exhibit the change we wish to see in our communities. This means correcting our families and friends if they ever say negative comments regarding other races. This means leaving behind stereotypes and negative ideas of other races. Act the way you want the world to.
Ultimately, we as a human race must live together and be more supportive of each other in order to achieve better relations. We must respect and care for each other’s well-being. And in the wake of this tragic week we must show that we care for one another regardless of color or background in order to achieve change. We need to love each other.
