There is a question that has been floating around in my mind lately that I just can’t seem to find a logical answer to; why is it so difficult for humans to realize that we are all just humans? We are all exactly the same when it comes down to it. Regardless of skin color, language spoken, religion, cultural traditions, and anything else that may stand in the way, we are all humans. Plain and simple.

Regardless of political beliefs, it is completely necessary to acknowledge the fact that there is extreme division happening in the United States of America right now. Refugees are being denied their basic human rights and are not allowed to find safety, peace, or opportunity. Families are being split apart and children are being left without parents. Immigrants are being deported without acknowledgement of the difficulty of the citizenship process. Simply put: humans are taking life away from other humans.

It is not a difficult concept to grasp, yet so man refuse to acknowledge that humans are different mostly due to where they are born. Where you’re born determines the language you speak, most likely the religion you practice, your customs, your cultural ideals, and so forth. Why are we letting something as simple as geography completely divide all of us as humans? Rather than trying to find reasons to discriminate and to push people away, love and acceptance are needed now more than ever.

Every human being wants the same things out of life. Essentially, everyone just wants to get through life. Some people may have dreams of a family and a spouse while others may have large career aspirations. Nonetheless, everyone just wants to find what makes them happy and do that. People should not be punished for moving to places that provide them with safety and opportunity. Rather than discriminating and letting our hearts be full of hatred, we should be responsible for welcoming others of our own kind with open arms. We should also be responsible for acknowledging the different paths of life that many have to take. While some may have life easy: born into a country with civil liberties, never had to experience war, never had to lose their parents, etc., there are many others who are not that lucky. Again; where we are born determines so much and although it is out of our control we are letting it divide us as human beings and it is completely unacceptable.

Now more than ever I hope that we, as humans, are able to turn to one another and keep open minds and open hearts so that love will persevere instead of hatred.