There has been a lot of crazy things happening recently. Nazi flags being hung up, being praised and defended. Innocent lives being lost. Racism. Discrimination. Destruction of property. Fights breaking out all over the US and videos going viral. So maybe it is just me. But I’m a little confused. Why is it so hard to get along??

I understand there are differences in opinions. Some believe in more government help. Others believe in less government help. Some believe in supporting a bigger army. Others don’t. Part of the US wants to tax the rich, others want taxes to stay at a flat rate. Honestly, that’s fine. Agree to disagree on all of that. I really don’t care. Those are opinions. Opinions like these are fine.

Opinions are one thing. However, then there is something I can’t seem to wrap my head around. The hatred and aggressive actions that are happening now, just around the United States alone, are not okay. Did you hear that? THIS IS NOT OKAY. How are some so okay with outright hating people because of their skin tone, because of their religion, because of their sexual orientation? How is the Nazi flag, a symbol of hatred, being waved around and supported? There is such thing as free speech in America. I get that. I know that is a right we have as Americans. But to outright hate people, to tell others they don’t deserve to have rights… I just can’t wrap my head around this. That is not an opinion. That is not free speech. That is outright hatred. That needs to stop.

Nelson Mandela wrote “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” People aren’t always going to get along. We aren’t always going to love everyone around us. But we can stop the hate. We can stop the racism, the disrespect, the bigotry. We have the option to stop what is happening by just being nice to each other. It should not be so hard to let other human beings have human rights. Just because someone might look differently from you or have a different sexual preference, that doesn’t mean you have the right to deny them from basic human rights. You can have an opinion, you can have free speech, but hate rallies and crimes are illegal and need to be stopped.

Silence is violence so I won't be quiet. Can we all just stop hating each other?