We live in a country that the only thing about you that matters is your skin color, gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Hollywood and the media are fueling this message to the masses and creating a culture of hate, intolerance and violence between groups. I understand why minority groups want equal rights, treatments and opportunities; however, these celebrities and political figures are going about this all wrong.
Actors like Jesse Williams are highlighting issues in our culture today, along with the Black Lives Matter movement, that show inequalities between races, although it is carrying a subliminal message. It seems that minority groups are essentially blaming all people of white skin for the way our culture is, the way our school systems are set up and the opportunities available to their specific group. I'm sorry, but I did not choose my skin color, and my existence does not hinder anyone's opportunities to succeed — if you're saying it does, we have a bigger problem on our hands. Since I was a little girl, my parents taught me that all lives matter. Skin color did not determine whether or not you were good or bad, nice or mean, honest or a liar — skin color did not mean anything: people were people. I still live by that today.
Suddenly, we're also in an age where we have to over-define ourselves. I don't care if you're lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, black, white, Hispanic, green, blue, vegan, have depression, are bipolar, or any other label you can put on yourself. If you're a decent human being, you're all right in my book. I understand that there is and has been so much prejudice, discrimination and hate against minority groups. I see it, I've experienced it, and it is horrible. It's a long, hard process to counteract the terrible things that have been said and done to the different communities. However there is also a bigger issue behind all this, and I can't stress it enough: You are more than just a skin color, gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
People are proud to be who they are, and that is so wonderful. But here's the thing: what you do behind closed doors is your business, not mine. Either way, if you're nice I'll be your friend and love and respect you as I would anyone else. You're still an amazing individual no matter who you love or the color of your skin. Please, just stop reducing yourself to a label and just be you.
Right now, our country is in a really bad condition. I've said it and I'll say it again: we are incredibly divided to the point of constant violence. There are injustices, inequalities, racism and hate circulating our country and keeping good, hardworking people from reaching their full potential. The system is really messed up. But you can't keep blaming white people for all the issues. Not every white person's ancestors did extremely horrific things. Some actually had horrific things done to them. Some of my ancestors came to America because there was terrible prejudice against Irish Catholics. Also, I'm Jewish — we have records of many of my relatives being sent to Auschwitz. Every single year of school since eighth grade, I've had to relive seeing images of what could be my relatives starving to death and being worked to death at concentration camps. So don't tell me just because I have white skin that my bloodline has had it easy.
We all come from different backgrounds, ideologies, orientations and heritage. We are also all Americans. Let's unite as one country and start building a better future without prejudice, but also without the need to classify ourselves as a color, orientation or gender. Love those around you with pure hearts because they are wonderful individuals. Don't ever reduce another human being to less than they truly are: incomparable, exquisite, unique and deserving of the utmost respect.
