What are we doing? I sat in my office working on layouts for the magazine and suddenly caught myself dazing off and just staring out the window. I locked vision on a single tree which was across the street from me and within about 15 seconds, I heard sirens. I continued to stare at this small dainty tree as police cars and fire engines sped through. I have no idea where they were going, I have no idea what occurred to cause them to flee, but I do know I didn't think anything of it.
About 45 minutes after that moment, I took my lunch break and was driving through town and suddenly saw red and blue lights flashing in my rear-view mirror, so of course, I pulled to the side. It was another set of fire engine's zooming behind a few ambulances. Again, what's there to think about? This happens every day. I live directly across the street from the Fire Department, if anyone knows how many times the fire engines leave the station it would be my family. Then it hit me. How are we used to this?
We see emergency vehicles and think that's normal. We no longer think of where they are going or whether a family is in need or a child is hurt. We think that someone else will take care of it…
That's where we fall short.
We cannot keep on expecting other people to help everyone. Now I am not here saying that every time you see a car accident then run to the rescue and act like the hero. You will more than likely hurt yourself and then call for another paramedic. I am saying that if someone's car is stuck on the side of the road, pull over and see if they need help. If there is a kid looking lost and scared at the state fair, take them to find their parent. If a dog is running up and down your neighborhood, call the number on their tag.
It is not hard. It is an inconvenience at most times, but it is not hard.
If we are translating this into our personal lives, we expect what we don't give out. We don't think about it until it affects our own personal lives and that is not going to spark any change in the world. Take, for example, medical aid and research. Now anything involving a hospital stay and medication is a scary topic, but we are so invested in our own lives that we don't think about the statistics from patients suffering from cancer. We ignore the donation jars at restaurants, the calls asking for money, the red cross emails.
We avoid it.
Until we are the ones sitting in that Florissant lit room smelling hand sanitizer in our cold hospital food. That is when we start panicking thinking, "how is no one working to fix this, no one is pushing for change". The ones who are trying to take action are being ignored by the masses because people are selfish by nature. Yes, there are good-hearted people who will donate every dollar they have, but do we think about people on the other end of the line hoarding in thousands and millions of dollars? Do we realize many of these are scams and money-making schemes? Do we push for change in a society where those we act like they care are acting scamming you?
As you think over that fun topic, consider what is happening at this moment over the border of the United States and Mexico. Children are being stripped of their livelihoods and parents as they try to make a change in their lives. Do you think any immigrant would be dumb enough to try and cross if they had any other choice? THEY NEED HELP AND WE ARE LITERALLY SLAMMING A DOOR IN THEIR FACE. They risk their lives to bring their family out of poverty, disease, illness, and terror, and what is their reward for trying to save their family? Having their family taken from them.
If we don't care who will? They won't be free or safe until they have someone who cares and says enough is enough. Right now we are silent because it "doesn't affect me". You are incorrect and it is the same as bi-standing in a fight or even recording and laughing as the weaker kid keeps getting kicked to the ground.
"Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community"
-Anthony J. D'Angelo
I am a first generation American in my family. I am born of Zoroastrian faith on American soil and I could not be prouder of my family lineage, and it breaks my heart to watch families sacrifice everything they have to protect their loved ones just to be told they aren't worth it.
My parents had their green cards for YEARS. My mom took nearly 18 years to develop full US Citizenship, or else she would have been thrown to the curb. It is not because she was procrastinating or being lazy, it is because the process requires so much to just be qualified, and you know where all those qualification records go? They sit stacked on tables, minimized on web browsers, because why should we rush the process?
People don't care until it is them being affected and that is what is so sad about society. Instead of building a wall, why don't we evaluate how to fix the issue, not generate more hatred for our country. Instead of calling that Indian kid a terrorist, why not let your child play with him? Instead of accusing that black man of theft, why not offer him a job? Instead of ignoring that homeless man, why don't you hear his story?
We are all skin and bone. We all breathe the same air, share the same soil, and drink the same water. When it rains, it does not skip over the white, black, Asian, Indian, Russian, or any other house. It rains on us all. We all pollute the earth, we all have flaws and issues, but we are all loved by more than ourselves. We are all humans and to put it into another light, think of bricks.
Bricks are sturdy alone, but stronger in masses, so why would we sacrifice our strength for our egos? You don't want people to enjoy freedom as much as you? Don't you think they deserve a happier and safer life? Are you just angry at them for trying to survive?
We need to stop the conflict and learn to prioritize the good of people before the glorification of superiority. You can rule all you want in an empty kingdom, but what is that worth?
If we could learn to stop passing laws to avoid an issue and in return FIX THE ISSUE, the world would be a lot easier to open your eyes to. Stop picking on the small guy. Stop expecting someone else to take care of other problems and stop assuming that it isn't a big deal. Because to someone, it is their entire life at risk, and we can all do something to help strike change.
