2016 was a rough year, I think we all can agree on that one. No matter if it was because you were crushed the day after the presidential election, feeling defeated by the score at the end of the World Series, or heartbroken when the news broke of the PULSE nightclub shooting -- I think we all were ready to close the book on last year.

But there is one stigma in our society that I'm sick of, which is this extreme mentality that we have to be either/or.

You either root for the Indians or cheer for the Cubs.

You either believe in church and state or you aren't a real Christian.

You either support Black Lives Matter or you Back the Blue.

Sorry, but it's just not true.

We have put so much passion into our beliefs that all of us are guilty of being slow to listen and quick to judge. The second we are faced with an issue we jump to one side of the fence and come hell or high water, we're probably not going to be swayed. In some ways, standing firm in your beliefs is something to be proud of.

For these situations, we are only furthering the divide between a divided nation.

The Sheriff and The Llama

As a young liberal, and as someone who had family members in trouble with the law while I was growing up, the largest group I had issues with were those who refused to see all of the issues happening in our legal system. People were accusing me of not supporting the men and women of law enforcement, but that was never what I said.

Again, this had become either/or? There were very blatant cases of racism and police brutality sweeping our nation, but at the same time, there are hundreds of good people risking their lives everyday to keep us safe. Not everything can be either/or. Which is exactly why I needed to highlight this law enforcement agency who is really proving my point - who is making strides in bridging the divide and bringing a little lightheartedness back into the world.

Meet the great people of the Oconee County Sheriff's Department. Located right outside Athens, GA (my hometown), they are posting some great statuses, videos, and "public service announcements" to keep the community informed. The most important news of the week came when a Llama (later identified as "Princess") escaped from her home and was walking down a busy highway. They had great fun with the press release on the situation and even did a follow up segment with another farm friend!

The best part about all of their content is that they are throwing out the either/or. The men and women at the OCSD are incredibly inclusive (watch the video below, they aren't judgmental!), fun loving, and make me proud to say I came from Athens.

I hope they know how much people need to see good stuff like this!

"Around 4:00PM, dispatch notified me that someone had reported 'a baby camel running loose in Epps Bridge Road'. Our deputies are not trained in South American camelid identification, but they quickly determined that the animal in question was actually a llama....We do not know at this time whether it just wanted to go for a stroll or if it was concerned about the weather forecast this weekend and was attempting to buy bread and milk. I asked, but it refused to answer questions. Perhaps this is because I don't speak Spanish nor any of the native Peruvian languages."

-Chief Deputy Lee Weems

Press Release via FB - 1/4/2017 6:39PM

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