To those who feel threatened after Charlottesville,
This isn't the first article about human rights, and my hope is that it won't be the last. There can never be enough articles about the importance of human rights.
As I write this, I am almost at a loss for words. Every day when I check the news, there is a new story, a new tragedy, a new group thinking that they are better than the rest of us. Say what you want, but racist terrorism is alive in this country, and we saw a glimpse of it in Charlottesville. This is not about politics. This is about people's lives and their fear to even leave their doorstep.
The events from this past weekend in Virginia are appalling. They're disgusting. They make me so angry that I can't even speak. These people are not American or patriotic in any way. They have sabotaged everything that we in this country have tried so hard to create. They think that they have the right to destroy property and take lives because their "race" is superior. That's not the America I grew up in.
No one should have to live in fear of racism. No one should have to be afraid to walk out their front door because of who they are. No one should feel that their identity as an American is threatened because of a bunch of racist idiots.
If you feel unloved or afraid, please know that these people do not define the rest of us. There are so many people who are tolerant and ready to fight against discrimination. We want to help fight racism and prejudice with you. There is no excuse for these idiots to harm others based on the color of their skin.
Human rights are not a privilege for the upper classes. Everyone deserves the same respect and opportunities, whether you're black, white, rich, poor, gay, straight, or whatever you may be. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the United Nations can be found here. Read them. Understand them. Learn from them.
If you are afraid, remember that you are loved. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
