Differences

Differences

"What do i tell my children?" What do you tell them when they see someone of a different race, creed, color, handicap, ... do you hide them from these differences as well? Or, do you teach them that these difference make them unique? Not special. Different, not dangerous.

Being an Invisible Mediator

Become an invisible mediator and take an active hand in shaping the society yet to come by teaching people how to treat each other with compassion and empathy.

Today’s Fortune Cookies

You will appear as an extra on a TV series

You will hit on a teacher

You will have sex in a grave yard

You will accidently pie on yourself and your teacher when scared

You will fake an orgasm afterward

You will create a fake twitter account to disavow the incident

Fundamentalists

The problem with fundamentalists, is that they always complain that they are being excluded from the conversation.  Hate speech should be allowed, since all speech should be allowed.  Except, hate speech only has 1 purpose, and I’ll get back to this in a minute.

Fundamentalists aren’t being excluded from the conversation. No, instead, they are being ignored.  Which is more infuriating.  They want to be heard.  But not in a fashion that supports actually resolving an issue. Instead, they want to be heard in such a way that it distracts from solving a problem.  As if kaos were the only solution.

The Supreme Court created a test that stated that speech is not protected when it fails one or both of these tests:

Does it harm yourself

Does it harm others

Think about that for a moment. Does your freedom of expression cause physical harm to yourself.  If you cut yourself in such a way that it puts your life in danger, should this activity be protected?  And, what if a group uses ritual sacrifice, which ends the life of another human, is that protected speech?  In this case NO!.  It is not protected speech.

The second test is whether your speech calls for hurting another person or group.  This came about when Sarah Palin asked her base to shoot a Senator.  Had anyone else said it, they would have been incarcerated immediately.  However, this speech is not protected either.  Calling for someone’s death is akin to demanding genocide.

Which brings us back to what fundamentalists want.  If they believe that kaos is the answer to everything, then their only means of feeling as though they are winning is when kaos rules. Thus, to achieve kaos, they must engage everyone else in fights.  It is the only time that a fundamentalist is being heard.

Fights don’t solve problems.

And, thus, why fundamentalists are ignored. Not silenced. Just not given the space needed to be engaged.  This requires time or energy and will only be lost in a fruitless exchange that leads no where.  

Lifestyles of the Impverished vs Rich

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/19/billionaires-wealth-richest-income-inequality

Making the World a Better Place

While I could share my trails and tribulations of bouncing through several groups, I think you will be better served by my wisdom: 1) A Leader’s motto is, "To make the world a better place one man at a time!" 2) Everyone has an expectation of how we wish to treat each other. 3) Everyone has the right to demand an apology. Every group creates a set of rules that the members are expected to follow.  We hold each other accountable when the rules are broken. These rules even apply to how people interact with each other.  Communities at all levels have rules, expectations, values, cultures, and moralities that strive to encourage proper behavior .. households, apartment complexes, farming communities, cities, counties, states, countries.  We have expectations on what is considered proper behavior. When I see another man break these rules, I have an opportunity to look at myself and determine why this triggers me.  It is also an opportunity to help everyone involved reflect on the event, understand how it affected me, how it is affecting them, how it makes this man look in my eyes, and how it looks when other men support this behavior. It is behavior that we are actively working to change.  We do this through reflecting / reflection. We help other men see how their actions / choices are affecting others around them. When that behavior is repeated without conscious or consequence, the behavior is considered normal, even if it disparages another man or group.  It is here, where men have to build their courage, practice speaking up, and stand against inappropriate behavior, and demand a change. That change comes in two forms, the first is an apology, and the second is a change in the rules, habits, expectations, values, morals, and/or culture. A true apology uses the words "I'm Sorry!" in a way that ensures that the bad behavior is going to be corrected.  They are not a phrase that begs forgiveness. They are not used flippantly in a way that demeans their value. They are powerful. And, when used properly, will release the emotional energy in both parties because 1 party wants to see real change, while both parties want connection. Unfortunately, when we don't know how to ask for an apology, or ask men to adhere to the rules, or have vague undefined expectations, is when men feel powerless to demand an apology. For this, I suggest looking at your own mission statement.  When you are asked, "How will you make the world a better place?" What does a better world look like to you, and what is needed to achieve your version of a better world.  For me, it is helping men reflect on their bad behaviors and choices when they act out.  And, it can be as simple as asking, "How does this help you make the world a better place?"