Is it time for our big boy and big girl panties?

Let’s face it. We have a problem in America. It’s not black, not white, not the police, not the rioters, not the republicans or democrats…. Who is the problem? Look in the mirror - the problem lies with you and me. It’s every single swinging one of us. If you are honest with yourself, willing to shed your perceptions, be open to the truth, and listen to others with an open heart and mind, you will find the truth. If you are worried about you, your family, the future of all of us, or our country, it’s time to take an unfiltered hard look at what’s going on around us. Like a good hard honest look….

Now, before you say I’m wrong and you’re right, let’s take a minute to ponder some things.

We don’t have a race issue in America. We have “I don’t give a shit attitude unless it bothers me and mine issue.”

Rioting does not solve any issue. Historically, riots polarize the issues. That means that everyone takes a side and the gap between the sides widens.

We believe who we want to believe. Not the truth, but what our perceptions and “friends” tell us. We sacrifice the truth for our own political beliefs. That goes for both sides — Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Conservative… whatever you call yourself. Majority of us would rather have the ‘truth’ handed to us than seek it out.

We have given up our right to govern ourselves. Really, we have. Elections (elections for Congress… you know… the guys and gals passing the laws), we are lucky to have 50% turnout… some states are as low as 30s and 40s. Then we want to bitch about what and how our government takes action or lack of action… so let me be sure I understand your logic… you don’t vote, but you want to complain about whatever Congress is doing.

When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality, he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country. - Noah Webster

Everything is a conspiracy? Hate to tell you this, but it’s not. The last two years have destroyed or weakened a lot of the conspiracy theories out there. Of course, the last few years have also bred a whole new batch of conspiracies.

Conspiracy theory is the ultimate refuge of the powerless. If you cannot change your own life, it must be that some greater force controls the world. - Roger Cohen

The Past is THE PAST. You learn from it. You don’t use it as a bloody flag to prove your point because if you do, you will find it cuts you as much as does the guy you are trying to beat with it. EVERY single group, race, religion, or whoever has things that have happened in their past they are not proud of… EVERYONE no exceptions… don’t believe me…. look yourself…

Why does every argument have to go nuclear? If you start a ‘conversation’ with someone by hitting them between the eyes with a hammer, you sure don’t have a lot of room to negotiate…. so is it with most discussions at the national or state level….

No one group, race, religion, or party holds a monopoly on the truth….

Things are crazy in our world. And the hard truth is, every single one of us bears the responsibility for making it that way and allowing a small few to escalate it to violence.

How do we solve it? First, it won’t happen overnight. That presents a major hurdle to get past in our instant gratification society. Second, it is going to take individuals looking inward at themselves, internalizing the truth, and then working with other like-minded individuals to make changes. It will take education, honest dialogue, and swallowing our pride… All of us. It will take putting on our big boy and girl panties to get real with our issues. Most of all, it’s going to take mercy from our creator for our crazy shenanigans.