Although this song was written in 1967, it is very much a song for our times.
Hit the play button and really listen to the words.
Tune out the voices that sow discord among us and remember the truth of who we are; good people who never fail to open their hearts when it truly matters.
Let’s all remember who we were before they told us we hate each other.
I am merely a StickLady with a blog. I do not have influence on a national scale. I am not a celebrity or a news anchor. I am not a mover or a shaker. Still, I am proposing that America observe a Day of Tolerance. I am hoping that my blog will allow me to reach a small audience who may consider my suggestion. I challenge you to observe one day of open-mindedness.
For one day, make a concerted effort to listen to a new perspective. You can choose the day, the time, and the method, as long as you vow to listen to an opinion that does not align with your own. Perhaps you can change the news channel to one that does not represent your point of view. Buy a newspaper or read an online news feed that represents the opposing viewpoint. Better yet, go online and google search a topic that is a hot-button issue for you. Research that topic until you have a coherent, non-biased list of the differences that ignite debate. I believe, if you can look at the facts without the emotion, you might find the differences are not quite so polarizing.
Exactly when did we “lose” our right to free speech? The people who founded this great country paid for that right with their own blood and the blood of their families and friends.
When did we willingly “give up” our right to free speech? Are we so complacent that nothing is worth fighting for anymore?
We do not have to agree with each other. We do, however, owe other people respect in allowing them to express their opinions. We are a country of over 300 million people. Why is it so appalling to some that there are those who do not agree with them? Listen to others and you may learn something. Listen and you may better understand the position of your opponents. Listen and you may find a more compelling argument for your own position. Continue reading