I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry at this point. President Barack Obama is in town speaking at JaxPort on the economy and the fact that he chose that location shows he knows it is an important asset to our city, state and this country. The projects at Mile High and deepening the shipping channel in the St. Johns will create more business for us, provide jobs and more. These are all clearly things that will strengthen our economy as a whole, yet when the local news post a photo about the protesters along the President's route here in Jacksonville, the comments from so many are nothing but hate fueled vile that both angers and saddens me.
We seemed to have hit a point in race relations since Obama took office that not many were prepared for, few are willing to discuss and many are thriving off of. The facts are that our President is bi-racial with a black father and white mother. He was raised primarily with his white mother and grandparents and lived the struggle that many average Americans face each day. Through hard work, determination and perseverance he graduated Columbia University AND Harvard Law School all while he was a community organizer in Chicago. He went on to became a civil rights lawyer and professor at The University of Chicago Law School and as we know him now- President of the United States of America. All of these show a passion to me to do better in his community and beyond and isn't that what life should be about? Shouldn't we all be attempting to help each other, build a better country for our younger generations?
When did we become a nation of all about me? So many are concerned with just themselves that they don't realize how their not doing anything to help is only hurting them until it is too late or if ever. The worst part is many are just ignorant racist people sitting behind a computer where they don't have to face the world with their hate and prejudices. They chose to lump people together according to their color, beliefs, who we love, etc. instead of working towards helping people of all colors, religions and more reach a common ground. Whether we like it or not race still plays too big of a role in the day to day life of America. I have literally had people search my page after a political debate online and call me words I wish not to divulge on this blog based on the music I listen to, the men I date and the color of my children's skin. We could ignore it as we have done for far too long or we have discussions and establish clear lines of communication. With the election of a bi-racial President many hoped this would help spark a change in the stereotyping and profiling that has been passed through generations, yet the cases of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and Marissa Alexander here in Florida along with cases of many more all over, prove otherwise.
In the above cases and with so many others the focus always becomes what is done for other people that have been unjustly killed that were white. So many want to complain because the media brings attention to the cases like Trayvon. Umm hello! A young white girl goes missing in America and half the country goes looking for her, how is this any different? Yet I don't see people protesting the media and more covering those stories. On the photo the news posted of today's protests- I saw no diversity, not in the photo or in the negative comments. Why is that? Then if you actually look through the comments almost all those in opposition to our President used nothing but derogatory language and complete ignorance in each post. They tore apart all those that attended Trayvon Martin rallies, accused everyone supporting our President of being on welfare and food stamps, and compared the protest photo to photos of the rallies. Again I state there was no diversity in today's protests.
Last I just want to call attention to the need to do better from everyone. We were all blessed with this beautiful thing we call life and no matter how rough it may get we should all be in it together. Take time to make a difference in the life you are living. Volunteer, mentor, march or whatever it is you see that can help, just do something. We can stay focused on the negative or we can bind together and be better. If we raise the new generations in an accepting country we may have a chance at a great future for our children and their children, until then I am one scared parent...
We seemed to have hit a point in race relations since Obama took office that not many were prepared for, few are willing to discuss and many are thriving off of. The facts are that our President is bi-racial with a black father and white mother. He was raised primarily with his white mother and grandparents and lived the struggle that many average Americans face each day. Through hard work, determination and perseverance he graduated Columbia University AND Harvard Law School all while he was a community organizer in Chicago. He went on to became a civil rights lawyer and professor at The University of Chicago Law School and as we know him now- President of the United States of America. All of these show a passion to me to do better in his community and beyond and isn't that what life should be about? Shouldn't we all be attempting to help each other, build a better country for our younger generations?
When did we become a nation of all about me? So many are concerned with just themselves that they don't realize how their not doing anything to help is only hurting them until it is too late or if ever. The worst part is many are just ignorant racist people sitting behind a computer where they don't have to face the world with their hate and prejudices. They chose to lump people together according to their color, beliefs, who we love, etc. instead of working towards helping people of all colors, religions and more reach a common ground. Whether we like it or not race still plays too big of a role in the day to day life of America. I have literally had people search my page after a political debate online and call me words I wish not to divulge on this blog based on the music I listen to, the men I date and the color of my children's skin. We could ignore it as we have done for far too long or we have discussions and establish clear lines of communication. With the election of a bi-racial President many hoped this would help spark a change in the stereotyping and profiling that has been passed through generations, yet the cases of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and Marissa Alexander here in Florida along with cases of many more all over, prove otherwise.
In the above cases and with so many others the focus always becomes what is done for other people that have been unjustly killed that were white. So many want to complain because the media brings attention to the cases like Trayvon. Umm hello! A young white girl goes missing in America and half the country goes looking for her, how is this any different? Yet I don't see people protesting the media and more covering those stories. On the photo the news posted of today's protests- I saw no diversity, not in the photo or in the negative comments. Why is that? Then if you actually look through the comments almost all those in opposition to our President used nothing but derogatory language and complete ignorance in each post. They tore apart all those that attended Trayvon Martin rallies, accused everyone supporting our President of being on welfare and food stamps, and compared the protest photo to photos of the rallies. Again I state there was no diversity in today's protests.
Last I just want to call attention to the need to do better from everyone. We were all blessed with this beautiful thing we call life and no matter how rough it may get we should all be in it together. Take time to make a difference in the life you are living. Volunteer, mentor, march or whatever it is you see that can help, just do something. We can stay focused on the negative or we can bind together and be better. If we raise the new generations in an accepting country we may have a chance at a great future for our children and their children, until then I am one scared parent...
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