We are born as essentially blank slates. We are taught almost everything we do, think, and know. We learn how to walk, talk, eat, and interact with one another and with the world in which we live. Most of us are taught to love one another, to appreciate the diversity of the world, to embrace our differences and learn from one another’s experiences and cultures.
Sadly, not everyone in this world thinks like that. There are unfortunately those who believe certain races, genders, religions, etc, are better than others.
I am proud to have attended the University of Florida, a school which works hard to create a safe and loving community where people can come together to learn and expand their minds.
Today, there are people on UF’s campus who preach messages of hatred and hide behind their right to freedom of speech. As the daughter of a First Amendment Defense Attorney, I have grown up understanding the importance of the privilege of freedom of speech, but I have also developed my own ideas about the topic.
Just because you legally can say something doesn’t mean you should.
For someone who preaches free speech, though, it is humorous to me that he talks over and interrupts every single person who speaks. Rather than engaging in a “dialogue” as he says he wants to do, he simply degrades and speaks over every person who tries to make a point.
While I commend the protestors for standing up for all of us, I disagree with their way of protesting.
The hateful speakers claim, “The way this will be perceived by those watching is favorable to us, so thank you.”
And, honestly, they’re right. Don’t give them a stage. Next time they speak somewhere, let them speak to no one. Show them we don’t care enough to show up, we don’t care what they have to say, their hateful speech does not matter to us, and has no effect on our lives, because we know they are wrong.
Rather than engaging these hateful people, showing up and showing them that we care whatsoever about their opinions, would it not be better to simply not show up? Let them speak to no one. Let them see that no one cares what they have to say, and that they are so far removed from the world in which we all live that we will not waste time we could be enjoying our beautiful world filled with diversity and love and hope by sitting in a room fighting a battle with someone who will never understand. You cannot reason with an insane person. You cannot force a hateful person to love.
My mom used to tell me, “Hate is not the opposite of love. Apathy is the opposite of love.”
We should show these people that we simply do not care. There is no place for them on our campus, or in our society, or in our lives. We will not give their poison a platform on which it can spread.
These men claim, “We just want to come talk abut our identity and defend ourselves in the public square.” They hide behind lines like these. Lines about defending themselves, defending their rights, but that is not what they are doing. They are not promoting the idea that they are equal to everyone, they are promoting the idea that they are better. Though these ridiculous, hate-fueled pathetic excuses for humans would disagree with this statement, this is not comparable to the black lives matter movement–a movement which stands up for the rights and equality of an oppressed minority. These white men somehow have become brainwashed and delusional enough to actually believe they are oppressed.
The point is this though, my loves: It is easy to become upset by the bad in the world. It’s easy to see shootings, riots, hatred, and injustice and think the world is in a bad place, but that simply isn’t true.
As Ellen Degeneres often says, there is much more good in the world than there is bad.
There is more love than there is hate.
There is more kindness than evil.
Spread love throughout the world. Spread peace, kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness.
Sending you love today and always, my little chickadees.
Twentysomething Guru 