There's a big bully that makes me angry every day.
He's so big in time and place that I often feel helpless and don't know what to do.
His power seems insurmountable and his disregard for people great. Yet many follow this bully and condone his mean spirited, demeaning, and disrespectful acts. Why do they do this?
I imagine this is how the Jews felt in Germany. They had prosperous businesses, loving families, and good culture, and then a big bully came and destroyed their lives. How could that happen?
I imagine this happened in Nigeria where good families were educating their daughters only to see them kidnapped, raped, and harmed. How could that happen?
I imagine this happened in the Congo when big bullies came to murder, rape, and pillage innocent people, and it happened in Syria too.
Big bullies infected the United States as they enslaved African Americans, and still today billions of dollars are made by people all over the world by enslaving women and men in human trafficking to increase wealth by the misuse of others.
How do we take down big bullies--those self serving, violent, and destructive individuals and groups whose aim is to uplift their own wealth and power by abusing, murdering, and disrespecting others--what can we do, and how do we help those who support this bully action to see the truth of these evil ways.
Where do we start?
First we have to work to rid ourselves of any bully worship or action. We have to look at what we do in our own lives to elevate the acts of bullies--the kinds of people that tear at the peoples' safety, dignity, and right to live fair and equally.
Then we have to organize, work with others to elevate good living and tear down the structures that enable some to live with unbelievable wealth and privilege while others don't have enough food to put on their tables, land/homes to live in, proper health care, access to quality education, and a clean environment. No one needs billions, but everyone needs an adequate standard of living. Fair taxation and laws can protect people's rights to be happy and successful while ensuring there's enough care and support to go around. I believe that algorithm exists.
We can't condone greed, disrespect, prejudice, and hate--we can't accept it in ourselves or anyone else least of all those who are wealthy and powerful. We have to hold leaders accountable for their actions and we can't allow them to reap great benefit from our hard earned dollars, votes, and efforts if they are going to turn around and serve only themselves and other rich and powerful people. There are laws for reasons and we have to use those laws or change those laws to forward dignity and respect for all people.
The intelligent, good, and wise amongst us have to stand up in the face of inhumanity and indignity for what is right and good--we have to look for ways to do better and rid our societies of the evils that exist, evils that take innocent lives, evils that allow children to live in squalor and poverty, evils that force some to live in polluted environments, evils that prevent people from getting good health care and education, and evils that seek to lift up only a few while leaving the rest of us behind.
We can do better. We are a good people. We need to organize to lift up the lives of all. We can do this.
