A Labor Day Message

No idea what today’s title will be as I begin this post. Today is Labor Day. What a loaded term that is, and I will get to that in a minute. I have been pondering the lack of kindness and empathy in the world for several days now, and I honestly don’t understand it. I specifically don’t understand the lack of empathy in my own country, the US, and it bothers me tremendously.

We see ourselves as world leaders, as the poster child for democracy, a melting pot, capitalism, etc. etc. and we say how proud we are of that. Yet, have we not forgotten our roots? We have become exclusive, divisive, and while the socio economic classes are more divided now than ever, the lower classes still defend the upper classes with their dream to become one of them some day. The American Dream right? Wrong. One in a million makes it. Maybe we elevate our station a bit, but let’s face it guys – unless you are born into it, most of us don’t make it to the millionaire’s club. We don’t achieve economic stability and freedom within our own family. And this brings me to what I really wanted to talk about.

Fear is what breeds hate, exclusiveness, unkindness, and often times general bad character. We have been told and taught to fear what is different, what is other, what is not us. We have been taught to fear that someone will take “what is ours.” Joe wants your job, your home, your wife, your car, blah blah blah. Don’t let Joe take that from you. Oh, the irony! I am telling you, it’s there.

Look around at who is really taking from you. It’s not Joe, and it’s not Jose either. Did you really want that chicken factory job that Jose was willing to take? Or the lawn care job? I bet you didn’t. I know I didn’t. Even as a last ditch resort, I’d sit on my unemployment awhile before taking those jobs. Most American’s don’t even want that job at McDonalds, because it doesn’t pay them enough to take care of their family, and let’s face it we aren’t into Service as a culture. We want to be served, but not to serve others. We view it as demeaning, as a culture. And so we have cultivated a culture of entitlement that is only out for “me, me, me.”  And we argue with each other about politicians and about immigrants and all of these things that when you look deeper, you find out it’s all lies anyway. Divide and conquer. That’s an age old strategy and it works.

And don’t get me started on immigration. I recently heard someone spouting off about laws. Ok, so we have laws, and that means you will let some poor kid drown who was fleeing a war that we have in part created and participated in? Yes, we have. Look at world politics, intelligence, etc. We and other countries have indirectly created these situations and our people aren’t willing to take a needy family into their countries or homes? We let humans – HUMANS – die because they didn’t follow the process. If you are so numb and have your head suck up your ass so far that you can’t see that we are all in this together, then I feel sorry for you. I hear self-proclaimed religious people all the time saying such unkind things, that I wonder how they would feel to be in the presence of Jesus saying and doing those unkind things? I hope they would feel an assload of shame. But hey, it’s your karma.

So I’m a little upset about the unkindness in this world and I admit it. It’s easy to go about your lives with a Me, Me, Me mentality. Maybe I didn’t fully appreciate how much kindness, love, and compassion for my fellow beings – all life – meant until I lost so much. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. And it’s not OK for anyone to sit around and let other people be unkind either. You have a voice, so use it. Until every living thing on this planet is treated with love, dignity, and respect, and until everyone is taken care of and safe, I will use my voice. And if I see you being mistreated, I will come to your aid if you can’t help yourself. It’s the right thing to do.

Happy Labor Day. Let’s change the world and not be slaves anymore to this beast that we call finances, politics, and whatever else. Let’s change the world with our love and kindness and with our voice. Let this be a Love Revolution. You will be amazed at the results!

I want to leave you with the inscription on the Statue of Liberty. It is a beacon for the world, and especially for Americans. You – yes YOU – should read, remember, and take this to heart.

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Author: Emma Lazarus

I wonder how many of us, today, will lift our lamps? That’s our heart light. Love, peace, and blessings to you all. #missingerin and Namaste