Did you know I am not a republican? At least not at heart. As a matter of fact I am not a Democrat or do I prefer any collective party affiliation. Does this surprise you? I know it surprises many Democrats because so many assume what they don't know. Truth be told, I am a Truthocrat.
I am a political activist. It seems to me that I have been politically active for a long time... a long, long time. Days seem like weeks, weeks seem like months, months like years and years like decades. As any activist knows, it seems that there are minefields wherever we step and navigating through them takes practice and even when we feel we think we have it figured out, we find out we don't and still have more to learn than we thought we did. The constant ability to listen and learn is crucial in what we do and when you think you know it all, you find out you stepped where you shouldn't have then hope and pray you can reverse where you misstepped.
I am sure you know that I have difficulty expressing myself in a way that I desire others to truly understand my position from time to time. I know, like many of you, what we say, especially on Facebook an be taken differently than we wish and if we would have just changed what we said a little maybe it would have made all the difference, right? I am not so sure, at least all the time, because what others may have understood, still others wouldn't have so we do find ourselves trying to navigate through these chaotic times as peacefully as possible spreading the message we hope to, even with the multitude of frustrations that have become so invasive they suck us in. As hard as we try to remove ourselves from them, these elements still do what they can to suck us in and make us all part of something we prefer not to be a part of. This CV-19 issue and its ridiculously ambiguous and unlawful orders are a perfect example.
My current thought this morning overwhelms me when I think about all of the people I have met and interacted with for the last 15 or so years. Governors, legislators, police chiefs, sheriffs, commissioners, business people and all of the people I have met in our world of activism from all political and religious beliefs, that were all actually crucial in how I got to where I am today.
There were those that were reluctant to meet me at first and took that chance, then some realized they liked me for who I was or what I was fighting for. Then there are some that didn't really understand but liked something about what I was doing that still allowed us to get to know one another and some of course that dislike me for what they either know or don't know about me. An example of this is like my favorite agenda item with outreach to law enforcement. No matter how the conversation goes, (mostly great) I still felt so good. It was like I did my bit for the day to make the world a better place by expressing my desire to always communicate even when we may disagree.
The issue this morning is knowing all of this, and seeing all that is happening to our country, and wondering if I will have to choose sides? Will I now have to decide which 'group" of friends I choose to stand with? When I do, will I have the mental and emotional capacity to just choose one side and live with that decision and never look back or if I have to choose will I be rejected by the other? Could I do that? Will I have to and worst of all, will the government force me to?
If you have known or followed me for any amount of time, you may have heard me say, "Have you heard of the old adage: The one with the most toys wins? I never cared about toys, when I die I just wanted to know the greatest number of people?" It's true.
Today, I clarify what may be earlier misunderstood: I didn't want to die knowing the most people then have to choose or be forced to choose who my friends are, it was to try to become friends with them all and keep as many as possible. I never imagined that the government as abusive as it has become would become divisive to the degree that it would force me to make that choice, essentially choosing who my friends are for me! The thought is unconscionable.
So whether you are a cop, an activist, a maintenance man, student or a businessman, fellow activist, or Democrat I value knowing you and if I ever have to choose a side, it will never be because I wanted to, it will be because I was forced. I pray to God with all I have that never happens.
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