I believe...

 I believe black lives matter. No, that doesn't make me a babykiller (???) as somebody claimed on FB.

I believer LGBTQ lives matter. No, I'm not an atheist as somebody claimed.

I believe the earth matters, and it's warming. This doesn't mean I'm not capable of reading or understanding the literature (as an FB commenter said)--it means I take care, when I read, to look at the writers' qualifications.

I believe the Bible matters. That means I read it and pray it; I don't use it to beat up my neighbors or prop up my photograph.

I believe immigrants matter. No, I'm not un-American. The judge who welcomed me to citizenship told me immigrants matter.

I believe refugees matter. No, I'm not a lawbreaker.

I believe wearing masks can save lives. No, I'm not drinking the koolaid; I'm respecting the scientists who've studied epidemiology so much longer and more deeply than I have.

I believe the Portland demonstrations would have been less riotous if not incited by DC interference. But no, whatever my FB commenter says, I'm not a rioter.

I believe in the right to free speech, but not the right to brandish a gun (or a paintgun, or a knife, or teargas, or...) while speaking.

I believe we have a right to be heard, but not to terrorize our neighbors while being heard.

I believe we have a right to speak, and a responsibility to listen. Those whose rights have not been trampled bear the greater responsibility.

And I believe, one day, we may learn to "love our neighbors as ourselves," which includes refugee, immigrant, black, Christian, atheist, LGBTQ, scientist... maybe even politician neighbors.

I believe black lives matter.


Comments

Jean Harkin said…
And I believe you have said it perfectly.

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