Perhaps our greatest fault as a society is turning every public statement or dilemma into a political storm divided at the core. Every mass shooting and domestic violence case seems to be grieved upon for a couple hours before it thunders over the fault of our government. Our confirmation biases towards our political affiliations often outweigh the importance of the common good.
Anything we can find to support our party, is pounced upon, no matter the sensitivity. But is that really the best way to do it? Yes, our government sets laws and regulations worth fighting for; however, why does it take a catastrophic event to provoke our willingness to make a change. The greatest changes come at the hands of cohesion, not division. Cohesion on a national scale is quite grouped, so we must look to a place where we all call home. Our neighborhoods.
That’s exactly what Matthew Bucher, a Virginian pastor, had in mind.
Bucher noticed that his hometown of Harrisonburg Virginia was becoming more diverse. In the wake of the primary debates, he wanted the community to go beyond the headlines of the major news outlet into the streets of their neighborhoods. These signs have spread throughout country, as they are simple yet paramount. A movement started in the 1950’s is far from over. Employment opportunities have shown to favor some backgrounds over others and our police forces have tended to treat African Americans differently than others. Nationalists passionately pledge to the idea of ‘”merica,” and if you aren’t from here you can leave.
I challenge them.
Being an american today, doesn’t have an image, sound, or birthplace. Yes, the process of citizenship must be met; however, being american is a mentality built upon the foundation hard work and the acceptance of diversity. When we fail to accept others, we aren’t sticking up for our American pride, we are tearing it down.
The sign popping up in neighborhoods probably tilted heads as it was wrongly placed into the schema of politics. It’s not political, it’s the new American way as we look to erase hate. Often times we look to tackle the whole problem at once, and nothing will ever be resolved. Like most instances, to solve the overall problem we must start small, and there is no better place than our neighborhoods.
A true neighborhood has no boundaries. It is a place where we can freely walk upon a a sidewalk of welcoming. Just like moving into a new home, you may become weary of how people look at you, but after a short period of time you realize how similar we all are. Our differences bring us together.
If our country was like a neighborhood, we’d be setting our sails, with the wind at our backs, towards a better tomorrow.