Saturday, January 9, 2016

Back home I see trouble...

     I have wanted to write my thoughts on what is going on in the States. Even though my main focus is my village and country I've been living for two years, I still browse news feeds to keep up with what is going on back home. 

     I don't like what I see and I am certain I am not alone. 

     I rarely discuss what is going on back home with anyone here. A monologue goes on silently in my head and I make it a point to see all views from different sides of my co-Americans on social media. I like to form an educated opinion, this is why it is important for me to see more than one side. I still lean to the left and I always will. 

     I am seeing a lot of hatred. There is a lot of name calling and belittling others on who they are and what they think. For those who don't have tolerance for others, remember, we live in a country founded on different ideas, but worked together to form a great nation. 

     The division going on in my country will only destroy it. I wish everyone could see it. It doesn't mean people desert their view points, but to find common ground with one another. I know, this is a cliche used by liberal hippies, but give it some thought. I'll bet many grew up listening to Crosby, Stills and Nash, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix. They all stood for peace in the world. There really isn't anything wrong with that. If people continue hating the 'other side', then we will backslide and there will never be peace in our own country or the world we live in. 

     As far as the gun issue is concerned I have a few things to say about it. I see posts on Facebook with the second amendment pasted. Two words stand out: 'well regulated' which I interpret as also meaning: responsible. Gun ownership is not well regulated in our country. And I'm not referring to the mass shootings and criminals who obtain guns illegally or legally for that matter. I'm talking about law-abiding citizens who do have the right to bear arms, which I agree have the right, but the irresponsibility of leaving guns out where their children get a hold of them and either injure or kill themselves or accidentally harm others. I see this as a big problem in our society. If people are going to exercise their right to bear arms they have to do it responsibly. 

     Another issue pertaining to guns is the fear some people have about having their second amendment right taken away. I, for one, do not want my second amendment right taken away even though I don't own a gun. A fear (of having our guns taken away) is fed by extremists, politicians, the uninformed, and lobbyists whose intention is to increase gun sales by attacking proposed laws. Fear is what drives our overzealous need for guns in America and an unreasonable and unnecessary state-of-mind that goes along with this, for example: 'Fight for our right to take back our land!', 'I'm stockpiling my guns when the dems come to take them away and I'm ready to fight!'. Really? This is ludicrous!

     But, these are only my thoughts over here in Zambia. 

     Some may call me a 'bleeding heart liberal' for helping people other than my own country, but in case you don't realize, I am serving my country under the United States of America government. I am a civil servant and an ambassador for my country. I represent the American people in another part of the world. The the skills and insight I am obtaining living in a developing country are unique and I plan to use them when I come back home. I want a strong United States of America and am proud to be an American. 




     So, please, think critically and aim for peace for ourselves and others. We can accomplish this if we work together and abandon division among ourselves






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