That was a taunt in grade school for a lot of us. Growing up into adults was a relief as we found out ways to not be provoked by those grade school antics. We formed friends we liked, moved into neighborhoods we felt comfortable in, and worked at careers that suited us. We believed all of our fellow citizens moved the same ways, forming their lives.
Easily ignored were the facts that others in our country did not have the same lives. That was easily compartmentalized as “those people”. Changes have come to our country, some demanded by those who were the disenfranchised living silently. Changes have come to our media landscape, brought on by the advent of the hand held video smart phone that practically everyone has. Now it is easy to see what is going on in other neighborhoods, through what is brought to us by those video recorders in everyone’s hands.
The easy to repeat phrases in grade school about “liberty and justice for all” became the banner we wrapped our national pride in and held our favorite public figures high as examples of our prowess as a people. But change has happened and that world of the 1950’s mythology that was never true has been illuminated by the video we all are exposed to from the ubiquitous smart phones that show us what is going on in other neighborhoods. Injustice and inequality is quite real.
Now who are we to be in the future we are all wanting for ourselves, and our neighbors. What are you afraid of? Watch out for those people who will tell you to be afraid, and only they can fix that “problem” for you, if only you let them. Be afraid of that.