The Bridge

"I hope that you at this moment will think of yourself as a human being rather than as an American, Asian, European, African, or member of any particular country. These loyalties are secondary. If you and I find common ground as human beings, we will communicate on a basic level." Dalai Lama

I have always felt that there is one race, the human race, and that is all that really counts. Whatever our differences we are still the same under the skin. We still have the same basic needs for food, water, clothing and shelter if we are to physically survive. We need to be able to communicate with our fellow beings to survive socially.

That is why bigotry in any form bothers me so much. Once we start down that road of hatred towards any being based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, politics, mental or physical abilities we diminish them and ourselves in God's eyes. He made each of us in his image which means that every being is part of him. You can't be prejudice against another being for whatever reason you hold in your heart and not be prejudiced against God. That is why religious intolerance is one of the most abhorrent bigotries of all because it goes against God himself by trying to diminish one of his creatures.

It is not possible to be a Pollyanna in this world. We are human and we have our likes and dislikes. Their are going to be people you just can't stand. Their are going to be people that you love more then others or at least love in a different way. My brother was commenting to my Mom that he thought I loved Pixie more then Merlin. It may seem a silly example to talk about two cats but there is a lesson here. I love both of the cats of course. Merlin is 8 years old and I've had him since he was four weeks old. He is a moody cat and alternates between wanting to be held and trying to bite you if you touch him. I treat him according to what mood he is in. He sets the tone of our relationship. I still love him as much as always. Pixie is a bundle of baby pick me up and cuddle me. She has the brighter kitten personality where she still craves a mommy's attention. I am more openly affectionate with her because that is what she desires. I don't love her more then Merlin but I do treat them according to their own wishes and desires.

I come from a large familywith four brothers. My relationship with each of my brothers is different because they are four very different individuals. Our history of a relationship is different in each case. I love them all but we all interact on different levels.

Their are people I don't prefer to interact with because I just don't like them. I am careful to make sure that I don't let that dislike turn into hatred because once you allow that emotion into your soul you are letting in Satan. It is possible to condemn the actions of people without damning the person. It is hard to remember sometimes that we are all God's creatures and even the ones who turn to evil are still His creatures.

Today is Martin Luther king Day. I grew up in the era that saw his assassination along with that of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Robert Kennedy. I grew up in the era of civil rights. I grew up in the era of the Vietnam War protests. My little brother gave me Senator Barak Obama's The Audacity of Hope in a package addressed to "you left wing hippy you". I am impressed with the Senator's ability to be able to differentiate between not liking the politics of his opponents and still getting across the fact that however much you disagree politically we are still one people. I was in Illinois when he ran for the Senate and I was impressed with the fact that he never had one negative campaign ad. His ads were all about what he wanted to do and accomplish not personal attacks on his opponent. That is what politics should be about. It should be the debate of ideas and programs and not the tearing down of people who don't agree with you. Debate the ideas not the man.

Whatever our differences we are still human beings and that should be the bridge that unites us. The bridge needs to be anchored firmly on both sides if it is to stand.