Taking a Stand

The previous two posts in blog deal with me posting comments to alleviate hatred I found online. This post deals with the reasoning behind my actions.

For those who are curious, the article in question can be found here:

http://news.yahoo.com/officers-shoot-kill-man-knife-st-louis-suburb-153024453.html?bcmt=1429386425672-a7749708-5d0a-4136-8349-3cae7ce5238b_00002g000000000000000000000000-be6d34c3-3d2d-4190-9a61-6020e1bd9c94&bcmt_s=u#mediacommentsugc_container

My comment was removed- but that fact, nor the reasons why are not the point of this post.

Something I've been doing lately is scrolling through articles I find. Typically they relate to issues of police shootings/conduct, or issues of inequality, namely racial.

Note:
I do not believe that all police are bad, corrupt, or abusive of their positions.
I do believe that some are.

I do not believe that all of any given group apprehended by, assaulted by, or killed by police are all innocent.
I do believe that some are.

I read the articles in question, hoping to find people calling out the real issues, hoping for the outrage of the situation(typically a lack of information more than anything we are told happens), and maybe reaffirming the truth that bias among groups is not dead.

After finding very few of the former, and very much of the latter, I realized something. If there were people like me, outraged at the baiting(of all sides, not just a few), they were likely doing the same as I was- hoping to find someone else aware of the real problem. 

No one wants to go first.

This is true for a lot of things, especially apologizing or engaging in battles. People like to assume that the first person to apologize is the only person who did wrong, and therefore the only one worthy of retribution or required to pay reparation.

People don't like to be the first on the field where they may be attacked in the open by those who launch attacks in great numbers from the safety of the sidelines.

It is easy to pick a side, roll with a majority on hating one side or another, or at least following along. It is easy to say nothing and give no opinion. It is difficult to call attention to the true issues, or say the unpopular thing, for then people may turn their hate on you, and they may seek your image, your possessions, your life.

I'm realizing now that as long as I stay silent, waiting, watching, others like me who might see the things I do will do the same- waiting, watching, hoping- and do so unaware that they are not alone in seeing a bigger picture.

That's what oppressors count on- the silence of people who know what's going on isn't right, the fear of being judged for speaking out against the majority. After all, if no one complains, those who hold the power can assume there is no problem, even if they know there is.

That is not the Acceptance Theory that I believe in. I believe in accepting people, regardless of their background, taking measures only against their character- how they treat other people. I don't believe in accepting hate, or suffering, or a corrupt and biased society, where some people have to fear being who they are because 'that's just how things are'. Things are as they are because people tolerate them.

Society can be better. It can be a place where all people have a chance to live, learn, and grow without being persecuted or limited arbitrarily- but if we want to truly live in such a society, we have to remind ourselves that we are not, in fact, okay with the inequalities, the violence, the starvation and the suffering. We have to make these concerns heard, truly heard.

And yes. Sometimes, we have to go first.