​             Remember when we were little and we were told to toughen up when someone hurt our feelings?   While it was hard to do, overtime we learned that if we could do this, it would help us, not only as children, but it would help us to lead a full and healthy adult life.  In life, it doesn’t matter who you are, at some point everyone will be the victim of bullying and pretty much everyone will be a practitioner of some sort.  Even if the bullying is just making fun of a bully.   
            We all need to take responsibility for our actions.  Bottom-line, none of us are perfect and we all need to learn a couple things about life.  For those of you who believe bullying is the silent killer, I suggest you look from a different perspective.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I do think we need to encourage our children to not be bullies.  It is smart to work with our school and after-school systems to seek out and stop bullying where we can.  But we also need to understand human nature.  Kids will be kids, and we need to teach our kids how to deal with negative circumstances.  In the media, bullying is presented in a form that seems overwhelming for kids to handle on their own.  Instead of encouraging kids to stand up to bullies, we are giving them hundreds of different websites, counselors and 1-800 Dial Lines to find help elsewhere.   
            Remember the great American Movies that showed the nerdy protagonist stand up to the bully?  Christmas is coming up and one of my favorite holiday movies is “A Christmas Story.”  For those of you who remember and/or have watched the film, there was a very memorable bullying scene.  In the scene the protagonist (Ralphie), finally stands up to the bully and beats the ever-living piss out of him.  For those of you who thought that was wrong of Ralphie to do, unfortunately you have forgotten what it means to be an American.  The underdog despite being outmanned and outgunned, eventually gets fed up with living in fear.  The chances of a victory might not be high, but the passion and bravery it takes to stand up to someone is very admirable to say the least. 
            Believe it or not, I used to get bullied A LOT when I was younger.  Yeah, I know, sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.  When I was in elementary school, I would come home and cry in my bathroom every day because people called me “Fatty,” or my personal favorite “Pepperoni Nipples.”  I guess I had fully developed nipples at a young age….  Then, because of an action of mine, things changed.  One day all the stars aligned and I stood up to my bully.  I threw a fist with all my might, and missed the bully by 3 feet.  The funniest part of the story is that I was a foot taller and 50 pounds heavier than the kid who made my elementary school experience seemingly unbearable.  That swing and miss scared away the bully.  So, once I threw that punch, I was never picked on again by that kid or anyone else to be honest.  All that time I spent crying my eyes out at home could have ended if I just grew a pair and stood up for myself from the beginning. 
            We now live in the age of cyberbullying!!!!  You want me to tell you how to stop cyberbullying?  Some of that cyberbullying is caused by us in the first place.  That is, EVERYONE, STOP SENDING NUDESSSSSS or provocative pictures of yourselves……..  If you don’t know by now, if you send any pictures to anyone, it is getting out.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  If anything is put up online, it is permanent.  Again, no ifs, ands, or buts.   If you continue to make the same mistakes, I am not going to raise a shit ton of money for cyber-bullying awareness.  Especially when it’s your boy who can’t stop taking pictures of his piper.  Please, don’t waste our money or time……. You can’t cry out “POOR ME” and/or “It’s not my fault!” when the pictures go viral throughout the school.  So, make sure our kids clearly understand the risk with having the world of communication and information in the palm of their hands.
            Now, even if you don’t send inappropriate stuff out, there is still lots of cyberbullying out there.  So, if people say mean things about you online, you simply confront them the next day at school or work or wherever face to face.  When people talk mean and tough online, you should wait and see how cowardly they are in person.
           So, if you find yourself crying in the bathroom like little Jason once did, remember how good it will feel once you free yourself from being bullied.  Truth is, most bullies are cowards.  If we teach our kids how to deal with bullies honestly as parents, bullying will become something we laugh about.  Bullying would cease to exist when fear is removed from the person being bullied.  This makes fear the bully’s weapon of choice.  You remove fear, (the thing that makes it all worth it for the bully) and you my friends, have freedom. 

​ I know this seems crazy, but I wish everyone had the experience of being in a fist fight. Oh boy, my mother is going to kick my ass for this post. But seriously, you learn so many life lessons the second you “throw hands” or fight someone. The first lesson you learn is vulnerability. When you get that first punch to the face, God blesses you with the new-found wisdom of how fragile humans really are. Being hit by someone else quickly stops the world from revolving around you. The second lesson you learn or are faced with is courage. When your physical self is hurt, or is at risk of being hurt, you find out if you are courageous or cowardly. Also known as the instinct of fight or flight. And, the third and final lesson you learn is how to cope with and conquer REAL FEAR.
I know what you are thinking, what do I know about fighting? Truth is, the suburb, where I grew up, was a haven for teenage fighting. The UFC was huge back then (and still is, I believe). Everyone wanted to be Chuck Liddell. So our neighborhood, like so many others, had a fight club. I think it is safe to talk about it now that we are in our mid-twenties. At the time, none of our parents knew about it and of course, none of the kids involved told. It was like a weird secret among us boys. Quite honestly, it was very much like the movie “Fight Club!”
We would meet every Friday night behind the gym of the middle school. Didn’t matter if you wanted to fight or not, eventually everyone had to. I will never forget the moment of my first fight at this “middle school fight night.” I remember I didn’t want to do it. I was scared shitless of fighting, but, like most boys, your time comes. When the time came to choose “fight or flight” my instincts were to attack. Initially, I took 2 punches to the stomach and 2 to the face. After a slow start, a demon jumped out of me. It was as if a monster or the animal instinct inside of me was released. I won that fight, but I was never the same. I thought I was always “Jolly Jason.” You know like the funny, picked on fat little kid. Yet, I found out, with those fights, that there was another part of me I had never tapped into before… The part of me there to specifically protect, and push me forward when attacked.
I learned so much from that first fight and the fights that came after that. I learned to react quickly and not hold back. I experienced fear and learned to become comfortable with it. It was inspiring to see how courageous I could be when I was challenged. Much like life, when you lose a fight, it hurts. Whether I won the fight or not, I realized I was overcoming fear every time somebody called me out.
My whole life my parents gave me everything I could have ever wanted. They did everything they could to protect me. But the one thing they couldn’t protect me from was my peers. And those peers could be ruthless when you were a fat kid with glasses. Despite living in a nice neighborhood, there was a seemingly secret law of boyhood. And that was survival of the fittest. And with the fight club, I was given opportunity to prove I was one of the fittest.
I truly believe those fight clubs bred strong men. Several of the guys who grew up fighting in our fight club went on to play in Division One and Professional Football. We all grew up in a system where we were forced to conquer fear at a young age. Yes, it might seem animalistic, but the truth was we were all afraid in the beginning. And whether we liked it or not, we were forced to overcome that fear.
To this day, I have accomplished many things because of conquering that fear when I was a boy. In my mind, nothing will ever be as terrifying as that feeling I had swinging fists in the circle behind the middle school gym. It’s funny how fear becomes friendly once you show it who’s the boss.

​    Considering our history, many perceive that being something other than Caucasian can put you at risk for discrimination and unjust treatment.  Even though there are plenty of cultures who have been, or are, discriminated against, I predominantly want to talk about the big 3.  The African American, Native American, and Jewish populations have been victims of some of the most horrific discriminatory unjust actions ever to plague mankind.  African Americans were forced into slavery and taken away from their home countries, Native Americans were massacred and conquered, and the Jews had the horrors of a mass genocide.  Sure, these acts were terrible and deserve the emotions that come with them. But my question is, “Can we ever forgive and move forward?  Or is this something each race will keep in their back pockets and bring out as needed to perpetuate the guilt on generations far removed from the original atrocities?”
    Now I am not recommending we forget.  Fuck no, we should never forget these horrible acts.  What I am saying is for society to move forward, we must learn from these harsh times and all must move forward together.  Everyone has their reasons to hold grudges, but victimizing yourself and not letting go will only make your situation worse.
    Half of my family happens to be Jewish, so when I looked at the horrors of the Concentration Camps, they truly affect me.  Sure, I learned about slavery and even the horrors behind Thanksgiving.  But when I learned about the terror that happened to “my people” in Germany, it really pissed me off.  Since I had a personal connection (I am half-Jewish), I felt entitled to argue Jewish people, my ancestors, had it “way-worse” than anybody else and deserve restitution.  As I grew up I started to recognize just how stupid that was.  
    I was born in 1992 in America and never had to deal with those atrocities.  I literally had no personal reason to guilt people into feeling bad for me.  Instead, I started thinking about how many people thought like me.  Slavery ended in the 1800’s, Native Americans were given casinos and land, and the Jewish population survived the genocide and have prospered in Hollywood.  Everyone from these cultures can argue that they still face discrimination in this country and deserve.  But I would argue back saying we have come a long way.  And the only way we will move forward is to stop being a victim and finally forgive.
    Most people say nothing could ever heal the wounds from these tragedies.  I would argue that point too.  I believe it is time for all of us to learn from our history.  We must stop having such an obsessive view of just negative perspectives.  It took humanity a native conquest, slavery, and even a genocide to understand everyone is created equal.  All these horrific things should have taught the world that the color of your skin should not reflect who you are.  For those of you still holding grudges, it is time to move on.   Let’s show our ancestors what they really fought and died for made a difference, rather than living in the past.

              If you are alive and have ears, then you have probably heard about the Russian interference with our election.  More recently, the evidence is showing that the Russians intent was much more than just about trying to swing an election.  Instead of just interference it seems that their focus was to DIVIDE this nation.  Some have said the initial interference was for the benefit of a certain party, but the truth seems to be that the Russians had a much more nefarious agenda hiding up their sleeves.  I firmly believe the Russians want to see the removal of “United” in the “United States.” 
            If I was a leader of Russia, I would want to see the demise of capitalism too.  So, they came up with a brilliant plan.  A plan that undermines the information given to our people.  Focusing on the presence of differences in this nation through arguments with ignorant tones.  Publicizing and propagating our differences as a country, instead of providing platforms for understanding each point of view.
            The saddest part to me is that the Russians have been successful and are damn close to completing their American divisional agenda.  Using nothing but our own popular media and social media.  Not only have the Russians focused on hateful messages through Facebook and Twitter, but we are now even hearing how they used Pokemon Go! They are freaking using Pokemon Go and other applications to create divisive campaigns such as “Don’t Shoot Us.”  How crazy is that?!  And, guess what, it has worked.
             Our nation is more divided then ever.  It wouldn’t surprise me if Russia had been and continues to portray America as a failing government and economic system.  The Russians would love nothing more than to see this country’s unhappy lower class go to war with the upper class.  Doing this in the hopes that another Civil War or revolution would occur within our country.  A revolution that would show that capitalism is a corrupt and failing system. 
            Now I am here to ask you a couple questions.  “Do you know what freedom is?”  And, “Do you want Russia to win?”  Freedom is not about forming hateful judgements and divisiveness after watching a video.  Instead, freedom provides us the ability to hear all points of an argument and allows us the opportunity to create a moderate understanding that is both socially and economically positive for all.  It is not just about taking a side that benefits you and only you. 
            You see, if you are an extreme Trump lover or hater (seeing ZERO FLAWS in a certain side), you are in the wrong.  Regardless of your beliefs, we all need to be supportive of this government and this country.  We can certainly disagree with a policy/decision/change.  We all come from different places, so it should be common for us all to have differences.  Instead of spewing hateful words at each other, we must start working together to try and compromise.  We cannot let the Russian agenda prevail.
            As I look at the Russian plan, I must laugh (maybe cry) at the fact that it has gone this far.  I am an optimist so mark my words “this country is going to move forward together.”  I will forever look at this moment in time as the growing pains before America finally took a step into the future.  A future filled with love and understanding.  The same future my parents and their parents dreamed about when they were my age.  And so I say, it is about damn time to become the “United States” again.

​             In the era of convenience, social media has changed the dating game forever.  The “swiping” dating movement has eliminated the need to find a compatible match.  Basically, these swiping apps say, “do whatever you want.”   If it looks good, “do it.”   It is not about finding that special person.  It is about f*cking that attractive person.  This has created a sexual frenzy among millennials.  Before the internet and the evolution of dating apps, the opportunity for sex usually had to go through a process.  You had to go somewhere, meet someone, and then “get busy” J.  Now, it seems people are barely meeting before banging.  In fact, the people who want to be promiscuous now have all the opportunities in the world to do so.  And, of course, it is their right as free Americans to live a sexually liberated lifestyle if they want to.  But personally, I miss the effort of trying to connect to someone.  Swiping to get sex was personally just a phase for me. 
            The key thing I feel those swiping apps killed was chivalry.  Many of the women I “swiped” appeared to disregard and reject the idea of chivalry.   We are millennials bred in a world of supposed love convenience, and with that has come the death of chivalry.  Believe it or not, I met women who hated when I opened the door for them.  They were convinced chivalry was an act of sexism…  Can you believe that?  Yeah, I couldn’t either.  Well, I guess it’s about time I try to put an end to this madness.
            You see Chivalry is an act of pride.  Yes, I understand many people would say pride can be an evil thing.  And, at times, I would probably agree with them.  However, being chivalrous is more than that.  It is an act of courtesy, politeness and respect.  It is also something that can confirm feelings for someone.  A man chooses to take care of a woman because she is sacred to him.  Not because we are “the provider” of the relationship.  But, instead, because we respect and cherish our partners.  If a man happens to take pride in taking care of his family, no one has the right to tell him or his family that they are living “incorrectly.”  We men are simple and like doing nice things for women who mean a lot to us.  I guess there are women who don’t understand that.  Instead some men and women would rather stereotype the act as misogynistic.  Chivalry was something beautiful that women loved, and men secretly did too.  Maybe it is time we find a way to bring it back for our children’s sakes. 
            We need to again take the time to meet, understand and respect each other.  It can’t just be about convenience and speed to the deed.   So, for all you guys out there that still believe in being chivalrous and respectful, I tip my cap to you.  For those that don’t, please rethink your actions.  We are different than women and we should embrace that.  Women out there need chivalry to show how special they really are to men.  Maybe if chivalry was more present, the self-esteem of women, and even men, for that matter, would improve.   

                  Today, because of misusing the public’s trust, much of our media has become hateful biased propaganda.  And, compounding this, we (as humans) have been wired to subliminally receive these messages from this deceptive media without truly questioning the legitimacy of the messages.  Instead of the media releasing factual non-opinionated news, their “news” has dug our society deeper into the “hateful” hole.  Whether it is “Fake” news or just “half baked” news, the impact it is having on our society today is moving us backwards. This worries me greatly for our children, and those naïve adults living in our nation today.  
                  People who already have an opinion or stance based on an isolated upbringing are further pushed to the extreme by the media.  This is especially true for people who have not mingled outside of the beliefs and norms of the culture they grew up in.  This group (not mingling with other cultures) is very dangerous in times like these.  Those types of people tend to be ignorant and easily swayed in arguments driven by hate.  The more people interact and befriend people from different backgrounds and cultures, the more they are “aware” and/or “awake” through their personal experiences. You learn the more you listen and you better understand how to eliminate the  lines drawn between sides.         
                  So, as we watch our public media, “How can we watch it more effectively?”  First and foremost, we must begin to understand each other’s perspectives on life.  Get out of your bubble people.  Then, we must question everything we hear.  We must try to determine what is fact and what is opinion.    We must learn to respect each other.  I mean remember what you learned in kindergarten.  Treat everyone as you want to be treated.  We must ask questions about everything we hear.  This is a cognitive right as humans living on this planet.  For example, if the information sways my emotions, what could possibly be the motive or even the reason behind it?  To say media just “puts the facts out” is preposterous in today’s world.  Our media is highly sophisticated and incredibly trained to deliver its messages for its entertainment and political agenda.  We certainly cannot say that our media “doesn’t think” before releasing information.  That would just be a dumb and naïve statement to make.
                  Bottom-line, I encourage everyone to better understand all cultures and the challenges each culture faces.   But above all, question everything.  It is a RIGHT!!! So, don’t give it up.  That is our guaranteed freedom in this country.  Hate the opinions or love the opinions, always listen to the opinions.  When our media shows us in chaos, I, instead, see a country searching for chemistry and commonality.  Information, itself, can be a weapon.  When used to destroy, someone is always benefitting from the destruction.  Never let someone else tell you who your enemies are.   Just because someone thinks  differently, does not make them your enemy.

                This has been a very emotional week for America.  First hurricanes, and now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. History.  My parents were at the concert where the shooting took place and they said the sounds, screams, and horrors were indescribable.  With nearly 60 dead and 500 injured, many questions are directed towards “why?”  Was it mental illness or was it something different.  One theory I heard is that the anger resulting in the horror was directed at the type of people attending the concert.  If you have been to a country music concert, you know that they tend to have very patriotic crowds.  There is seemingly more red, white and blue in a country concert than anywhere else.  Of course, you would think that a patriotic crowd shouldn’t find many enemies in their own country, right?  Well, maybe times have just changed.  It used to be that the majority would considered patriots as the backbone of this country.  However, over the past few years, the media has completely changed the way many view patriots.  It seems like it’s no longer popular, trendy, or cool to be patriotic.
            In the early to mid 2000’s (following 9/11), the media rallied the country together and patriotism was rampant.  It was the most politically correct type of person to be.  Whether you were a proud marine or just a proud citizen, being patriotic was a must if you lived in the United States.  We sang “God Bless America” during the 7th inning stretch instead of “Take Me Out to The Ballgame.”  Shit, National Anthems were sang with pride and brought people of this nation from all different backgrounds together.  We were united against one common enemy and that enemy was not ourselves.  And then things started to change.   
            Have you noticed the difference in the way the media portrays patriotism now versus before?  Over the past few years, and especially since Trump walked into the oval office, patriotism started to be seen differently.  Now it seems like people view patriotic “flag wavers” as racist, white, and misguided Americans.  Anti-patriotism actions, whether they be burning the flag or protesting during the National Anthem, have garnered more positive reactions than ever imagined.  We seem to be more divided then ever.  Okay, so the key question is how much of this is real and/or how much of this has been driven by our media.  Did our hatred of those that bombed us on 9/11 lead the country to seeing different religions and/or different skin colors more negatively than before? This, in turn, may have lead us into the current divide we find ourselves in?  Or has all of this just been the media driving hateful publicity.  If so, what are the media’s motives behind changing the perspective of the nation?  And, more importantly, what can we do to change that?
            For our country to succeed we need to believe in the ideals that this country was founded on.  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the values patriots hold dear to their hearts.  They are values we have and continue to fight for.  Obviously we have fallen short at times.  But, we keep trying.  That’s the American way.  Regardless of race, social class, and/or religious beliefs, we are all American.  I am not saying that there are zero flaws in patriotism.  But what I am saying is that Patriotism happens to be the one thing that can unite us and bring this nation together.  I find it very interesting that the media would want to destroy something that binds us.  Instead of using the power to build patriotic morale, it appears the media is deliberately trying to destroy it.
            Everyone understands this is the home of the free because of the brave.  But maybe it’s time to make this place the land of the brave as well.  Not by stomping on our flag, but instead by working together as Americans to fix problems.  So, stand up America and have pride in yourselves and this country.  We, the people, support this country because we live here and it provides us with a plethora of opportunities.  And if you have a problem with that, you can get the hell out.

             Amid all this media chaos, some are starting to believe our democracy is failing.  Having a president some would consider a false president who appears to favor the upper class is scaring many across our country.  Instead of rightfully praising our democracy, people are starting to blame our faults on it.  When people should be entrusting their lives and livelihoods to their government, many find themselves questioning the true intentions of their political leaders.  Are these leaders trying to do what is best for their country, or what is best for themselves?  I know, it’s the trillion-dollar question all common people ask before casting their valuable vote.  Of course, the other question is, are these new leaders SO much worse than former “polished” leaders?  Or do we just have more access to information about them than we did before?
             We might never know if our political leaders are really working for us or hiding selfish intentions, but nevertheless morality in our leaders is needed for our democracy to prevail.  The only reason our democracy is still here is because society felt like it was the morally right thing to do for all.  The minute democracy becomes tethered in lies and morality is loss, democracy fails.
            I understand our government has not been completely honest with the people of this great nation.  Although, I believe this is wrong, it is not the end of our democracy.  Instead, I believe our country is approaching a very important crossroad in human history.  A time where lies can’t be erased and information is more difficult to hide than ever.  Through technical advances to the World Wide Web, some of the most inaccessible secrets and information have become accessible to the common person.  Hell yeah!  Power to the People!
            This flip in the power of knowledge has placed our government in a spot where it has never been before.  A spot where most people living in America distrust traditional politicians.  Think about it.  What if we could record everything you or I have said in our lives, every lie (be it big or small), every conflict of statement, every rude comment, etc.  and play it back to attack something we do or say today.  Not many of us would look too perfect.  But most of us see ourselves as moral human beings.  And the same goes for our government.  Some of those “polished” politicians of today are hiding lies and doing whatever they need to do to get elected. This critical moment in time gives people sources to carefully watch the government and every move it makes.  Giving us access to a “shit ton” of information, has proven past politicians are hypocrites and even worse, Moral Liars.  The worst kind in my book.  
But then, some of our most beloved politicians from JFK to FDR to Clinton and even Lincoln were talented liars and hid many secrets.  Many traditional politicians promised all sorts of things to get elected and then didn’t deliver once in office.  Having so much hypocrisy in our government has created a monster of doubt in traditional politics.  A doubt that led us to where we are today.  The funniest thing to me is that a government could restrain and suppress this monster just by being honest with it’s people.  Overall, exemplifying an administration of morality, which should naturally sway the majority anyway.  That is because most people in this country are good people who make good decisions when presented the truth.  Hell, maybe that’s is why they call it the “MORAL MAJORITY”! 
            Anyway, has our old way of electing politicians (and believing they would do as they say) been working?  In my opinion this election proved that “the people” believed they had enough with traditional politicians and their pretty ways of talking.  “The People” would rather deal with a wolf that may deliver what he promises, than wolves in sheep’s clothing that won’t.  The election showed “The People” would rather deal with someone who is naïve, foolish and even stupid than someone who is so polished and with the ability to cover their lies and/or indiscretions.  Our country voted a notable and narcissistic dumbass into office instead of another politician with words that could convince angels to leave heaven.  An inevitable decision in my opinion.  A decision society made after countless political disappointments over the last 100 years or so. 
            As much as many people seem to hate our current president, he seems to be delivering what he promised those who elected him (other than his dumbass public comments).   Just goes to show you how much people just wanted a leader that they believe to be truthful.  Whether he is or is not, is another question I will leave to each reader to answer.  Truth is hard to come by without the wholesome morality of our government.  Hopefully, our democracy won’t fall before our government learns its lesson.  We desperately need a government that realizes being open and honest with it’s people is the path to real success. 

            I am sure you are all aware of the political circus cruising around the NFL like a virus in a retirement home?  The reason for this, in my opinion, has little to do with our American flag.  In fact, I consider the flag to be the “fall-guy” for a very real situation occurring in the United States.  What do you do when you have a very dedicated military veteran and his family and friends who are passionate about the flag and what they believe it stands for, against another family who has lost someone close to them due to racially targeted police brutality they believe is rampant in our country?  Well, what you have is a never-ending war against each other between two parties of people emotionally ignorant of the other’s pain because of their own painful loss.  Not because both reasons aren’t justified, but because both have experienced what real terror is and both are trying to make their situation better.  So, we are faced with what seems to be escalating racial tensions at a time when race relations should be getting better. 
So, what has happened and how do we fix it?  Does kneeling for the National Anthem really do anything to improve the situation?  In fact, to a certain degree we have lost sight of what the original intent of the protests were for.  We have moved from protesting racially targeted police brutality to showing solidarity against our president’s goofy tweets.  But let’s put that aside for a moment and get back to the real issue.  The opinions of both sides of the fight will be difficult to change.  To be honest, if you really took the time to understand both perspectives, you would probably not blame either of them for reacting the way they are?
            I have had many family members fight in wars.  They would tell me there is no description for it.  My grandpa always said, “I wish people knew the reason why we still have this country.  If they knew the real evil out there, they would lay the red carpet out for every soldier arriving back in the United States.  They would cherish the flag and it’s meaning above all else.”  Now I don’t know what war looks like myself and I hope I never will, but I do know that many hold our flag as a very emotional symbol representing what they and others have fought and died for.  I’d be ignorant if I didn’t understand that.  Wouldn’t you if you had friends die by your side protecting the flag people are supposedly “disrespecting” now?  Hell, we even had children’s game (Capture the Flag) to establish how important a flag was.  Bottom-line, most of the people kneeling in the NFL have not fought in a war to protect our country and can’t relate to the emotions involved with the American flag.  We are the land of the free because of the brave.  Patriotism is a key part of the fabric of our country.
            However, now let’s talk about the other side.  This side, which I have learned to better understand, is the side that is most difficult for many to understand and it is, in fact, despised by many Americans.  The kneeling during the anthem was a movement started by Colin Kaepernick in reaction to the abuse of law enforcement in predominantly black low income areas.  I want to say first and foremost; police brutality is real.  If you don’t believe it, find some friends from the Hood and ask them what their experiences were with the police.  I have had close friends tell me they witnessed family members get shot and killed by the police or get harassed for no reason.  How can I have the right to tell them kneeling is wrong when I have never lost anyone in a police shooting?  It is their right as Americans to protest what they believe our government has seemingly ignored.  In those predominantly black areas, the police are viewed as bullies and not protectors of the land.  If this is real or even if a large percent of the population believe it to be real, then our government should make drastic changes, don’t you think?  I mean, that’s what I would do if I saw a problem big enough to disrupt an act of pride in our “PROUD NATION!” 
Some would argue that more whites are shot and killed by police than blacks.  And they would be right.  In fact, the Washington Post has been collecting data since 2015 on police killings.  Would you be surprised to know that in 2017 alone, as of 9/26/17, there have been 730 police related killings.  Of those, 326 were white, 165 were black, 112 were Hispanic with the remaining unknown or other.  Given that about 12 percent of the population is black, the fact that 22% of the killings were black might suggest there is some merit to the protestor’s argument. 
            Overall, what we can take from this is that neither side will back down and both sides have reason to be doing what they are doing.  The sooner we all realize why both sides won’t back down, the sooner we can bring both sides together.  Remember, most everyone has lost someone and it usually is the reason why people get so emotional on topics such as this. 

​            Holy shit, people are getting so hysterical nowadays.  It seems so many people think our country is in crisis and may possibly be doomed?  Look online, so many people think this world is completely fucked.  We have a crazy president... our democracy is in turmoil… we are going to be nuked…. All I can say is that it is time to take a breath America.   It is time to work together and not fight each other constantly.  Our media, pop-culture, and political pundits have made so much crazy noise to make us hate each other more.   I look at all this chaos and I can’t help but laugh.  It’s not all real.  It’s hype, propaganda, hyperbole… whatever terms you want to choose… Have we forgotten that we are humans?  We are supposed to think issues and situations through to create rational solutions together.  We don’t just keep forcing the same stuff down each other’s throats and then scream at each other in response!   
            Has anyone ever asked why so many people in our country painfully refuse to compromise?  I get it, some of you bleed blue or red, but come on.  I mean it is such a shame when your political representatives refuse to even talk with those on the other side of the table.   Talk about awful role models.  It can’t be that hard to find a home in social and political neutrality.  I have had several conversations with people from all walks of life and we all can’t be the only people who understand that “our opinions are not the only right ones.”  Although I have several political differences with many of my peers, we get along.  Not only do we get along, but we make great compromises!  We do so by trying to understand the other’s perspective and not just our own.  Compromises have allowed us to work better than we could have ever imagined doing the things our own way!   
            I can’t be the only person who can see why a guy like me growing up upper middle class in a suburb can’t ever speak for someone growing up in near poverty hood.  I have never lived the way they have so how can I ever judge them for their political views or religious views?  Or how could I ever force them to live their life my way.  We have lived in two completely different realities.  However, by talking with them and getting to know and understand why they are who they are, I became close to many of these people.  I was fascinated in finding the differences between our lifestyles and upbringing.  Once I sat down and learned what their problems were, I started thinking more “How could we solve the issues together?” rather than “That sucks for them.”  All because I generally cared about what they thought and how we could help each other out. 
            We need to learn to listen.  Do you hear me?  Learn to listen and care and maybe some of you will stop thinking the world is going to end.  As F. Scott Fitzgerald said “the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.“  You may disagree with someone else’s ideas, but you need to be able to understand and sympathize with the other person and not just mock them.  “We the People,” have the power to move forward from ancient political practices and social upheaval.  Grow the Hell up America.  I am sick of not moving forward because of the culturally ignorant.  Especially when the culturally ignorant are not the majority of this country!