9.4.25
Coming from a very conservative and old-fashioned family, I know what it’s like to have your Being and essence demeaned and attacked with the unkind, ignorant, and close-minded words of others. And I know what it’s like to have to live in an environment whose intolerance feels utterly oppressing. I know what it is to feel out of place in a place that should be home, and to have no way to go somewhere that actually feels like the safe haven a real home should be. And I know what it’s like to be unable to change the harmful, outdated ideas others hold – the frustration or annoyance one may feel.
Left unaddressed, persistent and frequent annoyance can sometimes develop into hate or even lead to violent action. But like I mentioned in a previous post, the fires of conflict/opposition are unlikely to be put out when met with the same energy, as this is more likely to inflame the situation instead. So I met these acts of violence against my Being with the opposite or neutral energy: with Love and a genuine hope for the offending party to heal the [disconnected] parts of themSelves that were causing them to hurt me without cause. And when I knew words would not get through to them, I simply kept my distance whenever possible and took my Loving presence elsewhere. It’s their loss after all. Because how bland would our world be without the bright and colorful essence of trans, queer, and other LGBTQIA+ individuals? I believe it would be a boring, homogeneous, and less magical reality indeed.
I don’t need [them] to respect me –
I respect me.
I don’t need [them] to Love me –
I Love me.
But I want [them] to know [they] could know me,
if [they] changed [their] minds.
Steven Universe
To those of us on the receiving end of intolerance, harm, or violence – so that we do not end up turning to hate as well – let us try to understand that a lifetime of conditioning and indoctrination is not so easily undone. And to those of us unhappy with the way that others harmlessly choose to live their life: we are better off worrying about our own. Let us instead redirect our energies into transforming ourselves to be more accepting of other’s unique views and lived-experience. Let us be mindful of the power our words hold to either heal (through Love) or cause harm (through hate and intolerance), and let us choose Love over hate at all times. In this way we can begin to create the Peaceful reality that most of us crave. Because violence (in thought, word, or action) – as the antithesis of Peace – will not bring about this hopeful and harmonious change.
It is true, however, that there may be times when defensive measures are needed in order to protect or free ourselves from real harm. But self-defense or preservation does not inherently warrant lethal action (though it may sometimes be the result of lethal measures being taken against us without cause). And yet we have seen time and time again how the U.S. employs violent and lethal measures in the face of challenging or “threatening” [non-lethal] situations. With such an example, is it any wonder that violent crimes are so prevalent in the country?
