Man in the Mirror ~ Michael Jackson

     Yesterday someone posted a very heinous comment and picture on a certain social networking website that has been eating at me for the last 12 hours since it went up. I am struck with disbelief that any human could say something so LOW about another human being, and someone who is more or less my family. Even as I'm writing this my body is starting to shake with anger and my heart feels like it is literally going to beat out of my skin, I am so angry. To put things in context, the photo and comment weren't of someone that the poster knew. This was a picture of a random person that the poster decided to publicly ridicule by posting for all of their friends to see. A person that the poster didn't take time to know: his name, his history, his pain, his laughter...The person who posted this, and somebody who is very close to me, have mocked this type of person for years now. It started as just a difference in lifestyles and the comments were more about how with the right knowledge this group could benefit. As time went by the comments developed into a prejudice that I would try to object to or roll my eyes in frustration. But this...this is something that physically makes me sick. I didn't fall asleep for a few hours because I was running all the things through my mind that I could say to try and make this person realize the magnitude of their hurtful words. I debated, and am still debating on saying something. I saw a picture online that said something like: It's important to stand up for what you believe, even if that means standing down." When do you know which is the right way? Either I say something and cause a rift between myself and the other person, or I stand down and let it happen and let them go on hurting people. I'm not perfect, don't claim to be, nor will I ever be. I have judged people and made comments about people unfairly and I can only say that it is people like these that make me want to look at myself and make a change. After this comment I never want to say another bad word against anyone because I see the ugliness and evil in each one. That's not the person I want to be. That is the person I refuse to be.

     I heard recently that the meaning behind the Mayan's calendar isn't that the world is going to end, but instead there will be a change in thinking. A new perspective on life. If this IS the case, I challenge myself and others to keep this acronym in mind. If the only person who benefits from a statement is you, then your ego, should probably rethink saying it out loud.

     In closing, if I could say one thing to this person I would say this:
I hope that the pain that you are causing isn't for nothing. I hope you can at least rest your head at night feeling like a bigger man for it.