Category: Uncategorized

Some people give all they can to help their nation and neighbors, most have a lot of training. This is the story of one of those individuals.

They were a Boy Scout, served in the Civil Air Patrol, Air Force ROTC, served in the Marine Corps and was a paramedic for four years. They’re currently serving their community by working with kids who face mental and behavioral health challenges.

In 2020 they started an initiative to assist transgender and LGBTQ+ individuals in finding safety. This initiative has spread out into standing up for women’s rights, protesting against police violence and protesting for Palestine. The initiative has done what they can to help the homeless in their community in various ways; including advocating for them to the local government. This initiative has not received any assistance in funding. Each of these acts of service presents different physical, mental and economic challenges. A lot of people in America are not capable of overcoming these challenges. This person has figured out a way to not only survive, but to go above and beyond!

Through all of these challenges there was one main thing driving them, they want to serve. They did not do these things to receive any awards or to be recognized. These things were done for their brothers, sisters, neighbors and the rest of their community. This is a perfect example of selfless.

Is this what they deserve?

Many people in America do not recognize the things that this individual has done to dedicated their life to service. Many of the people that this person has chosen to serve has always had a tainted view of who they are. Most of society has chosen to ignore these selfless acts and judge solely based on the color of their skin, and the origin of their name.

The complexion of their skin is dark, during their childhood they were referred to a n-word. Their name is Arabic, due to this they have been called a terrorist since 9/11. Both their skin color and name were used as excuses to bully this person. This is inherently racism, racism has been passed through the generations. It is not only older generations making these comments, but young people as well. These things started early in school and have continued into adulthood.

A more detailed look into their life

While in school This person had a lot of issues keeping their grades up, while getting exceptional scores on their tests. They got held back a grade in school a couple times despite doing well on tests. It can be hard to focus on school work while you are struggling with bullying. This bullying was due to things that were not chosen and can not be changed. Eventually the decision was made to leave the majority white area they were going to school in and started attending a school that was majority black students. Their grades drastically changed and they were on honor roll by the time they graduated.

While in the military they went through mistreatment and were not taken seriously about health complications they were facing. They were eventually discharged and forced to rejoin civilian life.

Life as a paramedic

Once they returned home they continued their life of service. They found a job in an area that is known for being racist and transphobic. This included their coworkers and management, in a line of work dedicated to service. Some of the individuals they had to work closely with are part of the 3 Percenters. The 3 Percenters are a far right, white supremacist militia group.

The coworkers and supervisor attempted to convince this person the American Civil War was not about slavery. They started to have panic attacks at work and their mental health was declining, they were falling into burnout. This person asked for a day off work to deal with their mental health and the employer used this against them. The employer prevented them from coming back to work for many months. Their paid time off was refused and they were told it had already been used, though it had not been paid out.

The place of employment decided they wanted the individual to receive a psychological evaluation before returning to work. They got the psychological evaluation and received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and PTSD. Despite receiving the psychological evaluation the individual was still not approved to return to work form their place of employment. There was conversation between them for months until the individual decided to resign.

Overview of the nations social environment

This person and many other like them that have dedicated their life to serving others. This Service is given with no consideration to skin tone, nationality or religion. There is often nothing received in return except frustration for the society they live in.

This individual has not received any metals or much deserved awards. Instead, there has only been more ridicule and racism that follows this individual around. As of this year (2024) racism has once again become normal in America. Political figures are openly supportive of racism and use rhetoric derived from racist assumptions and thoughts. American’s boast about being free and having opportunity to do what they want. To a point they are correct, as long as they are straight, white and are rich.

What if someone does not fit this demographic perfectly?

If an individual does not fit into this very specific box in America their life will be made a living hell full of judgment and misunderstandings. There is no place for people to turn to get the help they need. The Government does not seem to care about anyone except people that fit into this description. If someone does not meet all three of these criteria they are ignored and treated as if they are worthless and stupid.

Americans that fit that description still believe America to be a great and powerful nation that takes care of its people. In their mind, a land of equal opportunity. If you ask me, those people are delusional and tend to be the same ones still being derogatory and racist towards anyone that is not exactly like them.

This nation has always been focused on that very specific demographic. There are people who fit most of the qualifications of that demographic and still think they are a part of that group, they are not. These individuals may be white and straight, but they are not rich. They still believe this nation is here for them. In a way they are correct, there are a lot of things they can get away with. When it really comes down to it, they are still being exploited the same as the rest of the population they are choosing to stand against.

Often times in America there will be a political debate over which party or opinion is better than the other. What purpose does this serve? The intention of starting the conversation is often for one individual to persuade another to agree with their political opinions. These conversations often focus on the differences in their views. Other details are left out such as how those views came to be.

Most people have their political opinions because they were told to think the way they do. Rarely does the individual have any personal experience with the subject of the debate. Despite not having any experience, this person feels very strongly about their own views with no context to pull from.

Political conversations can fail for many reasons. Someone’s view of reality may be out of touch. They are no longer forming realistic scenarios to base their opinions on. The individual is not understand how someone else may be negatively affected by a law. During these conversations patience is needed, but not practiced due to anger.

People tend to associate effective conversation tactics with healthy romantic relationships and friendships. Many people do not think to apply effective communication skills to conversations with strangers. This seems to be true especially when the topic is over a difference in political opinion. Someone with an opinion different from that of the other will often get upset and become more emotional during the conversation. At this point the individual has stopped listening to hear, and is only listening to respond and be heard.

How can we avoid the political conversation from becoming an argument?

These conversations can be deeply emotional for both individuals. So how can we avoid this from happening? Both individuals need to approach the conversation with a mindset of trying understand other individuals opinions. Asking questions of why the individual thinks about the subject the way they do is often a good idea. It may be beneficial to ask about a specific situation they may be imagining. Doing this will lead to an understanding of that person and their views. From there it may be helpful to ask about specific details about the imagined situation the individual has.

Once you understand how the individual views the circumstance you can ask other questions. Try asking “What if?” questions that change the details of the specific situation.

if the individual has given the subject thought then their opinion on the situation may change once they imagine the situation with different details. If the individual has not put much thought into the subject then these questions may guide them to think more over it and help them see it from a different view.

Things to remember

Each person wants to feel heard and valued. Approaching the conversation from a place of understanding and acceptance will help the conversation go smoothly. This does not mean accepting their opinion as truth and fact! This means accepting that this person views the subject the way they do, even if they are not thinking about other details. This persons view is valid, even if it is flawed.

The goal is not to belittle the individual, this will cause them to stop thinking logically and start thinking emotionally. This is when the conversation normally turns to an argument. The goal is to allow the person to feel heard and understood. Once the individual has felt their view is seen, they will likely be more open to other ways of thinking about and viewing the subject.

How this information or view is shared with the individual can also have an effect on their willingness to accept it. Most people do not like to be talked down on or made to feel stupid. Present the information or view in a way that is informative, and not derogatory. Remember, if someone is yelling at you, how would that make you feel? That’s probably why you’re reading this post in the first place.

Why does this happen?

Individuals tend to view the world only from their perspective and can only pull from their own experiences. Asking these questions and guiding them to imagine a different situation where the same law applies may help the individual to realize how something that may be beneficial in one imagined way will be extremely harmful in another realistic way. You don’t know what you don’t know.

it can be hard to communicate with someone that does not feel like they are being heard. Many people are not comfortable in their own lives and are often overlooked in many aspects. People normally like to talk about themselves, especially if they rarely get that opportunity. Ensuring the person feels like they were given time to explain their view will make them more perceptive to seeing things from another view.

The use of these strategies may lead you to see that the difference of political opinions is not always as it seems. The difference is not always in the opinion itself, but rather the situation the political view is being applied to. It can be difficult for many people to imagine situations they have not been through or seen. Introducing the individual to a new perspective can help them understand themselves and those around them.