Remembering Loretta Smith

The far extremes of the socio-political spectrum have always appropriated impoverished and working-class culture to push forward their agendas. This is how they lure you in. They use language that you recognize. They use images and media you enjoy and have deep connection with. They use fashion to make you believe they are on your level. They use social media, memes and virals to hashtag you into to spreading the influence. Woven into all of it is subtle rhetoric to push you into their agendas of hate, exclusion and tyranny.

They use you and a lot of the time, you do not know it.

The gates to your soul are your five senses. Guard them absolutely. Become your own logic checker. Fact checking is not enough. If you do not understand what logic is, learn. And your intuitions and instincts, unless they are protected by logic, will misinform you because those tools are based in emotion.

Data mining, search engine manipulation, and social engineering are bad when corporations do it. The far extremes have learned how to use these tools too.

Those that I mentioned are hand tools like a hammer, or a screwdriver, or a knife. Tools are neutral. Intent and action turns those tools into something else. The sword that kills can also be the scalpel that saves a life.

I have been noticing a trend. All sub-cultures, even those that you would think logically would not be aligned with an extreme viewpoint, are being appropriated. I have found numerous examples of sub-cultures now supporting extremist, hate filled groups. The reason for this is simple.

They have no culture but, need one to push forward.

I do not want to share this evidence because I do not want to be another mouse with a megaphone squeaking sonic booms of validation. I am trying to be responsible for my own digital impact. The only agenda I have is love. And I want to try and make sure that anything I say sticks to that agenda. Everything we purchase, review, tag, tweet, like, share, text, video or speak is being tracked, recorded and cataloged in some fashion. This is a fact. I have been involved with the marketing side of the internet for over twenty years for many large clients. You are indexed and they know how to use your data against you.

This is a gentle warning. Think before every interaction.

Open your mind wide enough to understand and empathize but, do not let your brain fall out. If you think that fists will solve this problem, you are wrong. Violence only gives birth to more violence. Righteous anger motivated by love to actions that care for all lives and liberty is the solution. Be civil but, disobedient. This will not protect you from arrests, fists, violations or death. But, you must be brave, prepare for the worst and value your opponent's life as much as you do your own.

All life is indeed precious, even when we do not agree, or have harmed another.

"I'm Loretta Smith. You killed my son...You broke God's law: Love thy neighbor. I wanna hate you but I can't. I feel pity...tears...but no hate. I didn't realize that until this moment. You are my neighbor. And, I love you. And I forgive you. With all my heart. That's all."

This is from the television show Oz written and produced by Tom Fontana, in the episode "Plan B". Loretta Smith is the mother of one of the correctional officers who was killed by an inmate named Donald Groves. Groves is on death row for this crime. Loretta is black. Donald is white.

Imagine if we took a moment, stood face to face, and each of us, in turn, spoke these words to each other:

"You are my neighbor. And, I love you. With all my heart."

Think about all the emotions you would feel. Think about all the little fears and weird shit would come out. Your tummy will go all which way, trembling and quivering as it goes. Heart will pound, lungs will breathe faster, tingles bounding through your spine. All those trust issues will scream out "OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKFUCKFUCK...what did this person say?...only my mom says that to me!...you're NOT my mom...". And the creepy issues will mutter "whatdidtheysay.whatdidtheysay.idunnoidunno.theysaidloveyouallmyheart.idunnoidunno...noonlytheonetime.theonetime.theonetime...idunnoidunno... Okay, nail 'em!" But, then, this little nervous paw at the door marked hope pushes open a tiny crack and peers a fuzzy eye into a simple, disarming realization of "dude...you serious, brah?" which invites love in. And your tummy will go all which way, trembling and quivering as it goes. Heart will pound, lungs will breathe faster, tingles bounding through your spine. Just like life intended.

And if this last bit made you uncomfortable then...

"You are my neighbor. And, I love you. With all my heart." :D