It's THEM vs US, but Not the Way You're Used To--Kimberly Sabatini

I've heard a lot of talk lately. The Democrats did this. The Republicans did that. The President said this. Congress did that. We should eliminate all guns. We should all be packing. We should stone everyone on Wall Street. Why won't Wall Street hire me? Someone hardworking has lost a job. Someone one else is taking a free ride on the system--welfare, health care, day care, I just don't care. Gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry. Gays and lesbians should disappear. Bullying kills. Bulling is a right of passage. GMO's should be labeled. I'll eat at McDonald's if I want to! No child left behind. Where exactly are our children going? My religion is right. My religion is right.

I've even heard that Ann Hathaway had pointy boobs at the Oscars this year.


These are not conversations that promote new beginnings. I like to think of these as THEM conversations. As in...I blame it on THEM! It is US against THEM! Their only function is to promote one aspect of a current agenda. They are not designed to bring innovative answers. They are about defending territory and laying blame.

I grew up in a THEM vs US society. It was the Cold War and in elementary school, I did bomb raid drills huddled under my desk. One of my biggest fears as a child was being attacked by the Soviets. Sometimes I was so scared I had trouble sleeping. I wanted a bomb shelter. It was THEM vs US. If you'd told me back then, there would come a time when I would be online talking to a Russian Book Blogger, I would have called you nuts. I lived in a world where the only way to survive was THEM vs. US. The world was painted black and white--good and evil.

This week, North Korea threatened to nuke our butts. And I'll be honest, I'm not a particular fan of that idea. But I also believe that the THEM conversations are not the type of interactions we need to be having right now. Maybe I'm an optimist and fart fairy dust, but I believe, in general, people who live well, smile more. And people who smile more don't want to nuke your butt. People who live well are empowered to ensure that sane people lead them. I'm not completely naive, there are bad apples in every bunch. There are casualties involved in every movement that brings about change. But I still believe it's time to put a new spin on the THEM vs. US mentality. We can unite and work together to ensure that people live well so they are empowered be the change we would like to see in the world.  It is time for new beginnings.


This is the type of conversation I want to be having...

If you want to have a new beginning, you have to start having a new conversation. We need to start caring about what WE do. We need to decide we're no longer standing against others--we are standing up for others.

"There is no such thing as THEM--there is only facets of US."

                                                             John Green

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